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Report: Moto X could sell for a Nexus-like $300

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motorola-logo-a-google-company

The Moto X unveiling event is less than a day away and to say I’m hyped would be an understatement. With just about every hardware detail having already been leaked, there’s very little we don’t already know about the X. We’ve seen press images of the front and back of the device, so design and aesthetics are out of the bag (Motorola hasn’t exactly been secretive about this).

When it comes to strong rumors some of the specs we can expect include a 4.7-inch 720p non-Pentile “Magic Glass” display, 1.7GHz dual-core Qualcomm S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, 10MP “Clear Pixel” camera, a plethora of sensors (with a dedicated low-power “core”), no wireless charging, NFC, 2,200mAh battery, and it will even use a tiny nano-SIM card. Nothing that will make tech-junkies smash their current high-end devices, so why is Motorola focusing on a mid-range device?

eric-schmidt-moto-x

Throughout all the rumors there’s still been one vital component left unanswered: the price. It’s really the final puzzle piece left on everyone’s mind at this point. With smartphones not exactly getting any cheaper, really, who has the money to plop down $600 for a new phone every few years, let alone one for the wife and kids? Definitely not Apple (yet). Now that Motorola has successfully reeled everyone in with countless their teasers and carefully planned leaks, it seems Nexus-like pricing could be the ace up their sleeves.

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A newly published 21-page report from analysts at Goldman Sachs suggests that Google-owned Motorola could offer the Moto X at the base price of $300, much like the Nexus 4. There’s a lot of numbers being thrown around, one of which analysts believe the X will only cost Motorola about $225 to produce, with the rest going into Motorola’s wallet.

While good ‘ol market share is the obvious reasoning behind the aggressive price point, Sachs also believes that if the X were a mainstream success, Google would have a way of providing devices to the masses, effectively bypassing the high rates Apple and Samsung currently charge Google to be the default search engine on their devices. That’s why Google wants to ensure the X is a success (well, that and so they can finally bring Motorola out of the red).

Motorola is pouring a lot of money into a device that for the first time in ages, doesn’t boast the most cutting edge hardware or a huge display, instead focusing on software and features, something that wont be drive up its cost. It’s genius really. Don’t forget the Moto X’s small size puts it in a better position to compete with not only the iPhone, but the new trend of “Mini” devices popping up in Android as of late (would also fill in the 4-inch gap nicely should Google move up to 5-inches for the Nexus 5). I think the Moto X has the potential to be great, now we just have to see if Motorola can deliver.

[Barron’s]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

Flud social reader shutting its doors on August 8th, will you miss it?

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187 Comments

  1. they should also make a phone with cutting edge specs, as that could compete with the s4 and note 3. the moto x is good competition against apple tho. I would love to see a high end device

    1. But then it would be priced at $600 and would more than likely flop. Motorola needs a mainstream success and I think a mid-range phone that doesn’t focus so much on hardware but features, is key.

      1. what else is there besides hands free voice commands? I think it’s great and all but HTC and Samsung have put in a lot of more features in their custom uis(i prefer stock). regardless, I really want to see Motorola succeed with this, but I’ll probably hold out for the next nexus or maybe even the note 3

        1. Motorola’s X8 mobile computing system for one. They’ve optimized how it runs less than features they’ve added.

          1. hmmm great point. but to be a mainstream success, I think it needs more features users can use and see as that gives them a reason to buy like the S Pen. I’m not dissing the X8, I think its a really great addition, but that’s what I mean by features if you want it to get into more hands

          2. Something like S Pen is useless on such a small screen. They added the gesture camera and the always listening thing. It will probably have NFC so there is the “S Beam”. I think being cheap and not laggy will sell it.

            Also, the general public will LOVE the customization.

        2. X8 processor thingy, gestures, voice commands, all-day battery life. There could be more, but that’s all we know for sure.

          It’s being said updates will come much, much faster than carrier branded devices, which will also be a welcome change from Motorola :)

        3. Now here’s an off-topic thought. Is voice command engine personalizeable for the owner’s voice? If not, can I take a megaphone and yell in the middle of the crowd – “CALL HOME”!?

          1. yes it is personalized… all moto phones that are coming out (ultra, maxx, mini and the X) will have a DEDICATED voice recognition chip as well for faster and more accurate voice recognition.

            as for the personalized part you will train your phone to your voice by speaking certain commands during initial set up.

        4. LG G2?!

          1. I just took a look at that. That thing is SEXY! Seriously considering that now. I really like the power button on the back, I have a Motorola Xoom and it is really convenient and feels more natural

  2. It’s crazy how this one, “mini” “midrange” device, has the tech world on the edge of their seats. Even with all the leaks, everyone imagines there’s got to be something more to this. I love it.

    1. Stop calling it mid-range. It has the same specs as the new Droid series. If the Moto X is “mid-range”, then everyone should also call the Droid Maxx a “mid-range” phone.
      Funny how the Galaxy S4, with a PENTILE 1080p display, is considered high-end, while a NON-PENTILE 720P display is considered mid-range. Don’t be blinded by the numbers.

      1. I think he used the quotations around it to make the same point that you are.

  3. $300 off contrast or bust!

  4. Its basically a N4 -.2 inches…

    1. That, and with a lot less bezel.

      1. That, and with a lot less glass.

        Fixed it for you. :)

      2. Well, it just makes me feel like I made a good investment. The N4 is still a very decent device.

        1. It’s good. No doubt. I’ve never had a phone that felt better in the hand than the Nexus 4. Love the slightly wider display too.

        2. it’s way more than decent. personally, it’s the cleanest, smoothest, most beautiful phone I’ve ever had.

  5. On pricing, I’m prepared to be disappointed, but am hoping for the best.

    Selling it cheap and off-contract would be amazing. Potentially industry changing.

    1. Especially if it’s cheap and off contract at CDMA carriers.

      1. No thanks. CDMA is dead-end.

        1. Tell that to the most popular carrier in the United States and technology being adopted around the world.

          1. True in the US, false around the world. CDMA is a bad way to go, but give it a few years and it’ll be gone. Verizon will be full LTE.

          2. Cdma isn’t going away, it’s actually being improved. LTE will still be an option, not a full replacement.

          3. I am almost positive CDMA will go away. From a consumer standpoint it sucks, and people will choose with their wallets. When the GSM providers get better service there will be no reason for CDMA. Like I said, all of Europe is GSM with LTE. Also, LTE will replace CDMA.

            http://gigaom.com/2013/06/27/verizon-wraps-up-lte-rollout-plans-all-voip-phone-launch-for-late-2014/

            That’s where they want to go.

          4. GSM providers will never have the footprint that CDMA providers do because they don’t have the spectrum to grow like CDMA does. The only way they could possibly get more spectrum would be to purchase other companies that have the spectrum they need. You see that isn’t going to happen now, don’t you? Wait, you fail to realize the truth.

            AT&T couldn’t get T-Mobile because they would become the only GSM company in the United States therefore creating a monopoly on GSM technology in the country. The government did right in stopping that from happening. There are no other major companies in the United States utilizing GSM because it is an older technology than CDMA. Granted, GSM is better for unlocked phones, but it’s still not that great.

          5. CDMA is dated, no one is “adopting it around the world.” Largest carrier or not in the US (also arguable).

          6. CDMA is not dated. It’s actually newer technology than GSM. You falsely consider cdma dated because it’s not as wide spread around the world as gsm. Naturally, newer technology may not be widely adopted globally.

          7. Who told you that second thing? It’s like saying that Iraq is in Australia.

          8. I’m a cellphone dealer and have been for 3 years. CDMA is still being built in Europe and Asia. Get a clue man.

          9. You might be a cellphone dealer, but my background and very current links are in Europe and Asia. So no, man, no one is interested in CDMA there.

          10. So, if no one is interested in CDMA, why am I selling more CDMA phones in Europe and Asia than I am GSM? Why are my competitors also selling more CDMA to Asia & Europe as opposed to GSM?

          11. People in Europe may buy your CDMA phones, because most of them are world phones these days, and even what you may call CDMA phone would have a slot for a GSM SIM card. That’s because they only use CDMA for voice communication. Now that we clarified that SOME of CDMA phones may be used in predominantly non-CDMA regions, here’s a brain teaser for you – the price of a used unlocked phone in US is sometimes a fraction of what it is in Europe. When it comes to BNIB phones the difference is still substantial to justify overseas shipping.
            I really don’t know why I have to explain this to a “cellphone dealer”.

          12. US Cellular? Ok, Ill tell them, but I don’t know if they will understand..

            =-D

          13. CDMA isn’t being adopted around the world… it’s being abandoned for the GSM Association chosen standard. Canadian carriers dropped CDMA for UMTS. Verizon is dropping it for LTE.

  6. If it really is $300, colour me surprised then. I was hoping the price would be be something like that, then I would pick one up.
    But, then I remembered, aren’t they (allegedly) selling this thing as a phone made in America? Generally, things made in America don’t sell for cheap.

    1. I think that’s exactly why Motorola went with mid-range specs.

      1. game changer, it’s google’s way of giving carriers the finger.

  7. I thought all the rumors said 4.7″ screen? Where did 4.5″ come from?

    1. 4.7, like 4.5 after on screen nav. They should be more specific.

      1. Yeah, but no one says the Nex 4 or the GNex is 4.5″ either, both of those have on-screen buttons too.

        1. Fixed, fixed, fixed. Sorry for the typo as initial rumors pegged a 4.5-inch display, but more recent ones are saying 4.7 inches.

          1. You the man, thanks Chris.

          2. Good job man. I’ve noticed many people doing the 4.5 thing.

  8. So if Verizon doesn’t change it’s pricing structure, I know one person who’s going to buy an S4 on contract, a MotoX off co tract and sell the S4 on eBay. s4 = $199.99 w contract, MotoX =$300 off contract and S4 goes on eBay in unopened box for $600. Just made $100…

    1. Unlimited data > $100

    2. Verizon is not going to make it that easy on you. How much do you think they will charge you for the Nano sim card? Maybe require you sign a 2 year contract.

  9. $300 off contract and then I HAVE to consider what they will offer next year.That means I can suffer through a month 10 – ? planning my next purchase.

  10. at $300, im down..like i say, quality over quantity.

    1. cost over quality over quantity :)

  11. 300 sounds about a right. The phone specs are 2012, but the phone will made in America. If the phone was made in China it would easily be 200.

  12. just show the damn phone already sick and tired of waiting plus i want a 64GB X PHONE

  13. Does anyone think Verizon is going to allow their customers to bypass them and buy a phone like this off contract an

    1. LOL They will have some kind of Moto X activation fee of $50. :P

      1. I predict Verizon is going to nail us on the cost of the nano sim card. Maybe require a 2 year contract for a nano sim card that works on the X Phone. Mark my words. There is no way Verizon is going to allow people to buy a phone like this off-contract for $300 and not make any commitment to Verizon. Motorola will design the phone to make Verizon happy because Verizon is their biggest customer. Last week announced that they will be the exclusive provider of the Droid series.

        1. not sure where this speculation is coming from but we carry nano sim cards for the iPhone 5 and have NEVER charged a penny for ANY sim card. if you want to provide your own phone and just need a sim card to activate it on the account then it will STILL be provided free of charge and you will just be month to month…

          we as Verizon may be the more expensive carrier but its not because we play dirty, its because you are paying for the best service around and with the best speeds, we put more into our towers than any other carrier and still charge the smallest activation and upgrade fee’s.

          you get what you pay for is the best way to put it, but Verizon is not a company do anything like what you have suggested above

          1. I hope you are right. I gladly pay more for my service because it is clearly the best service. No complaints. I will be glad if Verizon continued to provide a nano sim card for people that buy the X Phone from Motorola. We’ll have to wait and see what happens tomorrow.

          2. as a verizon employee I guarantee it. we have nano already in stock as i mentioned and use them for the iPhone 5 currently. if someone walks in the store with a verizon iPhone 5 they bought off the street and need a nano sim card, we provide it no charge.

            and trust me, if there were any phone where we would charge to use a nano-sim card, the iPhone would be it hands down.

          3. Thank you Covert_Death for making me feel a little better tonight. I would be a happy Verizon customer if I could buy this phone for $300 and use it on the best network in the country.

          4. haha no problem man, don’t want you loosing any sleep over something that we don’t do.

            i think a lot of the misconception is reps not doing their job and explaining all fee’s and charges… if we simply communicate ahead of time that we have an activation / upgrade fee instead of telling customers as we check them out “oh by the way im actually charging you $30 more than i told you, just pay it” i think there would be less confusion haha…

        2. Stop saying this! If you don’t say it out loud (or type) It can’t come true!

    2. Yes. I’ve never had a problem doing it.

    3. Has anyone ever successfully brought a device that wasn’t purchased from Verizon (with Verizon branding) and used it on Verizon’s network? My understanding was that if doesn’t have a Verizon MEID/IMEI, you’re out of luck. It’s all about keeping their profit…I mean network… secure.

      1. This was certainly true back in the 3G days. Since CDMA phones were sim-less, there was no means of identifying the handset on the network short of burning in a subscriber ID. In fact, even the GSM/UMTS networks weren’t completely interchangeable since they used different band frequencies. Voice usually worked, as well as low speed data, but UMTS data wouldn’t.

        LTE *should* have standardized this, but carriers have been playing so many games, and I’ve been out of cellular for a few years so I’m not sure if you could get away with an AT&T or T-Mobile SIM in a VZW network.

      2. Verizon LTE phones use a micro sim card. But since the Motorola X will use a nano sim card we are going to have to get one from Verizon. I predict Verizon is going to charge a pretty penny, or require a 2 year contract for a nano sim card that will work on the X Phone.

        1. The iPhone 5 (which Verizon sells) already uses the nano-sim. Also, scissors are common in most countries.

        2. I didn’t even think of this. I think I just shed a tear. Dang Verizon. I bet your right.

        3. I bought an iphone 5 for my wife off contract and they did not charge me any extra for the nano sim

      3. GSM = open source
        CDMA = proprietary

        as long as verizon is CDMA you will not be able to do this.

        HOWEVER since verizon has adopted LTE this could all very well change in the not so immediate future as LTE is open source JUST LIKE GSM is.

        SO when the day comes that a device is released to work ONLY on LTE and later tech (not needing 3g CDMA or anything lower) then you will be able to bring your device to Verizon regardless of where it came from. until then though it is completely up to Verizon wireless to decide whether to allow non approved devices onto the network.

  14. This phone can’t come fast enough? Come on Moto!

  15. not give Verizon anything. How much do you think Verizon is going to charge people for the nano simm card?

    1. Verizon uses a Sim card???

      1. LTE uses sim cards and I’ve never been charged for one. Perhaps a nano-sim will be different but I doubt it.

        1. Hmmm. I was not aware. Is Sprint LTE the same way?

          1. been told that they do use a sim card, its just imbedded inside the phone

          2. yes

          3. sprint embeds their SIM cards physically into the device most of the time but YES all LTE phones have a sim card even sprints.

      2. Yes there’s a sim card in our LTE Phones. Since the X is supposed to have a nano card we won’t be able to use our micro sim. I predict Verizon is going to charge a pretty penny for a nano sim card.

  16. I’m very interested in this phone very much in spite of the specs. Motorola (and Google by extension) has actually gone the route of Apple and focused solely on the experience. However, unlike Apple, Motorola isn’t likely to charge an arm and a leg for the “privilege” to use their phone. Only drawbacks I see is the mid-range zone is actually starting to fill up with some fairly decent quality phones and the Nexus 5 potentially cannibalizing it if it maintains the same prices as the Nexus 4.

  17. For $300, I would go with N4, which is said to be high-end. So its future proof to some extent. This one worth below $250 in my opinion.

    1. Future proof. Yea ok. The Nexus 4 is not even shatter proof.

      1. No phone is shatter proof.

        1. yet… rumors of premium version of note 3 with plastic display

        2. But phones without glass backs are less…

        3. Nokia 3310

      2. Future proof as in it’s rocking 4.3 today. Key Lime Pie probably before the end of the year.

        1. 4.3 rendered my friend’s Nexus 4 unable to download from the Play Store.

      3. no phone is, so why bad mouth one.

        1. Because a phone with a front AND back made out of glass is dumb.

      4. For that matter, no phone is.

    2. The only thing higher end is the CPU and its not even that big of a deal. Quad core CPUs have little real world usefulness in something like Android. The single thread performance will be faster in the Moto X due to higher clock and likely no thermal throttling.
      Meanwhile, the Nexus 4 has no support for LTE or Verizon. The Moto X will likely have a better camera. I also don’t care for glass front and back.

      1. Let’s not write off the possibility of it having an X8, yet.

        http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2422513,00.asp?kc=PCRSS03069TX1K0001121

        1. That is what I was assuming it will have. The X8 has 2 general purpose CPU cores.

          1. Right, but we don’t know what kind of impact this will have on performance, with all of the “optimizations.” Not to mention what potential there is for better battery life.

            All I was saying is that calling the N4 CPU “higher end” might be a little premature at this stage. (I use my N4 for both my daily driver and my development, I love it– not trying to knock it.)

          2. I’m pretty sure in terms of raw performance the X8 will still be slower than a quad core CPU. It is the same basic krait core in both after all.

            Performance outside of benchmarks will likely be very comparable if not the same which is why I’m considering the Moto X. I’d rather upgrade a not-so-high-end phone every year than keep a high end phone for 2 years.

          3. This is what really matters to the main demographic of users – the real world performance. If it is smooth to use then any processing power above that is overkill – especially for a mid-range device with a low price point.

            I’m undecided whether moto X is my next, or next nexus is my next (say that ten times quickly); nonetheless it is looking very appealing.

            Maybe I should consider a new tablet instead with that money, the TP is STILL going strong (thankyou – yes YOU) but with low priced tablets like the nex7, and low priced phones like nex4, motoX, perhaps I can get both!!

          4. Thanks! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your TouchPad.
            I’m probably going to skip the Nexus 7 and wait to see if the rumors of a Nexus 8 turn out to be true. A 7″ tablet is just a bit too small for me.

          5. yeah, I agree. I bought my missus a nexus 7 (2012) and while it’s a great device, I still prefer the 10 inch screen size for my use.

            between the nexus 10 and the nexus 7 (2013), I prefer the nexus 10 in almost every way, except for the fact that the nexus 7 is just WAY better value. So naturally, I’m very keen to see what the new nexus 10 will be like. an 8 inch tablet could be the sweet spot though.

        2. this is what my moto rep keeps telling me is in the X as well and he is SWEARING by it… he has been more than reliable in the past as well so im thinking we are good to go with this rumor

      2. I think a fair comparison would be nexus 5 (with snapdragon 800/LTE) not the nexus 4.

        1. Except we really know nothing about the Nexus 5 unlike the Moto X. Not to mention we don’t know what the price of the Nexus 4 successor might be.

          1. how much info about the moto X was confirmed? And all of the info leads to the Nexus 5 being just like the nexus 4.. maintaining the same internals as the reference device which is rumored to be the G2… obvious nothing is confirmed, but with a release date of 3 months apart, its more of a fair thing to compare. But i suspect the nexus 5 will have a mediocre camera and no verizon support

    3. How can you possibly comment on what it’s worth, when it has not been announced yet? All these people writing the phone off before it is presented is beyond silly, and once presented, Moto/Google’s innovation will prevail.

      1. I am commenting on this article. So my comment applies to this article context, not in general :-)

  18. Chris, why you keep saying 4.5? Everyone knows it’s 4.7. Source please.

    1. Initial rumors said 4.5-inch (@evleaks). More recent ones are pegging a 4.7-inch display. Updated post (but still secretly hoping for 4.5). :P

      Really, it’s all hearsay until the X is finally made official tomorrow. Hyped!

      1. I think it’s 4.7, the phone is only 2mm narrower than HTC One which has much bigger bezels so I think the screen size is the same.

        1. 4.7 with on screen buttons makes 4.5

          1. but 4.7 when movies are playing

          2. Even better. The perfect size

      2. chris i’ll confirm 4.7 720p for you, spoke with our moto rep 2 days ago about this device, the only specs where my rep differs is that it will have a quad core CPU with a dual core LOW POWER CPU…. besides that everything else you pointed out in this article are a match for what he is telling us ( and he has been spot on in the past, even recently when he came in to leak to us the ultra, maxx and mini, he nailed EVERY spec of all 3 devices even down to battery size)

    2. considering the phone isn’t out yet, who is “everyone” and why do they persist with rumors.

  19. This phone is not about specs, it’s abouit innovation and software optimisation and looks like Moto X delivers.

    1. EXACTLY and for the first time im excited to own a phone that i outright KNOW doesnt have the best specs but instead has the best features and software integration…

      1. Amin!

  20. I can’t wait. Moto X will be first smartphone.

  21. $249 is an instant buy for me. Not to hot on a $300 price point unless they include some goodies, like more free Netflix or a year of All Access for free.

    1. All Access for free is a great idea. Hopefully they thought of that.

  22. If $300 on Verizon, mine!

    1. this is at least confirmed by my moto rep and i agree, im getting it when releases…

      i think what i’ve really been drooling for out of a new phone is software features and im just starting to realize this as rumors arrive… im tired of the gimmicky stuff i see on my GS4 already and honestly it all starts to annoy me as i go through my daily routine… i want simplified interface with features i will USE (like bump device for time or screen notification of messages and double shake for camera……)

  23. it would be 300bucks with no contract, like the other nexus phone

  24. I don’t think this is meant to be a game changer, like others have said. For one, it just won’t be… the Nexus program already covered this ground.

    Plus, I think it is just Googarola’s FIRST play at getting their devices into as many hands as possible, for the benefit of the company (moto) itself.

    1. Game-changer? People still use a dated fad phrase? What game?

  25. Please be true.

  26. This should be $250. The Nexus 4, released in 2012, had similar specs for $300.
    Also same size, so I don’t see the point.
    If it was smaller (say 4.2″) or larger (5.5″) than the Nexus 4 it could have been interesting for people with different needs.

    1. advertising costs. they want this to get in as many hands as poss, and adv will prob make that happen, probably…..

  27. I’m hoping it’s got a decent camera and nice loud speakers.

    I’m excited to learn more about it tomorrow!

  28. I think $300 or less for 16 GB, $350 or less for 32 GB will be a big win. More than that will not.

    1. If they make a 64GB version I’ll be very tempted to give this a try.

  29. in all honesty im and COMPLETELY excited for this phone and will be buying it out right. i currently have a GS4 but this phone, while not TOP TIER will still be awesome and a stock experience on top of that will be perfect for me…

    also according to my moto rep the rumored specs are wrong and although it won’t be TOP TIER it will be better than what is suggested in this article ( quad core CPU is the biggest difference im being told)

    this phone should still preform HELLA well and be a STEAL at 300

  30. sp VZW customers would never and will never get this price right?

    1. I believe they will. (oh wait, this is VZW we’re discussing… so, probably 499, ha)

      1. where’s the joke? You buy directly from google.

        1. here is the joke, Verizon some how will tell Google that their version can only be sold by Verizon only!! there you have it you can start laughing now,hahaha!

        2. well in the past that has never been offered to VZW customers.. so i guess we will see soon!

  31. Will the battery be removeable?

    1. no, sir.

      1. Oh no :( This is heartbreaking. I was hoping this would be my next phone, but I guess, as a frequent traveler who uses my phone as a GPS, MP3 player, and camera (and therefore carries 3 spare batteries at all times), I will have to stick to my Galaxy Nexus and keep dreaming of the next big thing

        1. Just get a pocket battery, charging on the go.

        2. Yea, just buy one of those mega 5000 mAh battery packs to charge your phone while you are walking, or while you are in class, or it’ll charge your phone while you’re on an airplane, etcetera…. if you stop to eat lunch somewhere, plug it in, and keep charging. they even make some solar rechargeable ones, but they’re not very practical, unless you’re on a camping trip.

        3. where you been? next big thing is here already! is called Galaxy s4!!!!

        4. I got a Galaxy Nexus too so i know where you’re coming from. on that phone you need those extras. Supposedly on this one, you wont need them. slightly bigger battery and optimized for better battery life.

  32. People are never happy with crap. Motorola can give you this phone for free and some people will be complaining about some crap. If this phone is $300 with LTE compatible with US companies please shut the hell up and don’t buy this phone. There are plenty of people who would buy it at that price.

    1. I would. Who really NEEDS 2GHz of octa-core performance on a damn phone? As long as this is delivering the hyped experience then its good enough for me. For anything more powerful, I have my tablet (N7). For anything more than that, I use my laptop. If you need a phone to do more, I’d highly recommend getting a Galaxy Note.

      1. People who don’t enjoy or understand battery life.

        If it was octa-core, people would just complain the battery lasted 15 seconds.

  33. Ima buy ten a dees yo

    1. English.. not yolo.

    2. Imma find u an engrish teacher.

  34. I’m grandfathered in with unlimited data. $300 for an unsubsidized phone would be great. I can keep my plan, and not break the bank.

  35. I’m interested for sure but I also have complete faith in Verizon screwing me on this somehow. Maybe it will be getting it in December, maybe something else, who knows but I expect them to mess with it somehow….

    1. Maybe buy it straight from google?

    2. a shame you don’t know how things work.

    3. the road map for verizon says 8/23

      1. I wouldn’t be surprised if Verizon pushed it back more so it doesn’t steal the thunder from the meh droid line.

  36. We have to remember the $500million marketing campaign, r&d costs(which if the comments of late are the be believed then they did a ton of optimization), and then customer support for after the sales. Not to mention this would undercut their other phones.

    I could see $350 for a gsm only version(maybe $300 for some 8gb model again), then add on $100 for cdma/lte or gsm/lte. $450 for a mid range phone is still pretty good though.

    1. is it possible to integrate both radios into a single device or will there definitely be two separate versions?

      1. The Verizon iPhone 5 has both.

        http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/972191

        So yes it is possible, but it’s not as simple as having both radios since they are separate antennas to my knowledge. I would assume it would drive up the price since it would have multiple antennas.

        There are some other articles around that mention the iPhone having the multiple antennas as well. The easiest way to find it is google something along the line of Verizon iPhone on T-Mobile or AT&T.

        1. verizon iphone doesnt have LTE radios either. most androids have cdma radios and LTE (verizon phones). so not including LTE radios may make it possible to have gsm with cdma radios. I think they have both radios in global phones correct?

      2. As jonstump mentioned, it is possible but it isn’t cheap. Given the mid range feel the leaks have given off so far I’m assuming they’re going for lower(albeit not nexus low given the ad campaign) costs.

    2. I said the same many times, but the $300 price leaks just keep coming so I start believing lol

      May be Motorola will take XiaoMi business model: sell the phone on the cheap and make money from accessories and services?

      And then “design your own phone” part just makes more business sense: Buy the standard version for $300, and pay premium for customized versions?

  37. Here’s a question. Will Verizon have an entirely separate version of the phone that has the cdma radios or will it be a single device that has both gsm and cdma radios integrated. Is something like that even possible?

    1. I thought I read where someone said the CDMA model is separate. Even the Sprint and Verizon are different. Can’t remember where I saw that though. We will find out in just a few hours now!

      1. Each device did pass through the FCC separately. Each version has a different model number also.

    2. There will almost always be different versions for Sprint and Verizon due to CDMA and GSM differences.

      1. Now in the distance future (the year 2000), they’ll be able to just put LTE and all of the frequences into a device since eventually everything will be done over LTE, right?

  38. Cheap in the US again – land of Google – rest of the world will pay a lot more again IF they can buy it.. (see Nexus 4)

    1. Well, the rest of the world tends to get better devices (see the Galaxy line). We dont get the Exynos versions, we get the Snapdragon versions, not that they are bad but I’d have loved to try Samsungs CPU. Then many countries get devices that the US will never, ever see, good or bad. I don’t really think its fair either though.

      1. I’m from Europe and also carry the Snapdragon 600 model. Hell Samsung will even use the Snapdragon 800 instead of their Exynos soon.
        The Exynos seems to be less power efficient than the Snapdragon

  39. Why can’t we get a high end Nexus? I realize that Google wants a mid range phone that people can afford to buy outright but some of us want more.

    1. Hi,

      It was said a million times on this site that N line was intended to be an affordable option for developers to test apps on the latest iteration of Android.

      why do you want high end Nexus? Stock experience? How about SG4 GPE or HTC One GPE?

      Latest and the greatest phones come out almost every quarter from different OEMs. Why not buy one, slap custom ROM, profit? Or get Google Play Edition phones mentioned above?

      1. He means a super high end phone for cheap. Nexus 4 was that phone a year ago. It is still very much a higher end phone. I think if Google was the only mfg then they would but that would not sit well with Samsung, LG, HTC, and all the other manufacturers. So many choices that you really can’t complain these days.

    2. What’s low end about the Nexus 4?

      1. Yeah, I just got a Nexus 4 and it is a super nice phone. Big upgrade from Galaxy Nexus. Even better with paranoid android rom and all the features that come with that.

  40. It’s barely smaller than the Nexus 4. That’s a good all-around size, but definitely not “small”. It still makes the iphone5 look diminutive.

  41. Stock blahhh blahhh.. Pure Google experience blahhh blahhh.. I’ll keep my note 2 best Android phone I ever had.. :-)

    1. Fanboi…but to each his own.

    2. get back to me IF you ever get an OS update.

  42. LOL…wtf is CLEAR PIXEL camera. LOL….better not be foggy!. Nokia has a 41mp Clearview camera that takes 41mps and combines them into a lossless 5mp image. Super High resolution technology that nobody can duplicate.
    MOTO X…10mp…after compression to jpg you’ll get a crappy 3mp low res image that pixelates when you zoom in. Is that what you really want? Go for it. Otherwise grab the Lumia 1020 and test it out.

  43. The specs outlined above are not “mid range” imho. God help us all if those specs are viewed my the majority as mid range. Phones are becoming more and more like computers and the public is being bamboozled into thinking they need more and more.

    For what MOST people do on their phones 1 core is enough.

  44. LOL JK GAIZ

  45. This is what we’ve been waiting for? What a disappointment. Maybe they should have focused a bit less on custom colors and actually put a bit more under the hood.

  46. …OFF-Contract Prices for the 16gb version from $575 (At&t) to $699!!!!( US Cellular)…This has go to be the MARKETING DISASTER of the Year! MOTOROLA needs a serious house-cleaning: Woodside’s head should roll first. $500,000,000 propaganda campaign will NOT save this phone!

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