Motorola Moto X (2016): What's the story so far?

Motorola announced a flurry of new smartphones in 2015, including the fifth generation of Moto G and three models of the Moto X. Yes, not one but three, plus a special edition one.

The Moto X Play and the Moto X Style graced us with their presence at the end of July 2015, while the Moto X Force appeared a little later in October. Despite only a few months passing since the Force however, rumours for a new Moto X have already started.

We have rounded up all the rumours and speculation surrounding the 2016 model of the Moto X, or at least one of, that we have heard so far. As usual, we will be updating this feature as we hear more, but for now, here is everything you need to know about Motorola's, or technically now Lenovo's, Moto X (2016).

Motorola Moto X (2016): Release date

Unlike Apple or Samsung, Motorola doesn't really follow a strict release pattern. The original Moto X arrived in August, the 2014 model in September and as we mentioned, the 2015 models were announced in July.

Based on these previous dates, it would be reasonable to suggest the 2016 model of the Moto X might appear in the summer, probably July or August time again. None of the predecessors were announced at trade shows, despite IFA being fairly close, so chances are Motorola will stick to the strategy of a separate event. Slashgear reported in January 2016 that Lenovo's CEO Yang Yuanqing revealed a "more innovative, more attractive" Moto smartphone would be coming in a few months. Although like us, Slashgear believes a few months actually meant July time.

Yuanqing also recently announced a new Motorola smartphone would be launching on 9 June but he didn't clarify which one this might be. There have also been rumours floating around about a new Motorola Moto G so 9 June is a date to keep an eye on but don't pin all your hopes on it being the new Moto X.

Whenever the Moto X (2016) does arrive however, it won't be carrying Motorola's name, just Moto, with Lenovo branding instead.

Motorola Moto X (2016): Design

As we said previously, 2015 introduced three Moto X models and currently, many of the rumours are pointing towards one model for 2016. A leaked image on Chinese website Wapvnet suggests there will be a Moto X with a full metal unibody.

The image apparently came from an anonymous source so it is worth taking with a pinch of salt but with many of Motorola's competitors opting for metal, it isn't a completely unreasonable suggestion. If true, we hope the new model is thinner than the current Moto X models or it would be a chunky and probably pretty heavy handset if made from metal.

The device in the image features a raised larger rear camera lens in the centre of the device, which could suggest a thinner handset. A handset can only be as slim as its largest component so perhaps Motorola has raised the rear camera lens to allow for this. The signature Motorola "M" sits below the camera lens but it isn't indented like other models have been and there are also what is presumably speaker holes at the bottom of the device, split into two sections.

It is also worth bearing in mind that the leaked image from Wapvnet, if accurate, may only represent one Moto X model released in 2016 - perhaps the top-end model. With three released in 2015, it might be that Motorola is also planning a cheaper option too which maybe won't come with a metal build as a metal build would undoubtedly lead to a higher price point, something which the Moto X has previously tried to avoid.

A report by Android and Me presents a couple of leaked images, which it suggests could show what the next Moto devices could look like. There appears to be a metal device in three colours in one image, while the other shows a curved handset that looks similar in terms of design to the current Moto X models. Whether this will mean one metal Moto X device in a series of colours as well as a plastic version is unknown, as the images could easily refer to the Moto G too, or none of the Moto handsets at all.

There has also been a leaked image from HelloMotoHK that appears to show what could be the next Moto X in the wild (shown below). The image is blurry but from what we can make out, it looks as though a metal build is present, certainly a frame at least, supporting other reports. There also appears to be a fingerprint sensor at the bottom and what looks like USB Type-C but the quality of the picture is too distorted to tell for sure.

Chen Xudong, senior vice president of the Lenovo Group and president of the company's China and APAC regions told Tech Sina there would be less smartphones released in 2016. He also apparently said Motorola's products would be focusing on the high end, while Lenovo's Vibe range would take the low-end. If true, this would support the idea of a metal build, but it would also suggest there may only be one Moto X arriving and the price could increase. Xudong also told Tech Sina all smartphones released by Motorola this year would have a fingerprint scanner.

HelloMotoHK

Motorola Moto X (2016): Display

There are currently no rumours indicating what display size or resolution the Motorola Moto X (2016) might appear with. The Force has a 5.4-inch display with a Quad HD resolution, the Play has a 5.5-inch Full HD display and the Style has a larger 5.7-inch screen with a Quad HD resolution.

If Motorola opts for just one model for 2016, we would have thought it will come with a Quad HD resolution and sit around the 5.5-inch mark, especially if a metal body is on the cards. Xudong told Tech Sina no Motorola smartphone released in 2016 will be smaller than 5-inches.

Whether the ShatterShield display from the Force will make an appearance in 2016 remains to be seen but we wouldn't be surprised to see more than one Moto X in 2016 with different sizes, technologies and resolutions available, even if not as many models as 2015.

Motorola Moto X (2016): Camera

Aside from the image leak on Wapvnet, not much has been said in terms of the Moto X (2016) camera. If the device in the image is even close to accurate, it suggests Motorola will be changing things up in the new model's camera department.

The rear lens in the image is much larger and more prominent than previous Moto X models, suggesting a different sensor. It is also raised above the rest of the shell in the image as we mentioned, which is what Apple does on its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S. Whether this is for design purposes or camera purposes is not yet clear.

It's all a guessing game at the moment but Motorola put a lot of emphasis on the camera with all three of the 2015 models so we'd expect that to continue. All three come with a 21-megapixel rear snapper and a 5-megapixel front camera so we would expect the same if not higher resolutions for the new device.

Motorola Moto X (2016): Hardware

The Motorola Moto X (2016) is expected to arrive with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset but it has also been rumoured to be coming with a heatpipe.

Chinese site Techweb allegedly attained an image of the inside of the new Moto X from an internal source. It shows a heatpipe in the form of a metal L-shape that could allow heat to be dissipated away from hot components, such as the CPU. This is something that has been used in PCs in the past to prevent certain components from overheating.

Should Motorola go down this path for the new Moto X, it could suggest it is planning to offer overclocking options that would allow the chip to run beyond its intended power output levels. Take it with a pinch of salt for now though as the image isn't exactly crystal clear and it could be anything.

The 2015 models of Moto X offer between 2GB and 3GB of RAM, as well as between 32GB and 64GB internal storage, all with microSD support. We would expect the new Moto X to come with at least 3GB of RAM and microSD support. With Android Marshmallow, users can combine internal storage and microSD storage into one so it doesn't matter too much which internal storage options are offered if microSD is available.

Battery-wise, the Force has the largest at 3760mAh, with the Play following closely behind at 3630mAh and the Style a little further behind with 3000mAh. The Play has been praised for its battery life so we would hope so see a similar capacity in the new Moto X.

Motorola Moto X (2016): Software

Motorola has always offered a close to vanilla Android experience when it comes to software. Unlike its competitors, it opts not to add an entire skin over the top of Android and instead adds just a couple of extra apps here and there.

Granted, these apps have slowly increased with the release of each new generation of devices but they are easy to hide away, providing an experience that is as close to pure Android as you can get without buying a Nexus.  

The Moto X (2016) will more than likely stick to this tradition so expect Android Marshmallow with a couple of extra apps. Xudong told Tech Sina that Lenovo and Motorola would merge the Vibe UI and the Moto UI to create a new one in 2017. If true, which we hope isn't the case, it could mean the 2016 model of the Moto X is the last to offer an almost stock Android experience.

Motorola Moto X (2016): Conclusion

As there are currently only a few rumours floating about for the Motorola Moto X (2016), we are mainly running on guesswork at the moment.

Nothing is certain but we wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of new Moto X models appear towards the middle of 2016, one of which potentially offering a metal build.

We'd expect improvements in most areas as this tends to be the way so a faster processor, more RAM, microSD support, a larger battery capacity and the latest software would all be reasonable predictions. We'd also expect the camera to be a big consideration as it was in 2015.