Google X Android 5.0.1

Google X smartphone with Android 5.0.1 appears in benchmarks

Surbhi Chawla, April 24, 2013

It seems like the Motorola X smartphone should be hitting the market very soon and will be dubbed Google X.

This revelation is based on a report by Android Headlines via a Japanese blog Rbmen. This report suggests that Motorola X smartphone has made an appearance on the AnTuTu Benchmark results. This smartphone carries the name Google X, which is very similar to Motorola X and hence making the blog believe that these two may actually be the same smartphone.

Another interesting fact that has been unearthed through AnTuTu Benchmark result is that this Google X smartphone will run on Android 5.0.1 (aka Android Key Lime Pie). This means that Google's next version of Android could well be in Beta stages and on track to be launched at the Google I/O, which will be taking place in the month of May.

The alleged Google X smartphone is also reported to run on a processor that clocks up to 1.5GHz. However, it is difficult at this stage to predict whether it is Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, Snapdragon 800 or Tegra 4 that has been deployed in this smartphone. However earlier rumours had suggested that Motorola X smartphone will clock speed to the tunes of 2GHz and have a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor.

Given that Google X has already started popping in benchmark results is also indication that the smartphone might be launched in the near future.

As per past rumours, Motorola X smartphone will be highly customisable, will have a 4,000mAh battery and might be a water-proof device.

Earlier in the month, Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt had shared that the smartphones coming up at Motorola are "very, very impressive." Schmidt had also remarked that, the new set of products will be phenomenal and these smartphones should not be termed as just phones, but "Phones-plus".

While Jim Wicks, Design Chief at Motorola was heard saying that "if you like smaller form-factor devices or stock Android, you're going to be excited."

So for now the Motorola X - or Google X - continues to be a mystery but we are sure to get more details in due course.

Google's new Motorola smartphones

Google's new Motorola smartphones "very, very impressive": Schmidt

Surbhi Chawla, April 17, 2013

In the past few months, there have been no dearth of rumours regarding Google's Motorola building the 'X Phone'. Now Google Executive Chairman has added a dash of excitement to these rumours by stating that he has seen the smartphones coming up at Motorola and they are "very, very impressive."

Schmidt made this remark while talking at the AllThingsD Dive Into Mobile conference. He further went to add,"They have a new set of products, which are phenomenal." He also mentioned that these smartphones should not be termed as just phones but "Think of it as phones-plus." We're not sure if that's a reference to the size of the phones, or their quality, but Schmidt has definitely added a new sense of anticipation towards the devices.

One reason to believe it is not a reference to the size of the phones are the comments made by Jim Wicks, Design Chief at Motorola. While talking to PC Magazine, Wicks said that the company will be launching stock Android devices. He further exclaimed, "if you like smaller form-factor devices or stock Android, you're going to be excited."

The current trend for smartphones is to have a larger screen size but looks like Motorola will not be looking at having "mega" screen and be more focussed on the Android experience for its forthcoming smartphones.

It is noteworthy, that Google completed its acquisition of Motorola in May 2012. Under the new management, Motorola had launched a line of RAZR smartphones, but Google executives maintain that these smartphones were built under the supervision of old management and they had negligible influence on what was churned out. Google even went out to state that Motorola smartphones lacked the "wow factor".

However, the company now plans to change the same. The company had earlier in the year roped in former Apple evangelist Guy Kawasaki. Kawasaki is reportedly focussing on product design, user interface, marketing and social media at Google and is expected to fuse in some enthusiasm in the Motorola brand.

Commenting about Android, Schmidt predicted at the Dive Into Mobile conference that in the coming six to nine months, there will be more than a billion devices running Android.

Schmidt also remarked that the search engine giant was "phenomenally happy" with the Facebook's Home app, which replaces the home screen on Android phones and said Google has no plans to block it.