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Moto X price drops to $399 off-contract

Motorola whacks the price of its Moto X smartphone from the earlier no-contract price of $579.

Jon Skillings Editorial director
Jon Skillings is an editorial director at CNET, where he's worked since 2000. A born browser of dictionaries, he honed his language skills as a US Army linguist (Polish and German) before diving into editing for tech publications -- including at PC Week and the IDG News Service -- back when the web was just getting under way, and even a little before. For CNET, he's written on topics from GPS, AI and 5G to James Bond, aircraft, astronauts, brass instruments and music streaming services.
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  • 30 years experience at tech and consumer publications, print and online. Five years in the US Army as a translator (German and Polish).
Jon Skillings
Motorola Moto X
The Motorola Moto X and its coats of many colors. Sarah Tew/CNET

Motorola is ringing in the New Year with a price cut for its marquee smartphone.

The Moto X now costs $399 off-contract at major US carriers. The new pricing includes customized devices.

The Moto X had been listing at $579 without a contract. With a two-year contract at a carrier such as Verizon Wireless or AT&T, the smartphone starts at $99.99.

"We've been hearing a lot recently from people who want a new premium smartphone at a reasonable price without having to wait for a contract upgrade," Motorola said in a blog post Wednesday. "That came through especially loud and clear during our holiday flash sales."

That's not the cheapest off-contract price, by the way. Republic Wireless has been offering the Moto X for $299.

The Moto X may not win any battle of the specs against hero phones from other manufacturers, CNET's Brian Bennett said in his review, but it is "a scrappy smartphone with enough going for it to bring the fight to the big boys."