Moto X Pure/Style packs 21MP camera into larger, wildly customisable body (hands-on)
Motorola's latest Moto X packs a larger 5.7-inch display, a 21-megapixel camera and can be tailored uniquely to you.
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Motorola has pulled the curtains off a range of new phones at events held simultaneously in London and New York, including a new Moto G and three new versions of the Moto X. It's the Moto X Style and Pure Edition I'll be discussing here, although there's a Play edition as well.
It's a slightly confusing jumble, but what you really need to know is Moto X Style is the name the phone will carry in the UK, Australia and Europe, while the Moto X Pure Edition is its name in the US. That aside, they're pretty much identical phones, packing a larger 5.7-inch display, a 21-megapixel camera, improved battery life and huge customisation options using the Moto Maker tool.
Both Moto Xs will be available directly from Motorola's website (US | UK | Australia), although specific prices and timings have yet to be announced.
Design and display
One of the major changes is the size of the display, which Motorola boosted from 5.2 to 5.7 inches. We don't have the exact dimensions of the handset yet, but with a larger screen stuffed inside the body, you can expect it to be a physically larger phone than the 5.2-inch existing Moto X. Moto has said that it has an "edge-to-edge" display, and indeed there is a very skinny bezel, meaning the phone hasn't had to balloon out too much to accommodate the larger screen.
The overall look is much the same as before, with a curved back, rounded edges and button-free front design. We loved the comfortable feel of the existing Moto X's rounded back, and from my limited time with the new phone, it doesn't seem like that's been spoiled. It's comfortable to hold in one palm, although stretching a thumb across might be an issue for those of you with smaller hands. The edges of the phone are made from metal, but the back panel is where the customising fun happens.
As with the 2014 Moto X, the new model will be heavily customisable using Motorola's Moto Maker service. A range of bright colours are available, along with more unusual materials such as various types of wood or real leather. You can also choose whether the front is white or black and a new strip of metal on the back panel comes in a variety of colours to match your chosen back style. I love how easy it is to give your phone a unique look; I think it's one of the X's biggest selling points and the wood back on the new Moto X Style looks gorgeous.
The screen itself has a 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution, which is an upgrade from the current 1,920x1,080-pixel Moto X. In my hands-on time with the phone, it seemed to match the pin-sharp detail we've seen on other Ultra HD phones like the Galaxy S6 or LG G4, but we'll wait to put those phones side by side in our labs before making any final verdict.
Features
The phone will arrive with Android Lollipop on board, and again Motorola has not changed the interface. That's certainly not a criticism. Manufacturer skins that change too much can often be bloated and sluggish to use, not to mention confusing. Motorola's decision to let Android just do its thing has resulted in its phones being simple, easy to operate and not too demanding of the processor either.
You will find some Motorola extras on board, including tools like Moto Action, which performs tasks when it feels specific motions (two flicks of the wrist will open the camera, for example). Motorola Assist is there too, which on current models automatically performs tasks based on your schedule (such as putting your phone on silent when you have a meeting). Of course there's voice recognition too -- this was available on the Moto X, but how much more has been added remains to be seen.
The camera has seen a significant boost from the existing Moto X, with a resolution jump from 13 to 21 megapixels. There's a dual LED flash too, with each bulb emitting a different colour -- this should help it give a much more balanced, natural-looking flash in those low-light situations. We'll of course be putting the camera through its paces in the full review, including the 5-megapixel front camera.
With a bigger body, Motorola has had more room in the new Moto X to insert a larger battery. There's now a 3,000mAh cell inside -- a big step up from the 2,300mAh battery in last year's phone -- and Motorola claims it can last up to 48 hours on a single charge. That's an extremely impressive claim, and one that's likely to be very dependant on what it means by "mixed usage". We'll have to wait until our round of tests to see how long this thing can last.
Outlook
The Motorola Moto X was already one of our favourite phones, thanks to its highly customisable design, its comfortable size and its user-friendly stock Android experience. A bigger screen, better camera and improved battery life are three things that are sure to make the new Moto X an even more attractive proposition. I for one am very much looking forward to taking it for a spin.