Google apparently wants to foray a bit more into the smartphone and tablet market — rather than be content with a yearly Nexus device. A report on The Wall Street Journal says the search giant may be planning to launch a new smartphone from Motorola, known at this time only as the X Phone. According to a former Google sales guy (and now Motorola's chief executive Dennis Woodside), Google is "investing in a team and a technology that will do something different than the current approach". In the attempt to make the ultimate phone, the company plans to incorporate a better camera and photo software, in addition to exotic features such as a bendable screen — and ceramic materials to give it a premium edge. It goes without saying that the smartphone will target Apple's iPhone 5 and Samsung's GALAXY S III.
Motorola recently acquired the imaging and gesture-recognition software company Viewdle, and this could be used in some way with the upcoming handset.
Motorola will also start working on an X tablet, and a significant budget has already been allocated by Google towards that cause. Details about the impending tablet, however, are even scarcer as it is probably still on the drawing board. For those who are wondering about the relationship between the two companies, the mobile division of Motorola was acquired by the search giant earlier this year with the joint aim of "accelerating innovation and choice of mobile computing to give consumers better phones at lower prices". Another reason stated was that the patent portfolio held by Motorola Mobility will help protect the Android ecosystem.
When the Android OS was announced, there was the general expectation that handsets would be inexpensive. That didn't happen immediately due to a variety of factors including a lack of optimisation, leading to the need for more powerful (and more expensive) hardware to run Android satisfactorily. Entry-level Android devices may be cheap today, but most of them are still plagued by performance issues related mainly to the OS.
While it is well-known that Motorola is not doing particularly well in the mobile business, leading to the recent closure of its India website, we wonder if Google can induce life into the ailing company — to deliver Android devices that are feature-rich and perform well, at an affordable price.
Motorola recently acquired the imaging and gesture-recognition software company Viewdle, and this could be used in some way with the upcoming handset.
Motorola will also start working on an X tablet, and a significant budget has already been allocated by Google towards that cause. Details about the impending tablet, however, are even scarcer as it is probably still on the drawing board. For those who are wondering about the relationship between the two companies, the mobile division of Motorola was acquired by the search giant earlier this year with the joint aim of "accelerating innovation and choice of mobile computing to give consumers better phones at lower prices". Another reason stated was that the patent portfolio held by Motorola Mobility will help protect the Android ecosystem.
When the Android OS was announced, there was the general expectation that handsets would be inexpensive. That didn't happen immediately due to a variety of factors including a lack of optimisation, leading to the need for more powerful (and more expensive) hardware to run Android satisfactorily. Entry-level Android devices may be cheap today, but most of them are still plagued by performance issues related mainly to the OS.
While it is well-known that Motorola is not doing particularly well in the mobile business, leading to the recent closure of its India website, we wonder if Google can induce life into the ailing company — to deliver Android devices that are feature-rich and perform well, at an affordable price.
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