Should Moto change its low end approach to hardware for the Moto X2?

[NoYankees44]

The X is still probably the smoothest experience available. The reason for that is actually specs. They fit a fat gpu designed to run a 1080p screen on a 720p screen. That coupled with a little optimization and nothing extra in terms of software made for a fantastic experience. If they keep that same philosophy and get the word out, there is no reason why moto cannot become a big player again with the x2. They a still a couple of years off of matching Samsung, but moto could gain a noticeable share with the x2 and then actually go for blood in 2015 and big money in 2016.

This is all of course completely dependent on Lenovo now. I cannot see them let moto destroy their bottom line. That means lots of changes are in order.

 

[UJ95x]

Are you really claiming that simply putting a new camera in will suddenly make the Moto X2 a best seller? The specs of the X did its performance no harm given how well Moto designed the software and user experience, but I feel it's naive to think Joe Q. Public doesn't look at specs when making phone buying decisions. Why else was the X advertised as having "8 cores"? Rebranding a phone but keeping the specs the same doesn't work; even Apple couldn't pull that one off (the 5C is a disappointment in sales, and it's just a rebranded 5). No matter how well the X performs now, the general public likely would respond poorly to a flagship device with older components inside. Hopefully Motorola will update the internals (and improve the camera, yes) while keeping everything else about the phone the same. I really can't think of a more perfect device.

I never said anything regarding sales
Anyway, the general public (the millions that buy iPhones and Samsung phones every year) don't care about specs, the majority of them anyway. It's the few people on sites like this one that pay attention to specs and performance, and while a lot of them still care about numbers on a piece of paper, adding that to the X2 won't make a difference.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

 

[Eli_C]

I get that the Moto X is about user experience, but are people arguing that the Moto X user experience could not be better with a SD800?

The N5 launched with the SD800 for $400 OFF contract, so they can get it done for the price. It would be great to see a SD805 optimized in the X2 as much as the S4Pro was optimized on the X.

 

[UJ95x]

I get that the Moto X is about user experience, but are people arguing that the Moto X user experience could not be better with a SD800?

The N5 launched with the SD800 for $400 OFF contract, so they can get it done for the price. It would be great to see a SD805 optimized in the X2 as much as the S4Pro was optimized on the X.

No. The point of optimization is to get the best performance possible out of the processor. There is no need for more cores or higher clocked CPUs because the phone already performs flawlessly. Adding a newer CPU won't add anything that the S4 doesn't already offer

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

 

[Citizen Coyote]

No. The point of optimization is to get the best performance possible out of the processor. There is no need for more cores or higher clocked CPUs because the phone already performs flawlessly. Adding a newer CPU won't add anything that the S4 doesn't already offer

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

Wow. Ok. Agree to disagree I suppose.

 

[Kevin OQuinn]

Are you really claiming that simply putting a new camera in will suddenly make the Moto X2 a best seller? The specs of the X did its performance no harm given how well Moto designed the software and user experience, but I feel it's naive to think Joe Q. Public doesn't look at specs when making phone buying decisions. Why else was the X advertised as having "8 cores"? Rebranding a phone but keeping the specs the same doesn't work; even Apple couldn't pull that one off (the 5C is a disappointment in sales, and it's just a rebranded 5). No matter how well the X performs now, the general public likely would respond poorly to a flagship device with older components inside. Hopefully Motorola will update the internals (and improve the camera, yes) while keeping everything else about the phone the same. I really can't think of a more perfect device.

How do you know the 5C is a "disappointment in sales"? Apple doesn't release sales numbers by model. Any link you provide to any articles claiming that is pure speculation.

Also, the definition of a well performing phone isn't whether or not it's a best seller. It's whether or not it, uh, performs well. And the X does.

The general public is clueless about internal components.

I think it's safe to assume that the next version of the X will have better specs, but that doesn't mean it'll have the absolutely fastest SoC available.

 

[TechTinker]

In regards to sales of the Moto X, Moto has been pretty tight lipped (usually not a good sign) and all reports are that sales are disappointing. I know it was a NA launch only, but compared to GS4:

View attachment 110264

its not even a drop in the bucket, and Apple eclipses that.

You have to remember Apple and Samsung have made a common name for themselves, Motorola is just starting over and trying to recover (Late release of the Bionic, the quick abandonment of the Droid Razr, ect)
Infact if you look at general sales, Motorola went UP, unline HTC who continued to went down. It's going to take till like the Moto X3 to become a heavy hitter with good marketing and a world wide presence which Lenovo would really help with.

 

[Eli_C]

A truely great phone with WOW factor will market itself. The Moto X is a really good phone, but came up short for the crazy expectations the tech community had for it and lacked a WOW factor, though I think its right on the cusp of having IT.

 

[UJ95x]

A truely great phone with WOW factor will market itself. The Moto X is a really good phone, but came up short for the crazy expectations the tech community had for it and lacked a WOW factor, though I think its right on the cusp of having IT.

The tech community is very small. What we think has no effect on sales. It's the people who are clueless about specs that make up the millions of sales of Samsung and Apple phones.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

 

[Ry]

The tech community is very small. What we think has no effect on sales. It's the people who are clueless about specs that make up the millions of sales of Samsung and Apple phones.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

And we only have so much influence on those our "clueless" friends and family.

 

[Eli_C]

The tech community had unrealistic expectations for the phone. The tech community may be small, but it is also the epicenter for the buzz around a new phone.

But my point for the general community was more to do with that WOW factor. Apple is able to generate it and so is Samsung, somewhat do the quantity of marketing, but more importantly the quality.

 

[russel5150]

I had the droid maxx and loved it.. I got my daughter the moto x and she loves it.. im not a tech expert by any means but I read a lot of reviews and like studying whatever phone I have. I currently have the note3 because I missed my note2..

Anyway the motox is an awesome phone.. but every time I walked into a phone store or even the sales counter at walmart the salesmen were either pushing apple or samsung.. its hard for a consumer who doesn't do their homework first to get past whats being pushed on them.

The challanges moto has is being able to be sold when it comes down to salesman to consumer conversation..

I have a friend who went with the moto x after having an iphone the last few years and he hates the moto x calling it draggy and a pain to use.. I know better, its him missing his iphone, because android was too different.

Hopefully lenovo will put effort into bringing motorola back.. after the disappointing short lived google run.. but apple and samsung seem to be what most salesmen push and thats hard to overcome.

For what its worth I still think iphones success is based mainly on being a status symbol... while it may be a good phone I know people who have bought it just because thats what all their friends have.

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[UJ95x]

I had the droid maxx and loved it.. I got my daughter the moto x and she loves it.. im not a tech expert by any means but I read a lot of reviews and like studying whatever phone I have. I currently have the note3 because I missed my note2..

Anyway the motox is an awesome phone.. but every time I walked into a phone store or even the sales counter at walmart the salesmen were either pushing apple or samsung.. its hard for a consumer who doesn't do their homework first to get past whats being pushed on them.

The challanges moto has is being able to be sold when it comes down to salesman to consumer conversation..

I have a friend who went with the moto x after having an iphone the last few years and he hates the moto x calling it draggy and a pain to use.. I know better, its him missing his iphone, because android was too different.

Hopefully lenovo will put effort into bringing motorola back.. after the disappointing short lived google run.. but apple and samsung seem to be what most salesmen push and thats hard to overcome.

For what its worth I still think iphones success is based mainly on being a status symbol... while it may be a good phone I know people who have bought it just because thats what all their friends have.

Posted via Android Central App

I think Motorola did great under Google. Far better than they had ever done before, and they increased their market share significantly in the US (Even if had no effect on Samsung's or Apple's)
I'm hoping they stick with their strategy even under Lenovo. The Moto X is an awesome phone...

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

 

[On2Vegas]

The tech community had unrealistic expectations for the phone. The tech community may be small, but it is also the epicenter for the buzz around a new phone.

But my point for the general community was more to do with that WOW factor. Apple is able to generate it and so is Samsung, somewhat do the quantity of marketing, but more importantly the quality.

This is one of the only things I agree with you on. I think Motorola had several missteps in it's introduction of the X:

Marketing. (The Moto X's marketing was horrible. To me, Apple and Samsung succeed because they show off the features of their phones extremely well. Motorola did a poor job of this. As another poster said, that bearded guy was just creepy and silly.)

The U.S.-Only launch. (logistics may have been a factor though)

AT&T exclusivity of Motomaker. (I'm sure AT&T offered a bunch of cash for this, but I feel limiting one of the major selling points of the device wasn't a very good decision.)

Launch price. (I'm not basing this on specs actually. In this economy, everyone is looking to save buck. Motorola is trying to get consumers to purchase their devices again. I think even $50 less than other flagships may have swayed more people. That said, I think the price couldn't be similar to that of the Nexus. Google has huge piles of cash and can afford extremely small margins per device. Motorola has only seen losses for several quarters, they simply can't use the same strategy).

Just my opinion.

 

[enik]

The Moto X is/was a great phone. At least based on reviews. I don't own it, don't know anyone that owns one, and actually haven't seen one in the wild. Almost got my wife to buy it with her last upgrade, but she wanted (and needs) a LifeProof case and they don't make anything like it for the Moto X.

There are really only 2 players in the cell phone market, Apple and Samsung. Apple has (IMHO) great design and build quality and focus on the user experience. They are not always chasing the best specs, but their phones perform very well and are always near the top in benchmarks. Samsung is always racing to up the ante in the spec war. However there build quality and user experience are lacking.

Moto should focus on user experience, design and build quality. But can the user experience be enhanced with better specs? Will Moto have a better chance at selling more phones if the specs are better? I know I am reluctant to spend to much or waste an upgrade on a phone with 2+ year old components.

That is a very poorly worded question. The hardware is not low end at all. Rather than putting in bleeding edge hardware they added two custom cores and optimised the platform for the dual core s4 pro.

 

[Armand2REP]

Unfortunately when Chinese takeover a company they rarely try to revive it. They strip it for all it's IP and take the brand back to China. Google kept all the good patents so whatever they come up with can only be sold there.


Sent from my iPhone 5S using Tapatalk 2

 

[Eli_C]

That is a very poorly worded question. The hardware is not low end at all. Rather than putting in bleeding edge hardware they added two custom cores and optimised the platform for the dual core s4 pro.

I disagree from a specs standpoint (not performance). The S4 was 2 generations old at the time of release. That gives very low head room as apps and android advance over 2+ years of ownership. That is low end. When the X2 is released the 800 will be 2 generations old.

Optimization doesn't mean the specs aren't low end. You can optimize an 805 and crush other phones or just throw in the latest chip just to say you have it, but suffer from mediocre performance because the system isn't optimized.

 

[NoYankees44]

I disagree from a specs standpoint (not performance). The S4 was 2 generations old at the time of release. That gives very low head room as apps and android advance over 2+ years of ownership. That is low end. When the X2 is released the 800 will be 2 generations old.

Optimization doesn't mean the specs aren't low end. You can optimize an 805 and crush other phones or just throw in the latest chip just to say you have it, but suffer from mediocre performance because the system isn't optimized.

The x8 is closer to the s600(what the one and gs4 had) than anything else. It has the same cores(just 2 less) and the same gpu. Plus it has the 2 contextual cores.

The biggest and most important part however is the 720p resolution. That gpu was designed to run 1080p, so running 720p it absolutely flies.

 

[Ry]

The x8 is closer to the s600(what the one and gs4 had) than anything else. It has the same cores(just 2 less) and the same gpu. Plus it has the 2 contextual cores.

The biggest and most important part however is the 720p resolution. That gpu was designed to run 1080p, so running 720p it absolutely flies.

Boom.

The S4 Pro in the Nexus 4 is a quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait 200.

The S600 in the Galaxy S4 is a quad-core 1.9 GHz Krait 300.

The "S4 Pro" in the Moto X is a dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300.

All run Adreno 320 graphics. But the Nexus 4 (1280 x 768) and Galaxy S4 (1920 x 1080) push more pixels than the Moto X (1280 x 720). All of this, plus the file system Motorola implemented make the Moto X feel nice and smooth, despite a "low-end approach to hardware".

 

[UJ95x]

Boom.

The S4 Pro in the Nexus 4 is a quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait 200.

The S600 in the Galaxy S4 is a quad-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300.

The "S4 Pro" in the Moto X is a dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300.

All run Adreno 320 graphics. But the Nexus 4 (1280 x 768) and Galaxy S4 (1920 x 1080) push more pixels than the Moto X (1280 x 720). All of this, plus the file system Motorola implemented make the Moto X feel nice and smooth, despite a "low-end approach to hardware".

The S4 had a quad-core processor clocked at 1.9 GHz, not 1.7

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2