The Download: Moto G Gets Android 4.4.2, KitKat, in Record Time! And more.

We don’t know about you, but over the past few weeks we’ve had visions of KitKats dancing in our heads. We’re excited to tell you we’re starting to roll out Android 4.4.2, KitKat—the very latest version—TODAY on Moto G!

What better way to kick off The Download—a regular feature that gives you the scoop on the many software updates we are rapidly cranking out. In addition to the roll out of KitKat on Moto G, our software team has been busy as elves in a workshop shipping new features for you.

Here’s the latest Download, issue 1:

Android KitKat Comes to Moto G - Our KitKat family is expanding! When we launched Moto G last month, we committed to delivering Android, KitKat, to devices by early 2014. We are thrilled to start delivering on that promise early. Starting today, we are rolling out Android 4.4.2 to Moto G phones bought on Motorola.com or Amazon.com in the U.S. KitKat will come to other Moto G carriers and regions soon as well. This latest version of Android brings some cool new features, including printing emails and photos from your phone. Read our release notes for detailed information.

This update continues our effort to get our users the latest Android software as fast as humanly possible. We began by pushing KitKat out to Moto X users on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, just weeks after Google announced the new OS—and our most recent expansion over the past few weeks includes Moto X on US Cellular and Sprint and DROID ULTRA, DROID MAXX, and DROID MINI. We also started to roll out the software in Brazil for retail devices. More carriers and regions will follow very soon.

For more information on KitKat and deployment on Motorola devices, check out our software upgrades page.

Enhanced Touchless Control - With our latest update to this feature, customers who use a device PIN to lock their phone can use Touchless Control without entering the PIN first. Don’t worry—no personal information is divulged without a PIN. And, you can also use your voice to enter your PIN. Go to the Google Play Store for more information.

Spreading Holiday Cheer - We’re getting into the holiday spirit! Turn your Moto X running KitKat off and on—and experience a little cheer with our new start-up animation. For those with a Moto G, download the Motorola Boot Services application from the Google Play Store to take part in the animated holiday tidings.

More Camera Goodness for Moto G and DROID - We’re taking the latest Camera features on Moto X on KitKat and making them available for Moto G, DROID MINI, DROID MAXX, and DROID ULTRA. This brings some enhancements photographers will love—such as Drag to Focus and Expose (manual exposure and focus with just a touch), locking exposure during Panoramic shots, and additional language support. Check out the Google Play Store for more information.

Improved Active Display - We’ve squashed some bugs! Active Display—battery-friendly notifications that fade in and out when the phone display is off—is now optimized for KitKat and works better than ever. It’s all part of our mission to listen to our users and iterate quickly. Go to the Google Play Store for more information.

More Kernel Sources! - Over the last few weeks, we released the Android 4.3, Jelly Bean kernel source for Moto G, and yesterday we released Android 4.4, KitKat kernel source for Moto X. Enjoy your custom ROMs!

The Download - Yeah, that is pretty recursive if you ask me. But our last big feature is a regular software blog which provides you with the latest on all the cool, shiny, new features and upgrades that are headed your way. Subscribe in the upper right column to stay up to date on the latest.

The last few months have been quite a wild ride. We are working hard to continually improve the experience on Motorola devices and look forward to hearing from you. Your feedback will be heard and acted on. Feel free to comment here or on our profiles on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook.

Posted by Punit Soni, Product Management

Disney Legend Glen Keane Joins Motorola’s Spotlight Stories

To animate means to bring to life.

Glen Keane’s work seems larger than life. As the creator and animator of beloved Disney characters such as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas, the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, and Tarzan, Glen has drawn more than figures on a screen. He has made the stories and characters of our childhoods. He gave us imaginary friends, admired heroines, misfits in search of understanding, and at least a Halloween costume or two.

At Motorola’s Advanced Technology and Projects group, we believe in the power of storytelling, so we’re building new stories made specifically for mobile. Not stories made for the big screen but shown on a small one. Not flat content. We’re building interactive, immersive stories made for your smartphone.

So we’re excited to announce that Glen—the artist behind so many classics—is working with us to push the future of animation with an original Spotlight Story.

Expected to release the middle of 2014, in this third Motorola Spotlight Story, Glen is going back to the drawing board. Literally. Together with the engineers who unlocked the graphics technology that made our first Spotlight Story, Windy Day, possible on the Moto X, we’re pushing new edges. The raw emotion of the hand-drawn line brought to life in our technological world. And yours.

What will happen when a master animator of the big screen jumps to an innovative, mobile canvas? We’re excited to see.

Stay up to date with Spotlight Story happenings on our Tumblr or join our Google+ community.

Posted by Baback Elmieh, Technical Program Lead, Advanced Technologies and Project (ATAP)

A phone as unique as you: Now Featuring Bamboo for Moto X

You’re different. You go against the grain. So you need a phone that’s as unique as you are. That phone is here. Introducing Moto X with Bamboo.

We’ve always had fun experimenting with different materials in our devices. From DuPont(TM) Kevlar(R) to aircraft-grade aluminum, we love to push the envelope and bring you quality materials that have a meaningful purpose or unique sense of style. Bamboo represents new territory for the smartphone industry and expands the thousands of customization options available via Moto Maker. Since each back is made from real Bamboo, no two devices will ever be the same - it’s truly a smartphone as unique as you are.

Starting now, the Bamboo back option is available online for January delivery. Initial quantities are limited, so order yours today. And because it’s designed by you, you still have all the great customization features offered through Moto Maker. Choose your accent and front colors, memory, even include a custom signature on your bamboo back. Then choose your carrier -- Verizon, AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile.

Moto X with Bamboo will be available online only*, for $199 with a new two-year contract with Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, or unlocked with no contract for as little as $0 down with special financing terms.**

Moto Maker provides new and unique design opportunities that enable self-expression like never before, so stay tuned for more design options and materials in the new year.

Additional questions? Visit our FAQ.

Posted by Lior Ron, CVP Product Management


*Not available for use with Moto Maker redemption PINs purchased in-store

**$0 down and zero Interest on all purchases if paid within 6, 12, or 18 months. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the balance is not paid in full within the promotional period.

Subject to credit approval. Deferred Interest Minimum Payment Required Promotional Plan: Interest will be charged to your account (at the standard variable apr 28.99%) from the purchase date if the purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period or if you make a late payment. Minimum monthly payments are required for this plan during the promotional period. At no time will the minimum monthly payment be less than $25.00. Minimum Interest charged is $2.00 per credit plan. Required minimum $549 pre-tax purchase for the 18 month credit plan. Motorola Credit Accounts are offered by Comenity Capital Bank who determines qualifications for credit and promotion eligibility. US residents only. Not valid on previous purchase.

Our 2-Day Holiday sale is almost here.

We’re eager to tell you more about our Moto Maker holiday price promotion (formerly known as Cyber Monday deal). This week we’ve put a lot of work into designing a simple sale that avoids rushed checkouts and frantic phone selection, so that you can take your time customizing your Moto X without racing against the clock.

Here’s how it will work:

At 12 pm EST Wednesday (12/4) and again at 12 pm EST next Monday (12/9), a customized Moto X will be $150 off the no-contract price. You’ll also get 30% off select accessories—including cases, headphones, and wireless products—when you use the promo code THANKS. We have bumped up the number of sale devices available. The promotion will last as long as quantities are available each day.

Here’s what you do:

• Go to motorola.com/holiday2daysale and register for the promotion starting at noon EST on the two sale days. You will know right away if quantities are still available.
• Once registered, you will be emailed a promo code within a few hours. This code is active for one week.
• Go to Moto Maker and design your phone within the one week window (take your time and have fun!).
• At checkout, enter your one-time promo code to receive $150 off the no-contract price in the shopping cart. (Your code only works once and for one phone.)
• Submit your order to get rocking with your custom Moto X in time for the holidays. Moto Maker will provide an estimated delivery date while you design your product and again at checkout. You will also receive an email when we start assembling your device as well as when it ships.*

We’re excited to share this promotion with you and can’t wait for you to get your Moto X. Visit our FAQ page if you have more questions.

Follow our Twitter, G+, and Facebook for the latest on the sale.

*Shipping times are subject to parts availability.

We owe you an apology.

I want to apologize to our customers and fans for the issues we experienced on our website with our Cyber Monday promotion. I want you to understand what happened, and what we are doing to rectify the situation.

First, we misjudged the overwhelming consumer demand for Moto X, which was far greater than we expected. 

Second, our pre-sale site testing was not sufficiently extensive. Testing failed to reveal weaknesses caused by large volumes of concurrent orders flowing through the MotoMaker customization engine.

Thus, when we opened the promotion this morning, an extraordinary spike in concurrent orders caused our website to go down. We couldn’t fulfill orders. The site became unstable. While some orders were filled, many customers tried all day to place their orders, unsuccessfully. Customers were left frustrated. 

We have since found a solution that we believe addresses the concurrent order issue. Motorolans are hard at work right now, implementing that solution.

Here is what we are going to do: Starting at 12 pm EST/9 am PST this Wednesday, we will relaunch the $349 promotion. To help make up for this major inconvenience to shoppers, we will also add an additional promotional day on Monday, December 9. We will double the quantity of phones available, while supplies last, to allow as many people as possible to take advantage of the promotion. We’re also extending the 30% off offer on accessories to these two days. 

Please note that MotoMaker.com will open up for regular business tomorrow (Tuesday, December 3). We will stay the course on our regular sales as we restore our promotional prices for Wednesday and Monday.

Stay tuned to our Twitter, G+ and Facebook pages for more updates. We understand people want frequent communications from us so we will do a better job at keeping you informed.

On behalf of all Motorolans, I apologize for what occurred today. I appreciate your understanding as we get this fixed in time for Wednesday and Monday. 

Posted by Dennis Woodside, CEO

Moto G Comes to the US in Time for the Holidays on Motorola.com

We’re giving people plenty of mobile goodness to gobble up this holiday season. Starting today, people in the US can purchase Moto G (GSM version) on Motorola.com with no contract, no SIM lock and an unlockable bootloader for USD$179 with 8GB of storage or USD$199 for 16GB.


That’s one third of the price of current high-end phones, for a smartphone stuffed with plenty of great features:

• A brilliant 4.5-inch HD display - the sharpest in its class - that goes edge to edge so you can enjoy movies, photos, video chats and more.
• The newest Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 processor featuring a quad-core CPU for seamless multitasking and enjoying the web, videos and games, with all-day battery life.
• Android 4.3 Jellybean, the most up to date Android of any phone in its class, with a guaranteed upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat in the beginning of 2014. No skins to clutter or slow the experience and great performance with Google’s unbeatable mobile services such as Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, Chrome and Hangouts.
• Stylish design with a comfortable curved back and 19 customization options, including interchangeable backs (coming soon) - Motorola Shells and Flip Shells in seven colors as well as Grip Shells in five colors.

Moto G (GSM) is available starting today in the US. Moto G (CDMA) will be available in the US in January through carriers as previously announced. See our website for more details and contact your carrier for compatibility.

Moto G is also currently on sale in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru, UK, Germany, France, and Canada and is coming soon to other countries in Latin America, Europe and Asia. Moto G will be in more than 30 countries with 60 partners by early 2014.

IMAGES & B-ROLL: Click this link for images and b-roll (you agree to our license terms when downloading images or video)

You Asked, We Listened: Announcing Changes to Our Developer Edition Program

At Motorola, we’re focused on delivering the best Android experiences and the best of Google services. Over this past year, we’ve worked very hard to create ways for users to express themselves using their mobile devices. Customers who purchase Developer Edition devices want the flexibility to take this even further and tinker with the operating system. This may include creating and flashing a custom build of Android or porting one from an enthusiast community. Up until now, when a customer requested a bootloader unlock code we would void the warranty for that Developer Edition device.

We are excited to support the developer and enthusiast communities by making two key changes to the Developer Edition program:

• Requesting an unlock code will no longer void the device’s warranty
• We will start posting return-to-factory software images

For customers who have previously purchased a 2012 or 2013 Developer Edition device directly from Motorola and who have requested a bootloader unlock code, we will reinstate the warranty effective from the date of original purchase. (You’ll recognize these models because they come with a printed “Developer Edition” across the back and include the Moto X DE (for GSM networks), Moto X DE (for Verizon), and Droid Maxx DE (Verizon).)

In addition, recovery images (as shipped from the factory) will be posted here. A developer or enthusiast can use this image to restore their device to run with its original factory software.

We hope that you like these changes. Keep telling us what you think (you can use the comments section below or participate in one of the many G+ forums such as Moto X).

We strongly believe in the developer and enthusiast communities and intend to keep making changes to better support them.

Posted by Punit Soni, Software Product Management

Update 3: Some Sweet News: KitKat Comes to Moto X First on Verizon Wireless; Now on T-Mobile, AT&T

We see our job as taking the world’s best mobile operating system from Google and building world-class products and experiences for our users. Continually making them better is just as important. So what could be sweeter than Android 4.4, KitKat, rolling out in phases to Moto X on Verizon Wireless starting today!

Our software team has been hard at work bringing the latest version of Android to our Moto X users more quickly than ever. When it came to KitKat, we couldn’t wait to deliver. Our software strategy is to build on a pure Android foundation and complement existing Google services, not compete with them. We think this latest release is just that—all the features you love about your Moto X with the latest Android OS.

The KitKat update brings a bunch of improvements, including some of our favorites:

• An improved phone dialer. Now you can search for contacts directly from the dial-pad and easily see and tap on those you contact frequently.
• More gallery goodies. KitKat packs in some cool, new gallery effects—such as Posterize, Highlights, and Edges. You can even use the Draw feature to annotate your photos freehand with your finger.
• New Hangouts app. All of your conversations now in one place—texts, video calls, and other chats all together in one app. Plus, you can now send animated gifs and share your location.
• Color Emoji. For when words aren’t enough, the Google Keyboard now includes colorful characters to send in text messages and other communications.
• Drag to focus and expose. An updated camera app lets you control both the focus and exposure of your photos. Simply drag your finger to set just the right exposure and focus point.
• And more… Restyled status and navigation bars, new full-screen mode, and enhancements to Motorola features like Touchless Control.

And this is just the beginning -- we will have more KitKat for Moto X news to share on other carriers and countries very soon.

For more details and information, please see our release notes or check our software upgrade page.

Updated November 21, 2013
KitKat is now rolling out to Moto X users on T-Mobile.

Updated November 22, 2013
KitKat is now rolling out to Moto X users on AT&T.

Updated December 12, 2013
KitKat is now rolling out to Moto X users on Sprint and US Cellular.

Posted by Steve Horowitz, SVP Software Engineering

Introducing Moto G: An Exceptional Phone At An Exceptional Price

People all around the world want to be a part of the mobile Internet so they can access the world’s information, share, and connect with the things that matter to them. But the smartphone industry has relegated hundreds of millions of smartphone buyers to second-class status, preventing them from experiencing the mobile Internet at its best.

That’s because price-conscious consumers who don’t want to pay $600 or more for high-end smartphones have been left with two bad options. The first is to buy cheap, new smartphones made with second-rate technology that don’t do justice to modern apps and experiences like navigation, video chat and games. The second is to buy “low cost” versions of premium products that were released two or three years ago and are already obsolete.

We think there should be a better option. Everybody deserves to be on the mobile Internet, and price shouldn’t stand in the way of anyone having a truly good smartphone to get them there.

Today we’re introducing Moto G, a smartphone that delivers a premium experience for a third of the price of current high-end phones. Moto G includes:

• A brilliant 4.5-inch HD display - the sharpest in its class - that goes edge-to-edge so you can enjoy movies, photos, video chats and more.
• The newest Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 processor featuring a quad-core CPU for seamless multitasking and enjoying the web, videos and games, with all-day battery life.
• Android 4.3 Jellybean, the most up to date Android of any phone in its class, with a guaranteed upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat at the beginning of 2014. No skins to clutter or slow the experience, and great performance with Google’s unbeatable mobile services such as Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, Chrome and Hangouts.
• Stylish design with a comfortable curved back and 19 customization options, including interchangeable Motorola Shells and Flip Shells in seven colors as well as Grip Shells in five colors.

Moto G goes on sale this week in Brazil and parts of Europe and will be available within the next few weeks throughout Latin America, Europe, Canada and parts of Asia. It will be available in the US, India, the Middle East and more of Asia in early January. Moto G will be in more than 30 countries with 60 partners by 2014.

In the US, Moto G will be sold on Motorola.com, with no contract, no SIM lock and an unlockable bootloader for USD$179 with 8GB of storage and USD$199 for 16GB. Moto G will also be available through various carriers and retailers.

IMAGES & B-ROLL: Click this link (also in the footer) for images and b-roll (you agree to our license terms when downloading images or video)


About Motorola Mobility
Motorola Mobility, owned by Google, creates smartphones, tablets and wireless accessories that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. For more information visit motorola.com/mobility.

Certain features, services and applications are network dependent and may not be available in all areas; additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. All features, functionality and other product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation. Contact your service provider for details.

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Google is a trademark of Google, Inc. All other trademarks the property of their respective owners. © 2013 Motorola Mobility LLC. All rights reserved.

Media Contacts
Danielle McNally
danielle@motorola.com

Kristine Mulford
kristine@motorola.com

Moto X Brings the Gift of Choice to All Major U.S. Carriers For the Holidays

From your clothes to your car, you express your personal style. Why should your smartphone be any different?

Moto X, the first smartphone designed by you and assembled in the USA, is now available for customization on all major U.S. carriers including Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T.




Just in time for the holidays, you can now choose to add a custom phrase to the back of your Moto X. With fiber laser technology, you can sign your design like never before. Show your team spirit, sport your nickname or give a gift with the ultimate personal touch by adding this free feature when you customize your Moto X on Moto Maker.

Using our online studio, Moto Maker, you can customize your device inside and out. Select your front, back and accent colors, choose memory, add accessories and more. Using 3D beta, a new feature that uses WebGL* technology, spin, zoom, and explore every angle of your uniquely designed phone before it’s ever assembled. Go on...give it a try.

And the best part? For a limited time, Moto X will be available for the promotional price of $99.99 with a new two-year contract from participating carriers. See here for details.

Coming soon, your Moto X will get even sweeter with Android 4.4 KitKat. Stay up to date on the latest upgrade information on our support site.

Now, show us your style!



*3D Beta is best viewed with Google Chrome. Don’t worry, if you haven’t yet upgraded our responsive design for mobile, tablet, and other browser platforms will continue to work in standard mode.

WebGL is not supported by all browsers and requires a capable graphics card with updated drivers. Mac and PC platforms are only supported at this time. For a full list of WebGL capable browsers, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebGL#Desktop_browsers. To test your browser now, visit http://get.webgl.org/

Introducing Motorola Spotlight Stories™ - Storytelling Designed for Smartphones

Smart phones have become deeply personal devices, indispensable in our lives.  Storytelling is the most timeless and human of activities.  Yet the stories that live on our mobile phones are mostly adapted from other media -- like TV shows, movies and books -- merely shrunk down to a smaller screen.  Why is that?  We decided to change it.  So, we created a new way of telling stories, one designed specifically for smartphones, where the capabilities of the device are part of the experience itself.

Together with our team of Motorola engineers and Oscar-winning director Jan Pinkava, we’re happy to announce the debut of Windy Day, the first immersive, interactive story made for mobile phones, launched using a first-of-its-kind storytelling platform called Motorola Spotlight Stories.

Motorola Spotlight Stories aren’t games, movies or videos. They’re different.  New.  Here’s how some of our first audience members reacted when they saw Windy Day for the first time:

When the first Android phone came out almost five years ago, it had roughly the same graphics computation performance as a Nintendo Gameboy Advance, which came out five years before that. Since then, the performance improvement of mobile processors has been astonishing.  The graphics chipset on the Moto X has 600 times the computation capability of that first Android device, and next year mobile graphics processors will surpass the computation capabilities of video game consoles such as the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Where is all that graphics power going?  When we measured it, we found that outside of a few graphically advanced apps and games, it’s barely being used.  It was a graphics-processing treasure chest hidden in plain sight.

So, we decided to make something new.

We tuned the Moto X so that, even in the most stressful user-interface conditions, up to 60% of its graphics capability is accessible. We took advantage of that access to build a powerful creative canvas for storytellers, incorporating a real-time 3D graphics engine, an advanced rendering technique from Pixar called OpenSubdiv, and sensor algorithms adapted from the landing systems of interplanetary spacecraft. Really.

We invited some of the best storytellers of our generation to paint something on this canvas.  Jan Pinkava, the Oscar-winning director of Geri’s Game and co-director of Ratatouille, Oscar-winning producer Karen Dufilho, animator and Academy Award nominee Doug Sweetland, Caldecott-winning illustrator Jon Klassen, veteran animator Mark Oftedal, composer Scot Stafford and artists from eight different countries joined us to build the first Motorola Spotlight Story: Windy Day.  It’s our gift to you.  We hope it makes you smile.

Motorola Spotlight Stories are featured exclusively on the Moto X. Stay tuned for more, because we are continuing to work with award-winning storytellers.  There are a lot more stories to tell.

Watch what happened when one of our own product managers, Kevin, showed Windy Day to his 2-year-old son—then check out Windy Day for yourself.



Baback Elmieh
Advanced Technologies and Project (ATAP) Technical Program Lead

Visit our Tumblr page to stay up to date with future Stories and further information on the technical achievements.

Goodbye Sticky. Hello Ara.

Over the last six months, our MAKEwithMOTO team took Sticky, a truck wrapped entirely in velcro and filled with rooted, hackable Motorola smartphones and high-end 3D printing equipment, across the country for a series of make-a-thons. On that trip we saw the first signs of a new, open hardware ecosystem made possible by advances in additive manufacturing and access to the powerful computational capabilities of modern smartphones. These included new devices and applications that we could never have imagined from inside our own labs. Open fuels innovation. See some examples here, here, and here.

After the trip, we asked ourselves, how do we bring the benefits of an open hardware ecosystem to 6 billion people?

Meet Ara.

Led by Motorola’s Advanced Technology and Projects group, Project Ara is developing a free, open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones. We want to do for hardware what the Android platform has done for software: create a vibrant third-party developer ecosystem, lower the barriers to entry, increase the pace of innovation, and substantially compress development timelines.

Our goal is to drive a more thoughtful, expressive, and open relationship between users, developers, and their phones. To give you the power to decide what your phone does, how it looks, where and what it’s made of, how much it costs, and how long you’ll keep it.

Here’s a sneak peek at early designs for Project Ara:

The design for Project Ara consists of what we call an endoskeleton (endo) and modules.  The endo is the structural frame that holds all the modules in place. A module can be anything, from a new application processor to a new display or keyboard, an extra battery, a pulse oximeter--or something not yet thought of!

We’ve been working on Project Ara for over a year. Recently, we met Dave Hakkens, the creator of Phonebloks. Turns out we share a common vision: to develop a phone platform that is modular, open, customizable, and made for the entire world. We’ve done deep technical work. Dave created a community. The power of open requires both.  So we will be working on Project Ara in the open, engaging with the Phonebloks community throughout our development process, as well as asking questions to our Project Ara research scouts (volunteers interested in helping us learn about how people make choices). In a few months, we will also send an invitation to developers to start creating modules for the Ara platform (to spice it up a bit, there might be prizes!). We anticipate an alpha release of the Module Developer’s Kit (MDK) sometime this winter.

So stay tuned. There will be a lot more coming from us in the next few months.

--Paul Eremenko, and the Motorola Advanced Technology and Projects group, Project Ara Team

Hey, New York: Moto Tweet Fleet to the Rescue

At Motorola, the kinds of things we obsess over are answering real people’s needs and unlocking the power of personal, customized interactions.

Then we got to thinking: Why should we stop at device experiences?

So we’re rolling out a new social experiment to take customer support to a completely new level: the Moto Tweet Fleet. It’s a roving troupe of Motorola ambassadors that leverages public hyper-local data on Twitter to rush to your rescue in real time when you need help.

We’ve all been there: Your battery is dead. You’re lost and frustrated. You’re hungry and cranky. Whatever it is, the friendly fleet is ready to come give a hand. While you’re with the fleet, you can even meet our new Moto X and customize your own using the Moto Maker online studio.

Oh, and did we mention swag? We’ve partnered with smart USA to deck out the fleet with stylish smart cars, from which ambassadors hand out Sol Republic headphones and other Motorola accessories to lucky passersby. What could be better to pair with a fully customizable Moto X and accessories than a customizable smart car?

We’re starting with a beta program in neighborhoods throughout New York City and hope to expand to Chicago next. If you’re in New York, all you have to do is tweet at @MotoTweetFleet between 11 a.m. ET and 7 p.m. ET daily. See you out there.

Moto X: The Smartphone Comes Home

There are 150 million smartphones in the USA. Until Moto X, not one of them was made here.

When we set out to make Moto X, we asked ourselves, why?

Conventional wisdom said it wasn’t possible. Experts said that costs are too high in the US; that the US has lost its manufacturing capability; and that the US labor force is too inflexible. And it’s true that most manufacturing in the consumer electronics industry moved offshore over a decade ago.

One year ago, we chose to believe differently. We chose to be optimistic about the future of manufacturing in America. Not because making our flagship product here in the US is the easy thing to do, but because it’s the right thing to do.

People called us crazy. But we quickly realized that it's not economics that prevents consumer electronics companies from making things locally. It's lack of imagination and vision.

First, the economics have changed. It’s not that much more expensive to make a phone here than in Asia.

Second, innovation is an iterative process of redesigning and refining. That process becomes much easier when the people designing the products are near to the people building them.

Third, consumers have changed. Some want to participate in the design of their device so they can reflect their personal style, and that’s much harder if your manufacturing is overseas. Others want a locally built product and want to know they are supporting local jobs.

But there is a larger reason that ultimately motivated us to assemble Moto X here in the US.

Producing Moto X locally helps bring innovation back home, which is essential to the economic health of the US. It provides jobs and helps maintain technical skills that would otherwise be lost. It’s also true to our nature. We’re makers, and we should continue to be makers.

So, today we’re celebrating the official launch of the manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas, that builds every Moto X sold in the US. Some said it couldn’t be done, but the factory we just opened and the people working there are proof that it could. We’ve created more than 2,000 jobs in Fort Worth in less than four months, and we’re still hiring.

I couldn’t be more proud of the work our team has done.

We think people will be proud to carry a phone that’s built in the US. And now they have that choice.

--Dennis Woodside, CEO, Motorola

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It’s Time To Ditch The Lazy Phone

Moto X: New Ads, New Availability and Moto Match

The world is full of lazy phones. Phones that blink at you most of the day and sleep the rest. These phones make you do all the work.

Does this look familiar?

See more Lazy Phone ads for Active Display and Quick Capture.

That’s why Moto X was built with one thing in mind - you. It responds to you...it does things for you...it’s designed by you.

Want information? It pulses with what’s important at a glance. Want to get directions, search the web, call a friend? Just talk and it responds to your voice – no touching necessary. Want Moto X to match the colors of your favorite kicks or sports team? Design it that way yourself.

Moto X is all about you and it’s all about choice. That choice includes the wireless carrier you want.

Moto X is now available in the US at AT&T, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless - and starting today - T-Mobile via Motorola.com. If you’d like to create a phone that’s uniquely yours through Moto Maker, the design experience is currently available with AT&T.

Outside the US, Moto X is also on-sale at Rogers in Canada, Claro in Puerto Rico, Vivo in Brazil, and at Movistar in Chile (also available at Claro in Chile later this week). Additionally, we’ll be announcing more availability across Latin America shortly.

In the meantime, check out Moto Match, our new Facebook and real-life Booth Experience. Moto Match uses color detection technology to create a Moto X based on your style.

On Facebook, Moto Match is the first phone configurator that allows you to use Facebook photos to quickly and easily create a customized Moto X that truly reflects your personal style. Simply choose a favorite pic from your Facebook timeline, and the app will do the rest by identifying the photo’s most prominent colors and creating Moto X to match. You can create as many designs as you like and share them with your friends, not only on Facebook but Pinterest too.



In the Moto Match Booth (below), fashionistas step in and the screen recognizes what you're wearing, then picks a Moto X to match your look. You can then personalize the photo with your signature and email the image to share with your friends or purchase it later.

The Moto Match Booth is debuting this week at Milk Studios during MADE fashion week. Follow #MotoXMADE on Twitter to find out how you can win tickets to the closing event or come by Milk Studios to try the Moto X on for size.



Whether on Facebook or at the Booth, Moto Match has built in social sharing components and will also help you purchase a device by driving you directly to our website or sending you an email with your design so you can buy it later.

Moto X: Design, Share, Ship

Moto Maker, our Moto X design studio, is now officially open for online orders for AT&T customers! For the first time ever, you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to designing your own phone in just a few clicks. When you’re finished we ship it directly to you, ready to go.

You want options? We’ve got options. You pick the colors, and decide on the all details: the front, back, accents, memory, wallpapers, accessories -- you can even include your Google ID and we’ll load all of your account information for you in advance. Then, every custom phone is made to order in Ft. Worth, Texas and shipped to you for free.

Learn more about Moto X, design your own and share your masterpiece with family and friends at Motorola.com/motomaker.

Of course, you can still purchase a custom device or pick up a Moto X in woven white or woven black at any AT&T store. 

Starting today, you can also buy a Moto X online directly through Motorola without a contract upgrade for $579.

Moto X will be available through other carrier partners very soon, starting with Verizon online on August 29.

Moto X. Tomorrow is here.

It’s been quite a journey, but we’re finally here. Starting tomorrow, August 23, your Moto X is available for purchase at all AT&T stores.

Moto X responds to your voice so you can check the weather, get directions, or do just about anything without lifting a finger. Two quick twists of your wrist and Moto X’s camera is ready to go, so you won’t miss a shot. With the best of Google services baked right in, Moto X helps you get everyday tasks done quickly and easily. And every Moto X sold in the USA is assembled right here in the USA.

Moto X is also the first smartphone designed by you. You can go into an AT&T store and choose from woven black or woven white models to take home right away, or select the customization option and create a phone that’s uniquely yours. Then just log onto Moto Maker to design your phone and complete your order online.

Very soon, you’ll be able to order Moto X directly online through Moto Maker. To see what’s possible, Moto Maker will open tomorrow for everyone to explore options and get inspiration.

Customizing your Moto X is simple and fun -- there are thousands of potential combinations to choose from. We’ll build it to order in Fort Worth, Texas, and ship it right to you. And for a limited time, we’ll be including Motorola Skip for free in all orders of the customized Moto X. Skip is a thin, thumb-sized clip that pairs with your Moto X and unlocks it with a simple tap.

We’ll be working hard to get your customized Moto X to you as quickly as possible. We expect that because of high demand, initial shipping times may vary. But we will get that down to 4 days or less as soon as we possibly can. We’ll also be adding digital printing in the future, so you can include a personal message on the back of your Moto X.

Please check with our partner AT&T for pricing and store locations. Moto X will be available through other carrier partners very soon.

The New DROIDs Have Landed

For tech enthusiasts who demand a smartphone with high performance and stand out design, an all new team of DROID devices have arrived. DROID ULTRA and DROID MAXX are now available exclusively at Verizon Wireless stores, and DROID MINI will be available in-store over the coming days.

The next-generation DROIDS feature advanced design and performance that matters. DROID ULTRA is the thinnest 4G LTE smartphone you can buy, measuring 7.18mm, with a 5-inch HD display. DROID MAXX is the longest lasting 4G LTE smartphone in the world, giving users two full days of battery performance on a single charge. DROID MINI is a super compact device that proves that power comes in all sizes.

True to the DROID heritage, these new devices continue to pioneer innovative features. We’ve re-engineered the DROIDS from the inside out to enable amazing new software capabilities including: 

Touchless Control: lets you use the phone hands-free even when the device is asleep, allowing you to place phone calls, send texts, find directions, or search the web.

Active Display: provides the information you need to know just by glancing at the phone’s display - for stuff like time, texts, social updates, calendar notices, etc. Active Display subtly lights up a portion of the screen with notifications without having to wake the phone or pick it up.

Quick Capture: DROID can go from pocket to picture in an instant. Just shake to wake by quickly twisting your wrist and tap anywhere on the screen to snap a pic, or press and hold to capture an action sequence with rapid-fire shots.

DROID Zap: the fastest and easiest way to share photos and videos with a friend or a group of friends nearby. Swiping up on a picture instantly shares it with fellow Android users nearby, and to receive, all they need to do is swipe down on their screen.

The new DROID devices help you do things faster and stay connected to what matters most. DROID ULTRA will be available for $199.99 and DROID MAXX for $299.99, with a new two-year customer agreement. DROID MINI is $99.99 and will be available August 22. For more information, visit droiddoes.com.

Hello Skip. Goodbye PIN. Introducing Motorola Skip for Moto X.

Thirty-nine. That’s the number of times the typical person unlocks their smartphone each day. For power users it’s closer to a hundred times per day. At 2.3 seconds each time the phone is unlocked, it adds up to a lot of time spent entering 4-digit PINs or patterns. Because it’s cumbersome and slow, many people never bother with authentication at all, or they use fast but easily-guessed PINs like “0000.”

Our smartphones are central to our digital lives...the keys to our friends, our finances, and a lot of our personal information. Security is increasingly important, but it shouldn’t be irritating. At D11 this year, Regina Dugan, who leads our Advanced Technology & Projects group, talked about futuristic ‘superpower-like’ authentication methods we’re working on. Today we’re launching Motorola Skip for Moto X, which is the first step on the path. 

Skip is a thin, thumb-sized clip that pairs with your Moto X and unlocks it with a simple tap. Wear Skip on your shirt sleeve, shirt hem, belt loop -- wherever it feels most comfortable. It’s fast, easy and secure. It provides all the benefits of a PIN without the hassle.

There are three Skip dots included with each Skip. Skip dots are stickers that, like Skip, provide authentication and also create “trusted zones” for Touchless Control. Try a Skip dot on your dashboard, your nightstand, or your desk at work. Just tap your Moto X to the Skip dot, and your phone is unlocked. Place your phone on the bedside Skip dot, “OK, Google Now, set alarm for 7 a.m.,” or place it on a Skip dot in the kitchen, “OK Google Now, what is cardamom?”

Only Skip and Skip dots that have been paired with your phone will unlock it, and you can easily unpair them if you lose or replace your Skip. If you don’t have your Skip or Skip dot handy, you can still unlock your phone with your PIN.

Once Moto X launches, Motorola Skip with three Skip dots will be available for purchase on Motorola.com. For a limited time, Motorola Skip will be included for free with all orders of Moto X through Moto Maker. To start, Skip will be available in gray with a black accent. We'll be adding colors later this fall, and we'll let you know more about that soon.

Security is important. Skip makes it easy.

Moto X. All Yours.

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Aug. 1, 2013 – People want choice. The choice to design their own phones. The choice to control their phones by voice when their hands are occupied. The choice to have their phones assembled in America.

Moto X offers you that choice. It’s designed by you, responds to you and is made for you by Motorola, a Google company. Once you turn it on, it’s all yours. And every Moto X sold in the USA is assembled right here in the USA.

With the best of Google services baked in, Moto X helps you get everyday tasks done quickly and with less fuss. But it’s also designed to sip battery, not chug it, so it will go all day and into the night.

Responds to You

Moto X is ready when you are. It responds to your voice - no touching necessary. With Touchless Control you can check the weather, get directions, or do just about anything without lifting a finger. Moto X doesn’t guess like other phones do. It knows.

With Active Display, Moto X keeps the information you need to know at your fingertips. Instead of a constantly blinking light, important information quietly appears on the screen. It doesn’t interrupt. You don’t have to wake it up to look at the time or see your messages. Before you know it, that constant itch to check your phone will be gone forever.

Need to capture that perfect moment before it’s gone? All it takes is two quick twists of your wrist and Moto X’s Quick Capture camera is ready to shoot. Touch anywhere on the screen and you’ll get just the shot you want. Its high-quality sensor can capture the darkest scenes or stop motion blur in bright light. You’ll see the difference in every shot.

And all of this is battery-friendly, so Moto X is ready to respond all day long.

Designed by You

Your Moto X is truly yours, because you design it. Through our online studio, Moto Maker, you choose the colors, and decide on the details: front, back, accents, memory, wallpapers, even add a name or a short message. When you’re done, we assemble your Moto X right here in the USA and ship it to you for free in 4 days or less*.

Choose from more than 2,000 possible combinations, with more to come. We’ll be constantly exploring new offerings, such as real wood backs, starting later in the year. Still love the classics? You can choose an eye-catching woven black or woven white model right in the store (see below for more info on availability).

We’re pretty sure you’ll love your Moto X, but if for some reason you don’t, you can redesign or return it within 14 days**, no problem.

Made for You

Moto X has a unique curved back, designed to fit your hand comfortably, along with a 4.7-inch screen that makes it easy to operate with only one hand -- when you want to use your hands that is. 

Plus, no one has ever assembled a smartphone in the US before. We think it’s about time. Each Moto X sold in the US is individually assembled in Ft. Worth, Texas. Doing this in the US means you can design a custom phone online and have it delivered right to your doorstep in just a few days.

You Are What You Wear

We’ve partnered with the most innovative brands in the world including SOL REPUBLIC to create an ecosystem of accessories for your Moto X. We call it M4DE Motorola™. These include headphones, speakers, cases, docks and more.

You can even match your headphones to your Moto X. They come in all the same custom colors of the phone, in two different styles. On your ears: SOL Tracks HD headset with a V8 sound engine that has deep base and high quality. In your ears: SOL JAX earbuds with controls for calls and music, plus free ear tips for life.

Where to Get It

Moto X will be available in the US, Canada and Latin America starting in late August/early September.

In the US, woven black and woven white models will be available at AT&T, Sprint, US Cellular, Verizon Wireless and at national retailers including Best Buy stores with a suggested retail price of $199 with a new two-year agreement. Additionally, it will be available on all carriers, including T-Mobile, at Motorola.com.

Visit motorola.com to sign-up for more details about Moto Maker, which will first be available for AT&T users. And, coming soon to Best Buy.

You’ll hear from our carrier partners around the globe regarding exact pricing and availability.

*Subject to parts availability

**California residents will have 30 days to return

IMAGES & B-ROLL: Click this link (also in the footer) for images and b-roll (you agree to our license terms when downloading images or video)

About Motorola Mobility

Motorola Mobility, owned by Google, creates smartphones, tablets and wireless accessories that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. For more information visit motorola.com/mobility.

Certain features, services and applications are network dependent and may not be available in all areas; additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. All features, functionality and other product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation. Contact your service provider for details.

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Google is a trademark of Google, Inc. All other trademarks the property of their respective owners.  © 2013 Motorola Mobility LLC. All rights reserved.

Media Contacts

Danielle McNally

danielle@motorola.com

Kristine Mulford
kristine@motorola.com

Designed for the multi-tasker: our newest wireless and power accessories

We’ve been in the smartphone business a long time, and we know how important accessories can be, like when you need a hands-free headset so you can talk safely while on-the-go or when you need a spare battery to keep you powered up through the longest of days. Today, we’re excited to bring you our latest line of wireless and power accessories, developed to make the most of your smartphone.

LOOK, NO HANDS!
We’re all multi-taskers: we make phone calls while running errands and catch up with friends during our commute. With our new Motorola Sliver II wireless headset, you’re always connected, while keeping your hands free for whatever the task may be. Building on the success of the original Elite Sliver headset, the Sliver II has the same discreet design that tucks behind your ear and is virtually unnoticeable. Because not everyone’s ear is the same shape, we’ve added an adjustable speaker stem that fits perfectly to your individual size. HD audio means crystal-clear sound and superior call quality, no matter your surroundings. A long-lasting battery lets you chat for up to five hours and, when used with the portable charging carrying case, you get up to 14 hours of talk time.

And then there’s the BluetoothTM power user: the on-the-go business professional. Grabbing your morning coffee, catching the train or running from one meeting to the next? You’re probably taking a call while doing it, which can prove to be a challenge for you and the person on the other line. Enter the 4-mic Motorola Whisper wireless headset, designed with a retractable boom that delivers state-of-the-art audio quality and clarity. The powerful noise-cancellation technology means you’ll always be heard during those critical meetings, even if you’re stuck at the raucous airport terminal during a flight delay, and the battery will last for up to six hours, enough for even the longest of quarterly earning calls.

If you’re looking to go hands-free just some of the time, the new Motorola Boom wireless headset offers an easy-to-use flip design at an affordable price. Simply flip open when you want to talk, and flip closed when you’re done. You can talk for up to six hours on one charge and choose from multiple wearing styles.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE (AND THEIR DEVICES)
We’ve all been there – you go to use your phone and you are unpleasantly surprised to learn barely any battery remains. Or you grab your tablet to help you enjoy a long plane ride, only to find that its dead. We hate that, and know you do too, which is why we’re continuing our line of portable power accessories.

Our Motorola Power Pack Slim series is here to rescue you from power drain, letting you recharge any Android-powered, Apple or Windows phone, camera, or tablet. It comes in two sizes, so you can pick which works best for you: the 2000 charges the average smartphone battery at least once* and the 4000 can charge up a smartphone at least twice*. Super-thin and pocketable, the Power Pack Slim can even charge two devices at once.

For those of you who just can’t get enough power, we’re introducing the Motorola Power Pack series. They may not be as thin as our Slim series but they are just as convenient and pack extra charge. The 3000 can charge your phone up to one and a half times* and the 6000 can charge your phone a whopping three times*. We’re also planning to make the 3000 available in six fun accent colors.

HOW TO GET OUR NEWEST ACCESSORIES
Motorola Sliver II and Motorola Whisper are available for purchase at AT&T stores starting today and they’ll be also available at Best Buy stores starting September 1. Motorola Boom will be available at Best Buy stores starting August 4. The Motorola Power Pack and Power Pack Slim series will be available at Motorola.com and select retailers later this year, starting with an exclusive black and red version of the Power Pack Slim series that’s coming to Verizon stores mid-August. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!



*Based on average smartphone battery size of 1500 mAh

Certain features, services and applications are network dependent and may not be available in all areas; additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. All features, functionality and other product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation. Contact your service provider for details and visit www.motorola.com/bluetoothconnect for more details.

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2013 Motorola Mobility LLC. All rights reserved.