Once Android 5.0 L is officially released, we intend to bring this latest upgrade to many of our other Motorola devices, as well. This includes Moto X (1st and 2nd Gen), Moto G (1st and 2nd Gen), Moto G with 4G LTE, Moto E, Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx and Droid Mini. We're still working out the details on timing and the upgrade depends on our partners' support so stay tuned to our software upgrades page for the latest and greatest.

Please stay tuned for more information on timing and other products, pending the public release and working with our various partners. And, you can always check for the latest on your specific device by going to our software upgrades page.

Hear Rick share more about what it’s like creating experiences in a round space, instead of a square one.


What else is new in software this week?

• Hot off the presses is an update to Motorola Camera that brings you a remote shutter for Android Wear watches, so you can trigger a shot from your wrist. It also brings numerous performance improvements and bug fixes across Motorola products. We’ve now had over 1 billion shots captured by Moto G users and will continue to bring improvements to our customers!
• Motorola Assist was updated with important bug fixes for Talk to Me and Drive Mode. FM Radio has been updated on Moto E and Moto G to provide lockscreen controls and to support playback to Bluetooth speakers.
• Motorola Connect and the Motorola Connect Chrome extension have been updated to improve stability and support emoji (Chrome extension).

Hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think.

Posted by Lior Ron, Product

We don’t know about you, but last week was a whirlwind of excitement as we shared five new products with the world. With all the activity, in this week’s Download, we wanted to highlight something for Moto G and Moto E users, so that you don’t miss it: You can now use many of the Motorola Assist features on your Moto G (1st and 2nd generations) and Moto E!

When we launched Moto X, we introduced simple but useful experiences based on the different places and situations we find ourselves in. Driving was the natural place to start. To make it happen, we used a low-power sensor hub in Moto X that constantly analyzes inputs from sensors like the accelerometer, GPS, and audio. We eventually expanded these features to Meeting mode (when you don’t want to be bothered and want an automatic message for those who are trying to get in touch), Sleep mode (letting you sleep in peace with only the people who matter getting through), and Home mode (so that your phone automatically knows when it’s home and can read your texts and callers aloud).

When we launched Moto G and Moto E, however, we thought that without the low-power sensor hub in Moto X, these types of experiences would likely not be possible. The phones had fewer microphones for speech recognition and a smaller processor. We couldn’t do it the same way.

But when Drive mode and Home mode became some of the most popularly requested updates for Moto G and Moto E, we decided to revisit. 

Challenging our own assumptions, we decided to try to create the same experiences but in a different way, relying on algorithms running on fewer microphones and no sensor hub. The team spent three months creating prototypes and writing algorithms and models that could possibly create contextual experiences for Moto G and Moto E. When the test results came back, we were optimistic. The team then spent another two months tweaking and refining the application so it could hit our quality benchmarks. We are so happy that an alternative approach could provide this requested experience to our users!

Again, we're so glad to be able to share this feature with our users. Tell us what you think. We look forward to keep working on making it better and better. 

Posted by Mark Rose, Product Management

Choose the color or materials that grace the back of your phone. Choose to design your own software experience starting from pure Android. Choose to get the information you want most, either at a glance on your phone or on your wrist, or discreetly to your ear, without ever using your hands. And choose not to pay premium prices for premium experiences.

Introducing…

The new Moto X: Pure style. Pure performance. 
The new Moto X is designed with a sense of style and balance, featuring a curved metal frame, vivid 5.2” Full HD display, and authentic materials such as FSC® certified woods and genuine Horween® leather that feel great in your hand. Moto X gives you fast performance with the latest, unadulterated version of Android along with the quickest updates. Enhanced voice control lets you select a custom prompt, and use your voice to do just about anything. Plus, Moto X learns your preferences and adapts to you, making everyday interactions easier. Creating your standout style is simple through our online customization studio, Moto Maker, available in the United States and select international markets. Learn more about the new Moto X.




The new Moto G: Exceptional phone. Exceptional price.
Moto G now comes with a brilliant 5” HD display plus stereo sound to fully enjoy your videos and photos. With its all-day battery, quad-core speed, the latest Android OS, plus the ability to customize your phone with Motorola Shells, Moto G keeps up with everything you do. And all of this starting at just $179.99. Learn more about the new Moto G.



Moto 360: It’s time.
Moto 360 is a classically-designed, modern timepiece powered by Android Wear™. Comfortable, familiar, and crafted with the finest materials, Moto 360 keeps you up to date without taking you away from the moment. Glance at your wrist to see updates or just speak to get the info you need. Keep track of your steps and know your heart rate thanks to a built-in pedometer and heart rate monitor. Enjoy battery life that lasts all day, then just place Moto 360 on its wireless charging dock at night. Learn more about Moto 360.




Moto Hint: In control. Out of sight. [link to full product web page]
Moto Hint is a discreet wireless earbud designed to look good and feel great. It gives you complete control of your phone and allows you to access everything you need by just using your voice. When paired with your Moto X, you can ask questions like “What’s today’s forecast?” or get turn by turn navigation directions, all without touching or even looking at your phone. Learn more about Moto Hint.




Plus…

Power Pack Micro: Power in a Pinch.
Motorola Power Pack Micro is a portable battery that provides instant access to back-up power when you need it. Attach it to your keys or slip it into your pocket or bag. More than just a portable battery, Power Pack Micro also includes Motorola Keylink™, a phone and key finder which helps locate your phone or keys when they’ve been misplaced. Learn more about Power Pack Micro.




Global Availability and Pricing
The new Moto X will be coming to countries in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia starting later this month. Moto X will be available for as low as $99.99 with a new two-year customer agreement on select carriers in the US. It will be available off-contract and unlocked in the US from $499.99 on motorola.com.

The new Moto G is available starting today unlocked and off-contract for $179.99 USD on motorola.com, as well as retailers in the US. Moto G also goes on sale today in India, France, UK, Brazil, Spain, and on motorola.de in Germany. By end of year, the new Moto G will be available in more than a dozen countries and through several carrier partners around the world.

Moto 360 will be available in black leather and a limited edition gray leather with suede finish in the US today starting at noon EST for $249.99 USD on motorola.com, Google Play, and through Best Buy stores and BestBuy.com. Additionally, Moto 360 will be available in two metal options later this fall for $299.99 USD. For those who buy a Moto 360 today, there will be an option to purchase a metal band later this fall for $79.99 USD. Leather bands will also be available independently for $29.99 USD at that time.

Moto Hint will be available on motorola.com and select retailers in the US for $149.99 USD later this fall and will expand to other regions in time for the holidays.

Power Pack Micro will be available on motorola.com in the US for $39.99 starting today.


Trade In Your Phone for a New One
Our Trade In program makes it easier than ever to purchase a Moto G or customized Moto X using Moto Maker. Just send in your old device, and we'll mail you a Motorola Visa Prepaid Card worth up to $300 depending upon the phone you send in. Visit our Trade In site to learn more.

IMAGES and BROLL: Images can be found here (you agree to our license terms when downloading images or video)

Do you have a story? We love hearing your stories! Share them with us using the hashtag #myMotoStory

Posted by Noelle Chun, Social Media Team

So I sometimes take for granted the simple things that make using my phone even more convenient. You just have to know the tricks.

Today, I’m sharing a few little shortcuts I like to use every day to make using my phone faster and accessing the things I want easier.

Hope you like these #MotoTips. Let us know if you find them useful—and we would love to hear some of your own, too!

Posted by David Schuster, Product Management

So we asked Miguel for some of his favorite tips for taking photos on Moto X. Here are his top five:

1. Clean the camera lens. Sounds simple, but it’s more important than you think!
2. Set the camera to HDR mode. This will make your photo look even more vibrant. The feature works especially well for scenes without motion. 
3. Manually adjust the exposure to create the desired look. You can turn on “Control Focus and Exposure” in Camera settings. Drag the circle to highlight your subject and the focus and lighting will adjust accordingly.
4. Prop up the camera. Use two hands or find something stable to set it on.
5. Never take just one photo. Take a few to make sure you have a good selection to choose from.

Miguel’s biggest tip? “Just experiment with those things and hopefully these tips, as simple and obvious as they may seem, can help others take better photographs,” he says.

Thanks for the tips, Miguel! 

How about you? Try these tips out and let us know what you think! What are your secrets to taking a great shot on your phone?

Posted by Noelle Chun, Motorola Social Media Team

It would be easy for us to take a breath and pat ourselves on the back, but I believe this is the perfect opportunity to make some changes to our leadership that will help us to continue building on this success.

Charlie Tritschler is now Senior Vice President of Product Management, overseeing all of our product development, product marketing and ecommerce efforts. Since joining our team a little over a year ago Charlie has been one of the leading forces behind Moto G and Moto E. 

As our global presence expands again, we will rely more on our regional leaders who deeply understand their local markets. As a result, regional sales heads will now sit on our senior leadership team. They include: 

• Jeff Miller, Corporate Vice President, North America and Global GTM Operations
• Sergio Buniac, CVP, Latin America 
• Magnus Ahlqvist, CVP, EMEA and APAC 

Each has built strong distribution partnerships and grown our share in incredibly competitive markets around the world. 

Our products depend on powerful and integrated marketing and branding to cut through the clutter and capture people’s imaginations. Adrienne Hayes, SVP, Marketing and Communications, will lead a newly combined marketing and communications organization that will be responsible for our brand image, advertising and reputation globally. In her year with Motorola Adrienne has successfully launched Moto X, Moto G and Moto E globally, and revitalized our company’s voice and social media presence.

These changes ensure that our leadership team accurately reflects our priorities and organization structure, and put us in the best possible position to continue growing our success. Congratulations to all the leaders in new roles, and my thanks to everyone who helped bring us this far.

Rick Osterloh
President

You can find more information on our executive team here.

Made of super thin, flexible materials, based on VivaLnk’s eSkinTM technology, each digital tattoo is designed to unlock your phone with just a touch of your Moto X to the tattoo, no passwords required. The nickel-sized tattoo is adhesive, lasts for five days, and is made to stay on through showering, swimming, and vigorous activities like jogging. And it’s beautiful—with a shimmering, intricate design.

It’s another step in making it easier to unlock your phone on the go and keep your personal information safe. An average user takes 2.3 seconds to unlock their phone and does this about 39 times a day—a process that some people find so inconvenient that they do not lock their phones at all. Using NFC technology, digital tattoos make it faster to safely unlock your phone anywhere without having to enter a password. 

You can buy the digital tattoos in packs of 10 on VivaLnk.com.

Until recently, those in search of their first smartphone faced only a couple of options, and none of them were particularly thrilling. They could either opt to carry on using a flip phone or feature phone, devoid of critical features such as a web browser, access to a thriving app store, and turn-by-turn navigation. Or, they could turn to an antiquated and feature-stripped “smartphone,” many of which tested the very definition of the term. The third option — out of reach for many — was to cobble together well over $500 for a top-tier, premium smartphone.

Thankfully, we no longer live in a world where you’re forced to either stretch your budget or continue to live without one of the world’s most transformative technologies.

Earlier this year, Moto E was revealed to a global audience. It was a project many years in the making, and according to an interview I conducted with VP of Product Marketing Steve Sinclair, it was a phone that was built very deliberately. At $129 with no subsidization (nor strings attached), Moto E is amongst the most affordable smartphones on the planet. But the true allure of the E goes beyond the price — it’s the unprecedented performance at its price that makes it special.

In speaking with a number of engineers, designers, and executives within Motorola’s walls, I learned that the price tag was meaningful on a number of levels. After leaving Apple to join Motorola, Sinclair told me that he “wanted to build high quality products that more people could afford.” Echoing my own sentiments, he continued: “Bringing high quality smartphones to the masses is something that we as an industry should’ve been focusing on.”

I’ve witnessed entire swaths of society transformed by gaining access to broadband Internet for the first time, and in a similar vein, the price point of the Moto E stands to enable the next billion to get connected on a device that punches above its weight.

Sinclair stated that Moto’s decision to build the E was based heavily around research. “We knew the market was going in this direction,” said Sinclair, “as people were migrating from feature phones.” In studying what customers at all levels were interested in, Moto’s team found that display quality were high atop the list. The challenge, of course, was to include these features on a phone that wasn’t just affordable, but enjoyable to use.

Perhaps the most critical differentiator for the Moto E is the power that it possesses. For years, sub-$200 phones were built with old internals and substandard materials. In a nutshell, they paled in comparison to high-end flagships, and left a sour taste in the mouths of many buyers. Too many corners were cut to achieve a rock bottom price, and the user experience suffered mightily. Motorola’s team wanted to make sure such a scenario wouldn’t unfold with the E.

In his own words: “I was first inspired by the Moto X's boot animation, which sort of places the Motorola logo as the earth. I also figured ‘Celebrate your summer with Motorola’ would be a good tagline to have in mind while conceptualizing the design. With that in mind, the idea of Motorola's products and innovation surrounding you throughout daily outdoor activities prompted me to allude it to the sun, since it is an overbearing symbol of summer that encompasses everything we do.”