Moto X release date, news and rumours

Google acquired Motorola Mobility a year ago but we're still yet to see a handset slide out bearing the search giant's brand and Moto's design.

Google and Motorola finally confirmed the existence of the Moto X in early July, promising that you - yes, you - may be able to design certain elements of the phone yourself.

Rumours surrounding the handset we previously knew as the Motorola X Phone have been around since December 2012 and, until the joint announcement, speculation and leaks were rife.

It would make sense for Google to use Motorola as the manufacturer of its next Nexus-branded smartphone, as this would give the firm greater control at every stage of production but it doesn't look as though the Moto X will be a Nexus handset after all.

The advert that revealed the first official details described Motorola as a 'a Google company' but made no mention of the Google-owned Nexus brand.

• Read: Google Nexus 4 review

The Moto X and 'that' ad

On July 2, Ad Age revealed an ad scheduled for US newspapers over the July 4 holiday, which confirmed the Moto X name.

It promises that the handset will be "designed, engineered and assembled in the USA". And who'll be doing that design work?

The ex-X Phone will be "the first smartphone that you can design yourself," the ad says. What that really means is not yet clear.

After the ad surfaced, ABC News cited sources who claim that Moto X buyers will be able to choose the colour of their handset.

What's more, you'll be able to have a name or quote or whatever engraved on the back of the handset, just as you can do with Apple iPods and the like.

So far so not that exciting, and the only other choice that ABC's sources say we'll get is when it comes to storage options.

It doesn't sound abundantly as though the handset is "a real breakthrough, a game changer that will put pressure on Samsung and Apple" as one Australian network promised of the X Phone.

However, we've pulled together all the rest of the internet chatter surrounding the Moto X and stuffed it into one manageable article, just for you.

Motorola X phone release date and price

Original reports surrounding the Motorola X Phone release date seemed to point towards the annual Google IO conference which took place in mid-May - although no such product was announced.

This means that initial reports suggesting the X Phone would arrive in stores in either June or July are way off, and word that it's been delayed until August or later look more likely.

When the X Phone actually does launch consumers may still have a lengthy wait before the handset lands in their sweaty palms - especially if the Nexus 4 is anything to go by which sold out in minutes when the first stock was made available, leaving many waiting for more units to turn up.

Update: The latest on the X Phone release date hunt is word from Motorola's CEO Dennis Woodside, who spilled the beans to reveal the firm's next hero device would be called the Moto X while hinting that it could see an October launch.

If the Motorola X does carry Google's name, we could also see some rather competitive pricing as the search giant looks to undercut the top phones of the moment - such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One.

Pie or Beans

Google-branded handsets usually usher in a new version of the Android operating system, so if the Motorola X Phone does eventually end up adopting the search giant's name you can expect it to arrive running the latest Android platform.

• Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie release date, news and rumours

Key Lime Pie seemed to be on the cards for the X Phone in the swathe of early rumours although more recently there's been a change of tack.

Update: We've seen reports saying that Key Lime Pie has been delayed, with an updated version of Jelly Bean, known as Android 4.3 possibly gracing the Moto X.

However a few leaks have popped up claiming that the Motorola X Phone is actually packing the current version of Google's mobile platform - Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

Look at this

The X Phone might build on the 4.7-inch display found on the Nexus 4 and rock up with a 5-inch screen with almost no bezel.

Another "tipster" doesn't agree though, claiming the Motorola X will stick with the 4.7-inch format and instead up the resolution to Full HD, for a truly eye-popping display - something which has also been "confirmed" by aseparate source.

We're not done there though, with 4.65-inch also being bandied aboutas the potential screen size for the X Phone, although the unconvincing renders this information arrived with makes us question it.

Maybe we should ignore all that though, as a source which claims to actually have an X Phone states it sports a 4.8-inch display.

Update: The 4.6-inch argument has been given more fuel after an image leaked apparently showing the Moto X, claiming it had a 720p screen around the 4.5 to 4.6-inch mark.

Specs

In terms of power the Motorola X phone is hotly tipped to pack a 1.7GHz quad-core processor - various sources say the same thing - along with2GB of RAM.

That's not the only processor which has been linked to the X though, with Android World claiming it's been told it could carry a powerful 2.3GHz Nvidia 4i chip.

The same leak also points towards the Motorola X packing a punchy 16MP camera which would put the handset head and shoulders above the current crop of flagship smartphones, plus it could measure a pocket friendly 131.2 x 66.7 x 7.9mm.

Another rumour claims that the new UI that will feature on the X phone will integrate a host of new features to rival Samsung's S-Beam, S-Voice and the like.

In terms of storage we could well see the Motorola X offered in a 32GB guise, which will be music to some people's ears after being left frustrated that the Nexus 4 was only available in 8GB and 16GB variants.

Update: The 2GB of RAM looks like it's pretty much nailed on to be inside the X Phone after another source revealed the RAM for the handset, and it was also mentioned in a report in mid-June which also highlighted a 1.7GHz dual-core chip, 16GB of internal storage and 10MP and 2MP back and front cameras.

Real or render?

In terms of what the Motorola X Phone could potentially look like we've had a few leaks claiming to show the handset.

First up are a set of images picked up by Vietnamese site Tinhte and while the handset in question looks pretty impressive in terms of style, they appear to be renders instead of photos of the actual device.

Credit: Tinhte

Credit: Tinhte

Credit: Tinhte

The next set of images come courtesy of @evleaks and apparently show the X phone with a prototype chassis in order to protect its identity.

Comparisons can be drawn between the handset in these images and the renders above - with the front facing Motorola logo sitting in the same place.

Credit: Tinhte

The latest image appears to show a handset which bares far more of a resemblance to previous Motorola handsets such as the Razr HD and Razr i - and we hope this isn't the design as we're rather fond of the curvaceous render above.

Credit: HotHardware

Update: Another day, another Moto X phone leak, and by looks of it another design too. The image appears to mirror the earlier renders we saw - sporting a more rounded finish.

Nokia Lumia 1020 release date, news and rumours

Originally touted as the Nokia EOS in early rumours it now appears that the Finnish firm's next flagship smartphone will launch under the moniker Nokia Lumia 1020.

There won't be any surprise when it comes to the Luima 1020's operating system as Nokia deals solely withWindows Phone 8 now, plus we know its next flagship will be announced in New York on July 11.

The big talking point with the Lumia 1020, however, will be what it's packing on its rear - with rumours hotly tipping it to sport a similar 41MP camera to that on the Nokia 808 Pureview.

We've rounded up all the web chatter about the Nokia Lumia 1020 to bring you a complete round up of what you can expect from the handset formerly known as EOS.

Nokia Lumia 1020 release date and price

Earlier reports suggested the Nokia EOS would make an appearance at a May 14 event, or even on July 9 - but these were clearly wide of the mark.Nokia has already confirmed its "Zoom Reinvented" event in New York on July 11, which everyone assumes will be where it officially unveils the Lumia 1020.

In terms of when you can expect the Lumua 1020 in stores, if it is wheeled out on July 11 we'd expect you'll be waiting until at least August before the handset goes on sale - if not a little longer.

Price-wise we haven't heard anything regarding the EOS, but you can expect it to carry a hefty tag if the rumoured specs below turn out to be correct - so you might want to start saving.

Nokia Lumia 1020 camera

We'll jump straight to the camera to get this round-up going, as it will be the single biggest selling point for the Lumia 1020 if what we're hearing turns out to be true.

We first caught wind of a Windows Phone device with Nokia's PureView camera tech on board all the way back in January 2013 when the Nokia EOS first leaked - complete with 41MP camera rumour.

The camera spec talk has become consistent ever since the original leak, with subsequent sources agreeing the Lumia 1020 will indeed sport the 41MP camera tech.

Nokia itself has even teased that there are "41 million reasons to zoom in to Nokia Conversations on July 11" - what more evidence do you need?

To improve your shots in low light, the Nokia Lumia 1020 is also said to carry a Xenon flash on its rear, which produces much better light than the LED flashes which adorn most smartphones today.

As well as sticking a fancy camera on the back of the Lumia 1020 it looks as though Nokia is also giving its camera software an overhaul with a recently leaked screenshot showing off the "Nokia Pro Cam" live tile.

POWER!

Recent benchmark results supposedly taken from the Lumia 1020 also suggest a quad-core chip will be housed inside the handset, and this would really make it a contender in the spec war with the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 andSony Xperia Z.Until now, every Windows Phone handset has either sported a single- or dual-core processor, but with the Nokia Lumia 1020 that may all change as it's rumoured to be the first to offer up quad-core power.

It's thought that Nokia is eying up Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 processor for the Lumia 1020 - which is the same powerful chip which you'll find inside the larger-than-life Sony Xperia Z Ultra.

Looky here

Those hoping to clap eyes on a full HD version of Windows Phone 8 with the arrival of the Lumia 1020 may well be disappointed as reports point towards a 720p offering.

According to a number of leaks the Lumia 1020 will sport a relatively modest 4.5-inch display - although there's some discrepancy when it comes to resolution and screen tech.

Some sources are claiming that it will carry a 768 x 1280 AMOLED display, while more recently we've seen reports of 720 x 1280 OLED screens.

More, more, more

As far as internal storage goes the 1020 may turn up with 32GB inside - which will certainly be required as we reckon the image files produced by the 41MP camera will be pretty big.In terms of what else you can expect from the Nokia Lumia 1020 the battery department looks to be covered by a2000mAh offering - although expect this to be locked into a unibody case.

Of course storage fears would be laid to rest if the Lumia 1020 arrived with a microSD slot, and things looked promising on that front a few month ago.

However reports after that seemed to suggest that the EOS actuallywouldn't offer any expandable storage - so we're a little lost as to what will (or won't) appear on the final product.

Radio fans can rejoice as other leaks point towards the Lumia 1020 being fitted with a FM radio transmitter, allowing you to enjoy one of the simpler pleasures in life - huzzah!

Design

Metal or polycarbonate? It's a debate that rages on and it's still a little unclear which side of the line the Nokia Lumia 1020 will land.

Some of the early reports we saw suggested the Nokia EOS would ditch the polycarbonate which adorns the likes of the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820in favour of a fully aluminium chassis - one even went as far as to suggest it would be waterproof.

However, polycarbonate could well be back on the table after other rumours claim the Lumia 1020 will match the Lumia 920 design. Your guess is as good as ours at this point.

It's worth noting that Nokia's latest high-end device - the Lumia 925 - does sport a metallic chassis so, even though the rear is still soft touch, it's got some history working with the material.

We've seen several photos slide out from various sources claiming to show the Lumia 1020, and there's even a video - but we'll leave you to make up your own mind on their authenticity.

Credit: WPDang

The first couple of images which crept out claiming they revealed the Lumia 1020 can be seen above and below here, with the large camera unit clearly visible.

Credit: WPDang

Credit: ViziLeaks

We then saw a clear, crisp shot from ViziLeaks which apparently revealed the rear of the handset in all its glory, although the camera MP rating was not revealed.

Around the same time as the ViziLeaks image, the folks over at GSMArena popped up a couple of snaps also supposedly showing off the Lumia 1020 - and in terms of design everything seems to be matching up nicely.

ViziLeaks got back in the leaked image action with another picture of the camera on the rear of the Lumia 1020, but still the megapixel rating is "XX" - although "41" will probably replace that.

Over on Chinese social media site Weibo a couple more images appeared claiming to show the Lumia 1020 and its potentially metallic chassis - although this could just be a clever effect on a plastic case.

Credit: @evleaks

The most recent image leak comes via the oft reliable @evleaks and reveals the Nokia Pro Cam app on a handset which sports the same shape as the Lumia 920.