Analyst says Google has given up on Motorola X phone

posted by Victor H. / May 09, 2013, 9:06 AM

Analyst says Google has given up on Motorola X phone

The Motorola X phone was expected to be the first big thing to come out of Motorola after Google acquired the company, but after months of development within Google the project has allegedly been returned to the original Motorola team developing it, according to Chinese analyst Sun Chang Xu. The reason Google is stepping away from the project is allegedly the fact that it could not achieve the level of innovation it aimed for.

This however does not mean that the X phone was killed. The device is still expected to come out, but it might feature less Google integration and possibly not run on stock Android.

In case you are wondering about the mysterious Sun Chang Xu, she is not a name often heard in the West, but is a popular analyst in China with more than 18 years of industry experience and over a million followers on local microblog Weibo.

That should give this rumor some credibility, shouldn’t it?

source: GSM Insider

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46 Comments

1. akishakoi

Posts: 65; Member since: Dec 06, 2011

uh oh!

posted on May 09, 2013, 9:08 AM 14

41. Mxyzptlk unregistered

It's the Bionic all over again. I saw the red flags prominently when it was delayed several times.

posted on May 09, 2013, 6:59 PM 1

43. anywherehome

Posts: 971; Member since: Dec 13, 2011

nooooooo just make a RAZR MAXX with replaceable battery and pure Android and we all are satisfied! it can not be so hard! but forget about easily breakable sh*ts like Nexus 4! Motorola had been the reason I hadn't bought a successor for my Galaxy Nexus till this news came....... :(

posted on May 10, 2013, 12:06 AM 2

2. gmracer1

Posts: 646; Member since: Dec 28, 2012

*cries in corner*

posted on May 09, 2013, 9:09 AM 13

3. N.Reynolds

Posts: 257; Member since: Feb 15, 2011

If so, this will lose a lot of consumer interest. Stock Android with Google controlling all the design for this phone and Motorola build quality it was spiked my interest in this phone. That and me being a loyal Verizon customer and Motorola having the great relationship with Verizon that they do had me wanting this as my next phone. Still could be a great phone just seems like this will completely shift the consumers who are currently interested away and could now be aimed towards the general public versus the phone enthusiasts like pure android phones are aimed towards. Hope this isn't true.

posted on May 09, 2013, 9:19 AM 8

20. ojdidit84

Posts: 462; Member since: Jul 16, 2011

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't there an article here on PA around the time when Google but in the bid for Moto about Google saying that they weren't going to dip there hand into Moto affairs (i.e. having any input on Moto phones) until about 12-18 months after the acquisition? Didn't they also say that they're going to treat Moto just as they would any other OEM and that it would run on its own? If so, I don't see why people are so up in arms about it if they stated it way back when. But then again, the memory span of people here is only about 3 months or so... =/

posted on May 09, 2013, 11:57 AM 3

23. N.Reynolds

Posts: 257; Member since: Feb 15, 2011

I do remember that. And so do many other people which made the rumor about the X phone more valid considering the acquisition went through May 22nd 2012. The rumored release of the X phone is anywhere between June and September which puts it right in that 12-18 month time period. Do a little research before making comments like that.

posted on May 09, 2013, 12:35 PM 1

29. ojdidit84

Posts: 462; Member since: Jul 16, 2011

Oh please. Doing research has nothing to do with it. People want to jump and be up in arms over something that an analyst says instead of something that the actual company says. Who's to say (besides this analyst) that the phone isn't still in development? How many times have analysts been right in recent years? Not very many. Also, have you not read comments from posters here, or hell, even articles from some of the writers here? Memory span of people here is pretty short. I mean, I want to see Moto come out with something as spectacular as people have been hyping the X phone to be especially with Google having their input on it, especially since Moto's lineup has been pretty lackluster recently. But people need to be patient. If it's gonna come out, it's gonna come out. Stop jumping at every word that an analyst says.

posted on May 09, 2013, 1:40 PM 0

30. Dr.Phil

Posts: 2431; Member since: Feb 14, 2011

I agree, this is just one analyst's remarks on what she thinks is going on. What I found interesting is that even in the source article there is no mention of how or why she made those remarks. Usually when a respectable analyst makes a prediction or gives out an opinion it is based on some type of news or rumor or business information. There is absolutely no mention of how she obtained this information.

posted on May 09, 2013, 2:04 PM 0

4. XperiaPrince

Posts: 108; Member since: Dec 25, 2012

aw.. how sad.. i was expecting a ULTIMATE google phone from Motorola but i guess i wont be seeing it. :(

posted on May 09, 2013, 9:20 AM 8

5. gmracer

Posts: 24; Member since: May 09, 2013

idon´t belive every time you give as information I still wait for the X phone

posted on May 09, 2013, 9:25 AM 2

10. Commentator

Posts: 3723; Member since: Aug 16, 2011

If it taaaaakes forever...http://images4.fanpop.com/image/polls/719000/719168_1305569395553_full.jpg

posted on May 09, 2013, 9:46 AM 1

6. Jurdiales

Posts: 138; Member since: Oct 10, 2012

Why the analysts say sh$t about Android OEMs and praise Apple? They always expect big things for Apple and big downs for all other companies? Thats weird.

posted on May 09, 2013, 9:29 AM 3

45. quakan

Posts: 1418; Member since: Mar 02, 2011

I honestly I would rather have analysts with low expectations for my company that way it's easier to exceed what they expected from my company thus increasing stock value. Analysts over predicted Apple to the point that if Apple couldn't make the next iPhone part unicorn, tooth fairy, and leprechaun that Apple's stock would take a hit...which it did; over and over again.

posted on May 10, 2013, 12:34 AM 1

7. xperiaDROID

Posts: 5629; Member since: Mar 08, 2013

No, I don't believe analysts. Google won't give up the X Phone, and I do believe that Google knows that they will lose a lot of consumer interest if they give up the X Phone.

posted on May 09, 2013, 9:32 AM 4

9. xperiaDROID

Posts: 5629; Member since: Mar 08, 2013

And Google bought Motorola, they need to take care Motorola, they need to be responsible. If they give up the X Phone, Google is not responsible at all, if they give up, why they bought Motorola, just for fun? Just don't believe it, the X Phone will be coming soon........

posted on May 09, 2013, 9:43 AM 1

44. Rehankhan

Posts: 323; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

You should deactivate your account because your comments just getting lamer and lamer

posted on May 10, 2013, 12:08 AM 0

8. valapsp

Posts: 565; Member since: Aug 12, 2011

analysts say bulls**t!

posted on May 09, 2013, 9:39 AM 3

11. InspectorGadget80 unregistered

Analyst as always bunch of lying turds

posted on May 09, 2013, 10:03 AM 3

12. speckledapple

Posts: 902; Member since: Sep 29, 2011

Sometimes even in our day and age we cannot visualize and surpass the technological advancements when they provide a ceiling.

posted on May 09, 2013, 10:05 AM 2

13. Joshing4fun

Posts: 1245; Member since: Aug 13, 2010

This happens the day I get my Nexus 4. I made a good decision. This reminds me of the Moto Droid Bionic situation.

posted on May 09, 2013, 10:09 AM 2

24. LionStone

Posts: 1048; Member since: Dec 10, 2010

Exactly...

posted on May 09, 2013, 12:44 PM 0

14. Jcdz100

Posts: 16; Member since: Apr 14, 2013

it's just a rumor ... Hope this is wrong anyway...

posted on May 09, 2013, 10:31 AM 1

15. gwuhua1984

Posts: 1237; Member since: Mar 06, 2012

When the article saying that Google I/O won't be announcing the X Phone, it was already disappointing enough. This Analyst... don't know who she is and don't care who she is, i prefer to live in denial that the X Phone is coming, until I probably get disappointed again.

posted on May 09, 2013, 10:57 AM 0

16. PermanentHiatus

Posts: 267; Member since: Jun 22, 2012

It must have been really bad. I mean if Google stuck with failures like Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus 4, but bailed out on this project, Moto must have been terrible.

posted on May 09, 2013, 11:00 AM 0

27. gwuhua1984

Posts: 1237; Member since: Mar 06, 2012

How was Nexus 4 a failure? The Nexus 4 pretty much put LG back on the map.

posted on May 09, 2013, 1:13 PM 0

40. Luuthian

Posts: 332; Member since: Sep 09, 2011

Hardly. It barely existed on any sales charts. The Optimus G is what put LG back on the map. The Nexus was simply based off a bigger, more successful brother. The problem with Google is they have virtually zero advertising and sell the phone direct through their website at a several hundred dollar price tag. Exceptionally few people will know it exists, or even be willing to pay full price for it. Nexus phones are tough sells until they end up at an actual cell provider, and that takes months.

posted on May 09, 2013, 6:55 PM 1

46. TritonForceX

Posts: 60; Member since: Sep 27, 2012

I don't think Google is marketing the Nexus lineup as a must-have phone. They hype it, but ultimately I think they target developers for Android, but the hardcore Android fans like it too. Google thinks differently than the status quo comany and analyst. I remember when they first come out with Android, and made it a T-Mobile exclusive. That was met with a lot of criticism, and a lot of people saying Android would never take off. I however, thought it was a genius idea because it was mutually beneficial for both companies. T-Mobile got their name in the news to generate publicity and attract a few new customers, and Google had the perfect Beta testbed to work a lot of the kinks out of Android before bringing it to everybody else. I think a similar strategy is in the works right now with the Nexus. They're not looking at the phones as the next great thing, just a solid phone for developers with no bloatware. Some users like this idea as well.

posted on May 10, 2013, 8:52 AM 0

17. johnriii

Posts: 248; Member since: Oct 17, 2011

so now here a fine opportunity for HTC to step it up. HTC One is not going to be enough, they need to flood the market while the door of opportunity is open. while the HTC is a really, really good phone, the Galaxy S4 is still going to outsell it, just on popularity (and tv ads) alone. HTC needs to fill this vacuum or someone else will. BTW, motorola/google, thanks for helping me make my decision. glad I wasn't holding my breath.

posted on May 09, 2013, 11:19 AM 1

26. LionStone

Posts: 1048; Member since: Dec 10, 2010

Yea HTC is stepping it up, the ONE is selling well, one salesman I talked to said he sold about the same as the S4...50/50. The longer Moto takes putting something out, more ONES and S4s will sell. I'm hoping Google goes to HTC for the next Nexus...be prepared for a metal clad beauty!

posted on May 09, 2013, 12:57 PM 1

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