Moto Z and Moto X will co-exist, company states

Motorola’s announcement of the Moto Z has been puzzling for Moto X fans who are trying to figure out what will become of the company now that Lenovo has taken full control. It seemed as though there would be no Moto X, which is a claim made by a renown leakster who said that the Moto Z patent filing put an end to the “X” movement.

The tech source in question contacted Motorola immediately after the company’s announcement to determine if the rumors and heresay were true about the Moto X going the way of the 3.55mm headphone jack in smartphones. The answer suggests that the Moto Z will co-exist alongside of the Moto X but the Moto X won’t be the spotlight device any longer. Per Motorola:

Moto X is alive and well. In fact, Moto X Force recently launched in multiple new markets around the world. Moto X and Moto Z do share some great qualities, but they ultimately provide different experiences and make our portfolio more robust for consumers looking for the perfect smartphone to fit their needs. Tech-hungry consumers who are looking to get a brand new set of experiences from their smartphone will turn to Moto Z and Moto Mods.

Notice that the emphasis for the Moto Z is “brand new set of experiences” but, while the newly announced phones have modules that can expand its capabilities, the device itself was announced with rather normal or expected specs. It appears as though Motorola didn’t try to put any effort into making the Z a standout device because it put all its effort into the modules that it hopes you’ll buy for the device. The mobile experience will be the same as it ever is, though running smoother and faster than ever before, but as for standout software features? you won’t find any here.

For those who have been assuming that the Z would put an end to the X phone, no worries here. What you seem to have, though, is Motorola’s implicit admission of the company’s business strategy going forward, that, even if a 2016 Moto X does make its way onto the market, there’s little guarantee it’ll even launch in the US or that it will be anything as great as what Motorola once made it out to be. I’m not sure that it’s a wise financial move to put all one’s eggs in the modular basket so early in the game. After all, modules are a new tech trend, the verdict’s still out on them, and any attempts to make the modular Z the flagship over the coveted X may be met with more skepticism than Motorola can handle. No matter how great the Z concept, and no matter how great a voice Ashton Kutcher has, Motorola will have to sell this phone for something more than its “cool” or “celebrity” factor.

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