Moto X (2017) release date, news and rumors
A couple of years ago the Moto X range was Motorola’s flagship line, and while it suddenly stopped to make room for the Moto Z range it seems the X isn’t dead, with the Moto X 2017 now the subject of regular leaks and rumors.
But it seems this is no longer a flagship, with the upcoming Moto X 2017 set to slot in below the Moto Z and the inevitable Moto Z2.
It could still be worth getting excited about though, as there’s talk of a dual-lens camera and solid specs, likely combined with an affordable price tag. Here’s everything we know about the Moto X 2017 so far.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The next entry in Motorola's dormant X range
- When is it out? Possibly mid-2017
- What will it cost? It's likely to have a mid-range price
Moto X 2017 release date
There aren’t any release date rumors yet, but Motorola has confirmed that the X range is “alive and well”, while leaked images show a device that looks almost finished, so we might not be waiting long.
A spring or summer launch is entirely possible and there’s every chance the Moto X 2017 will land alongside the Moto Z2, which itself is expected to land in mid-2017, possibly in June.
Moto X 2017 screen
Several leaked images have now shown what’s believed to be the Moto X 2017 in someone’s hand, and from that it’s clear that this isn’t a massive phone, but not a tiny one either.
It’s hard to be too precise, but we’d guess the screen is in the range of 5.2-5.5 inches. It’s also almost certainly going to have a 1080 x 1920 resolution, given that even the lower-end Moto G5 does and that the next step up (QHD) is still the preserve of flagship phones.
Moto X 2017 design
Hottest leaks:
- A metal shell
- A 3.5mm headphone port
From leaked images, it looks as though the Moto X 2017 is probably made from metal, which we’d expect, since the Moto G5 Plus mostly is too.
The back is plain, with antenna bands near the top and bottom and a Motorola logo in the center, while the bottom edge has a speaker grille and the top edge has a 3.5mm headphone port, which is worth mentioning, since the Moto Z doesn’t have one.
You can also just about make out a home button beneath the screen, which likely also houses a fingerprint scanner. It’s a familiar design, but one that’s closer to the lower-end G range than the high-end Z range.
TechRadar's take: The images look convincing and it's been leaked more than once, so this is the design we'd expect to see.
Moto X 2017 camera and battery
Hottest leaks:
- A dual-lens camera
- A front-facing flash
All the leaked images we’ve seen so far show a dual-lens camera on the Moto X 2017, which is a bit of a surprise, since Motorola has never made a phone with a dual-lens camera and we’d think it would debut the tech on a flagship handset, which this isn’t expected to be – though it may still appear on a flagship first if the Moto Z2 has a dual-lens camera.
The exact spec of the camera sensors is unknown, but the Moto G5 Plus has a 12MP one and the Moto Z has a 13MP one, so somewhere around there is likely, while based on past form the front-facing camera might well be 5MP.
And based on the leaked images the front camera looks to have a flash, just like on the Moto Z and Moto Z Play.
TechRadar's take: All the evidence points to a dual-lens camera. There’s not yet any information on the battery, but we’d expect one at least as big as the 3,000mAh juice pack in the Moto G5 Plus.
Moto X 2017 OS and power
Hottest leaks:
- 4GB of RAM
- Snapdragon 625 chipset
One leaked image supposedly showing the Moto X 2017 lists it as having 3GB of RAM, while a more recent Weibo leak shows 4GB, so it’s unclear whether one of these is wrong or whether the phone will be launched in multiple configurations.
However, both images list a mid-range Snapdragon 625 chipset and 32GB of storage. We’d imagine there will also be a microSD card slot, but the images don’t say one way or the other.
As for the operating system, the Moto X 2017 is sure to run Android 7.0 Nougat, unless Android O is out by then, which we doubt it will be. Whatever version it runs will probably be more or less stock, as tends to be the way with Motorola phones.
TechRadar’s take: If only one model of the Moto X 2017 is launched we’d expect it will have 4GB of RAM, as otherwise its specs will be almost identical to those of the Moto G5 Plus.
Moto X 2017 price
There aren’t any pricing rumors yet, but based on the leaked specs we imagine the Moto X 2017 will slot in just above the Moto G5 Plus – but well below the Moto Z and Moto Z2. It will probably also either be lower-end than or in line with the Moto Z Play.
The Moto G5 Plus starts at $229/£249 (around AU$300), so expect a slightly higher price than that, maybe in the region of $300/£300/AU$350. Though if it replaces the Moto Z Play in Motorola’s line-up it could cost more like $449/£369 (around AU$625).