Business Insider/ Lisa Eadicicco
The 2014 Moto X
It has a large, sharp screen, an attractive design, clean software that's easy to use, a comprehensive virtual assistant that understands natural language, and it's relatively cheap. Now, we're finally beginning to hear the first details on what Motorola might have in store for its next version of the Moto X.
Website STJS Gadgets Portal claims to have received a full list of specifications for a model of the third-generation Moto X that Motorola is currently testing. Based on this list, it seems like the camera and battery will be the biggest improvements.
Like the current model, the new Moto X will reportedly come with a 5.2-inch screen, making it a bit smaller than the iPhone 6 Plus and about the same size as the Galaxy S6. The resolution will be much higher, though, as the leaked spec sheet says the phone will feature a QHD display. This means it will have a resolution of 2560 x 1440, just like the Galaxy S6 and LG G4.
Both the front and rear cameras will also come with larger sensors, according to the report. The new phone will supposedly come with a 5-megapixel front camera, which is a significant jump from the 2-megapixel camera on the 2014 Moto X. The main camera will get a more incremental bump from 13 megapixels to 16 megapixels.
This is crucial for Motorola - the Moto X's camera, which doesn't perform well in dimly lit conditions, is what prevented me from calling the second generation Moto X the best Android phone of 2014.
The current Moto X already gets pretty decent battery life (about a day), but it sounds like the next version will be even better. Motorola is reportedly planning to put a 3,280 mAh-sized battery in the next Moto X, which is significantly larger than the 2,300 mAh battery in the version you can buy today.
It sounds like the next Moto X will perform faster and more smoothly too, since the leaked specifications suggest it will come with a newer processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 versus 801 in the current Moto X) and more memory (4GB versus 2GB).
Here's the table published by STJS Gadgets Portal:
We won't really know for sure if these leaked details are indeed the new Moto X until Motorola officially unveils its next smartphone, which could happen in September if the company follows suit from last year. It's important to keep in mind that this information is coming from a website that doesn't cite any source other than "insiders", which means it may not be credible. And, even if it is credible, there's a chance things could change by the time the official model comes out.