Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung

Re:Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung by drivebyacct2 on Friday December 21, 2012 @04:27PM (#4954593)

I was just sitting here thinking that I wouldn't upgrade my Galaxy Nexus with 4.2.1 until it breaks given how it literally handles everything I need it for, but if Motorola put out an unlocked AOSP device, I'd be all over it.

Though, I also remember how much I enjoy VZW coverage and how unlikely it is that Google is going to play ball with them anymore.

>For the X phone, an initiative being led by former Google product manager Lior Ron who specialized in mapping, Motorola wanted top-notch features for the phone's camera and photo software, such as better color saturation and the ability to take panoramic shots, two people familiar with the situation said. But some of the features were found to drain battery life or already have been incorporated into popular new devices, such as the iPhone 5 that launched earlier this year, they added.

....... uhm, what? Android beat iOS to panoramas and Photosphere was part of 4.2. I can't understand how "color saturation" drains the battery constantly. (Frankly the 4.2 stock camera kicks ass, especially combined with the new lock screen widgets. Very slick. One gesture, one tap to take a picture from a locked phone.)

I also don't understand the implication that this is Google hedging bets in case Samsung gets disappointed. Samsung is beginning to eat Apple's lunch in Android sales... why would they turn their back on Android?

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Re:Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung by bdcravens on Friday December 21, 2012 @04:37PM (#4954644)

Samsung's devices are tailored to their branded experience. The concern is that Samsung forks Android and makes it their own creature, in the same way that a Kindle Fire is tailored to the Amazon experience.

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Re:Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung by mtgx on Friday December 21, 2012 @04:42PM (#4954662)

But that's so far out there, though. Samsung would have to build its own ecosystem, and we already know how hard that have proven for new entrants, even if they have billions of dollars to spend. Leaving the Play Store would be suicide for Samsung.

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Re:Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung by soperj on Friday December 21, 2012 @06:35PM (#4955096)

Samsung already has it's own "app store" called Samsung Apps.

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Re:Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung by mtgx on Monday December 24, 2012 @11:00AM (#4963169)

Well good luck surviving only with that. I assume it's much smaller even than the Amazon store?

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Re:Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung by barista on Friday December 21, 2012 @04:36PM (#4954640)

Unless Samsung is thinking of turning its back on android for any reason.

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Re:Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung by eliben on Friday December 21, 2012 @04:57PM (#4954723)

They're involved in efforts like https://www.tizen.org/about, but I don't really see this one lifting.

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Re:Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung by jpxxx on Friday December 21, 2012 @04:57PM (#4954716)

Which Tizen and Bada are designed to do. They're shipping alternatives today that can let them juke if it gets hairy, taking their investments with them.

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Re:Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung by drivebyacct2 on Friday December 21, 2012 @05:08PM (#4954769)

That seems extremely unlikely in the short term given the revenue Samsung is bringing in from their Android sales.

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