Google taps the Moto X4 as its first Android One phone for Project Fi
Google will bring its Android One program to the U.S. for the first time with Motorola's new Moto X4.
The phone, which runs the "pure Android experience" without any carrier or manufacturer bloatware, will be available for Google's Project Fi service. The Moto X4 will be the first non-Google device available on the network — before now, only the Google's Pixel and Nexus phones have been compatible with Fi.
The Android One Moto X4's specs aren't much different from the device that debuted at the IFA tech show earlier this year in Berlin. The phone has a 5.2-inch screen, rocks a Snapdragon 630 processor, and features dual 12MP and 8MP rear cameras and a powerful 16 MP front-facing camera with adaptive low light mode. Google is also throwing in unlimited Google Photos storage as part of the deal, just like it does for the Pixel.
There is one missing feature: the Android One version won't have the built-in Moto Alexa functionality found in other versions of the phone. Google Assistant alone will have to handle all of your smart requests.
The Android One Moto X4 will launch running Android 7.1 Nougat, but Google says that users on Project Fi will have access to the latest version of OS, Oreo, "before the end of the year." Moto X4 users will also be the among the first to get an upgrade to Android P in 2018 — so if you're thirsting after an OS that hasn't been given a name and is over a year away from release, this could be the phone for you.
The biggest appeal for the Android One Moto X4 is the low price tag. The phone costs $399, much cheaper than the $649 Pixel. Project Fi's cost-cutting plan (basic service starts at $20, with $10 for every 10 GB of data) could keep monthly bills from piling up, too. For budget conscious consumers, this could be a great new way to use Android.
Topics Google
Brett Williams is a Tech Reporter at Mashable. He writes about tech news, trends and other tangentially related topics with a particular interest in wearables and exercise tech. Prior to Mashable, he wrote for Inked Magazine and Thrillist. Brett's work has also appeared on Fusion and AskMen, to name a few. You can follow Brett on Twitter @bdwilliams910.
