Google just revealed on Thursday, June 29, that one of its hardware partners will release a Project Fi device with a "mid-tier price."
That hardware partner seems to be Motorola, as VentureBeat has learned, and the said device will be the Moto X4, this year's Moto X iteration.
As the report notes, the Moto X4 will be the first standalone phone compatible with Project Fi, since only Nexus and Pixel phones support the functionality at present.
Project Fi
For those uninitiated with Project Fi, Google's mobile virtual network operator, it leverages three pre-existing carrier networks — T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular — to facilitate maximum signal availability for its customers. The pricing of Project Fi also stands as one of its selling points, offering a base price of $20 per line and $10 for every gig of data consumed.
Project Fi, aside from leveraging cellular networks to bring optimum signal, has also begun testing LTE service for voice calls and a family plan, for good measure, two crucial features sorely missing from the start.
The only real problem with Google's Project Fi network is that it supports too few phones. With the release of the Moto X4, Google seems intent on widening Project Fi compatibility to other smartphones as well. Still, time should tell if ever that's the case.
Moto X4 Leaked Specs
As for the actual handset, not much has been revealed about the Moto X4, except for some general marketing points leaked from a Motorola partner presentation. It's being suggested, however, that the phone will come equipped with dual cameras, which comes as a surprise, considering it'll launch at a mid-tier price.
But according to an allegedly leaked video on Reddit, the Moto X4 could be a higher-end mid-tier handset equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chip, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, a 3,800 mAh battery, and a fingerprint scanner to boot.
The leak goes on to suggest the Moto X4 will sport a 5.5-inch screen with "3D Glass," although what exactly that is seems nebulous at present.
Missing on the back of the handset is the Moto Mods port, which implies the phone won't support Motorola's line of modular snap-on accessories.
It's also worth noting that the Moto X4 will be Motorola's first "X"-branded phone since the Moto X Force in November 2015. The company chose to hold off releasing X smartphones last year, focusing instead on the new Moto Z line and Moto Mods accessories.
Moto X4 Release Date
The handset will launch later this year, specifically in the fourth quarter, according to a source privy to Google and Lenovo's plans.
All told, however, please take caution in reading these leaks and rumors, as some might turn out to be inaccurate. That said, prospects of a non-Google smartphone supporting Project Fi bode well for the company's plans to widen its Project Fi net.
If you have any thoughts about the Moto X4 or Project Fi, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
