There have been several discussions on why the Moto X handset has been shipping with Android 4.2.2 and not the Android 4.3. The matter has been the subject matter of several jokes given the fact that Motorola being a subsidiary of Google is unable to get the latest version of Android. Motorola is kept separate from Google, is one line that officials from both sides have repeatedly used to dodge the question. Although it might be truth, several critics assert that it shouldn’t be so.
Dennis Woodside, the Motorola Chairman, did reveal that Motorola did not get advance copies of the Android 4.3 and did get to view the code until it was released after the Nexus 7 announcement. Although the company has not received any priority treatment, Woodside remains confident that the update process will remain quick as the OS customizations have been kept at a bare minimum. Contextually, even though 85% of all Motorola devices have been updated, the fact remains that Motorola hasn’t released many handsets of late. Also, the fact that the OS customizations were kept at a bare minimum has Google’s influence all over it.
This is where the supposed split gets silly. Does Google actually believe that users are so deluded, that they would believe Motorola would function independently despite Google’s acquisition? One thing that remains crystal clear is the fact that an employee swap program is clearly under implementation and more importantly, we have seen the introduction of new devices under this administration. Looking at the new DROIDs and the Moto X it is clear that Google has an established influence on Moto’s products. The prime features of Touchless Control, Active Display and Moto Assist are nothing more than always on Google Now. Active Display can be called as the zenith of obsession with AMOLED displays.
This brings us to the conjecture that there might be something that is troubling Google. The company owns almost 80% of the global smartphone market and still remains in a tenuous position. Google is afraid of the fact that any sort of favouritism towards Motorola would be interpreted incorrectly. Samsung is the largest player in the smartphone market currently, and any attempts by Google to favour Motorola could sour the relationship between the two companies. For now though, Samsung remains dependant on Google and Google seems content to keep its neutral stance on playing favourites between OEMs.
