Google's CFO on Motorola's Product Pipeline and the X Phone Rumour
What Pichette said
Pichette described Motorola as having great assets and a pipeline of products that met no one’s idea of innovative or transformative. Pichette said Google was working with Motorola’s chief executive to put the company on a path matching Google’s long-term mindset, and that the inherited 18 months of pipeline had to be drained while the next wave was built. Pichette called the transition difficult but said Google was optimistic and supportive.
What it suggested
The writer read this as a sign that Motorola phones would stay fairly ordinary until the obligations were fulfilled, after which Google-designed products would follow. It also put the X Phone at I/O in doubt, though Pichette did not mention it.
Why caution made sense
- No solid details about the X Phone had leaked.
- The HTC One and the upcoming Galaxy S4 had both been preceded by steady leaks.
- The Nexus 4 still ranked among the leading phones and sold well through the Play Store and carriers.
- Recent phones from Sony, LG and HTC did not force Google to answer with something bigger.
What might happen instead
The writer wondered whether Google might show Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie on the Nexus 4 and not an X Phone, but said it was only speculation.
Frequently asked questions
Did Pichette mention the X Phone?
No. The doubt came from the writer's reading of the comments.
What is a product pipeline?
The set of devices already planned and in production before a company changes direction.
Was the X Phone confirmed for I/O?
No. It was only a rumour.