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Moto X Features Improve with Google Play Updates

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Motorola has been busy improving the Moto X smartphone, as well as any Moto device as of late, but not how you’d expect them to. Taking a different approach than most, Motorola’s added key aspects of its new devices to the Google Play Store, allowing them to update the software on the fly, rather than through carrier updates.

Yesterday the Moto X camera was much improved thanks to a quick update to the official Motorola Camera app in Google Play, and today they’ve done the same thing to bring more features and a better experience to the touchless controls and voice commands on devices with KitKat. Instead of making us wait weeks, if not months, for carriers to update the devices, they’re pushing elements of the software to Google Play and updating it whenever they’d like.

Moto X Review -  007

Earlier this week Motorola changed the boot animation on the Moto X and Moto G to a Christmas holiday theme, all with an app from the Play Store, and it’ll go back to a normal boot animation on device startup after January 6th. This is just a quick and easy way to polish users experience, and offer that little extra bonus. That’s nice and all, but how about more features without waiting for a slow OTA update to arrive from Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile.

This afternoon all the touchless controls and hands-free voice actions are getting better. Thanks to the same method above, Motorola just pushed out a major update that makes the Moto X, and soon the DROID lineup even better. The Touchless Conrols App just received an update that will allow even more Google Now commands to be said to the Moto X without unlocking your phone. Like “Ok Google, what’s the weather” and without unlocking your phone, you can get an audible response.

Read: Moto X Review

Another main issue, was using the voice commands while a phone was locked with a pin. Previously this didn’t work, for security reasons, but the update has changed that. Without a software update from your carrier, Motorola just pushed this to the Play Store. You can now say your pin (if you’d like) out loud and the Moto X will recognize it and unlock. From there all those usual voice commands and Google Now actions will work all hands-free. Just say “Ok, Google” and start talking.

These features are for KitKat only, so this is just the Moto X and Moto G until Verizon updates the DROID line to Android 4.4 KitKat. Well done Motorola. Updating key software features all through the Play Store. We hope other manufacturers take notice.

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