Software

The Moto X Style comes pre-loaded with what'south substantially stock Android v.1.ane, without any bloatware and without any ugly skins. For the vanilla fans out at that place, this should be welcome news, and of course the lack of bloatware is great on whatever device. Motorola besides has a reasonable rail record when information technology comes to software updates, sometimes delivering new versions of Android to their handsets before Google's ain Nexus devices. With Android 6.0 on the horizon, the Moto X Style should be one of the showtime handsets to receive the update.

Every bit the software included with the Style is vanilla, you're not getting a whole ton of new features baked into the operating system. However, Motorola does provide a useful app with the device called Moto that includes some functionality that's worth setting upwards and exploring.

One of the almost useful features included is called Moto Brandish, which shows snippets of notifications and the time on the display as soon equally you selection upwardly your telephone, moving ridge your paw over the display, or remove information technology from your pocket. As Moto Display activates basically as soon as y'all touch the device, it gives you all the critical data you need in an instant and at a glance. It's and so clever and useful that it's the characteristic y'all'll miss virtually when using a non-Moto device.

The Moto X Style also comes with Motorola's always-on vocalism functionality, which allows you to speak a phrase of your choice (I chose "OK Moto Ten") to activate vox commands while the screen is off or while you're in whatsoever application. This is by far the best implementation of vox functionality I've seen, as information technology can be activated without touching the phone anywhere in the software, and it simply seems to piece of work and work quickly every time.

Motorola'south voice command implementation is slightly dissimilar to Google Now in that it can recognize some commands that Now tin can't, such every bit "have a photo" will really take a photo in the photographic camera app, whereas Google Now volition simply open the app. Where Moto Voice isn't trained to recognize commands, information technology will only transfer the asking to Google Now, giving you the best of both worlds.

While voice commands are certainly absurd, I didn't use the feature all that oftentimes, mostly because it'due south often quicker to access apps and write messages by tapping the screen and using the keyboard. In that location'south times where you might exist on public send and don't want the whole world knowing what you're searching or messaging as well, although you tin lift the device up to your ear to send messages and hear responses discretely.

Motorola's also baked in gestures to the Style, ii of which are somewhat useful: double chopping the device to plough on the flashlight, and double twisting to open the photographic camera. These aren't natural gestures or something you'll use all the time, but with some practice you could make great use of them.

Finally, Moto Assist can automatically suit your phone'southward settings based on triggers. For example, if it's after 11pm and your phone is plugged in to accuse, Assist tin can mute all notifications to requite yous a good dark's sleep. If information technology detects yous're in a coming together or driving, you can gear up the Manner to only display priority notifications. I'd like to encounter the ability to customize the triggers and actions further, merely what Assist provides is a good start.