Moto X ‘unique’ bamboo backplate lands on Moto Maker

By Trevor Mogg December 18, 2013

moto x wooden back lands on maker bamboo — Image used with permission by copyright holder

[Check out DT’s Moto X review here]

Motorola has finally unveiled its wooden back option for its Moto X handset, though its price tag is double what most people were expecting.

Leaked information over the summer from usually-reliable tipster Evleaks suggested the Google-owned company would launch the wooden backplate by the end of the year, so it got that part right. However, it also said it’d also come in four flavors – teak, ebony, rosewood, and bamboo – and at $50 apiece.

It’s turned out that we have one option, bamboo, and you’ll have to slap an extra $100 onto your order, leaving you with a $199 bill for a two-year contact.

Of course, it could be that teak, ebony, and rosewood are all on the way, but for now you’ll have to make do with bamboo if it’s wood you want on the back of your Moto X. And take note – this is an online-only option that can be delivered in January at the earliest.

Motorola revealed the new backplate on Tuesday via its Twitter feed, a couple of days after teasing the new offering with a photo (right) of a piece of plywood with an outline of a Moto X and the message, “Put this DIY project on hold. Trust us.”

Following the announcement, Motorola CVP Lior Ron took to the company’s blog: “Since each back is made from real bamboo, no two devices will ever be the same – it’s truly a smartphone as unique as you are,” Ron wrote in a message to potential buyers.

The Moto X is Motorola’s first handset since Google acquired the company last year and is being marketed heavily on its vast array of customization options enabled through its Moto Maker site and the fact that it’s the first smartphone to be designed, engineered, and manufactured in the US.

Besides appealing to US-based consumers keen to support the economy by purchasing goods made on home soil, the move to base its operations at home also means faster shipping and more efficient control over supplies.

The Moto X comes with a 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 display, 10-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front camera, 1.7GHz dual-core processor, and 2GB of RAM.

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