Moto X Android 4.3 Test Build Leaked, Includes Updated Camera Software

Motorola’s latest flagship smartphone, the Moto X, was rumored and talked about for months until its official unveiling on August 1st.  Since then it has launched on all major US carriers, and received some pretty lukewarm reception from the public despite some heavy advertising around the US.  One of the biggest issues people have had with the Moto X so far is the camera, which has been called pretty lackluster by a number of critics out there.  The good thing about this though is that it appears to be more of a software problem than a hardware one.  Generally the complaint is about the camera not focusing on what you want it to, leaving you with blurry shots and your prime target completely out of focus unless you use burst mode, in which case you might have 1 decent shot.  Even more thankfully is that the software fix for the camera might be right on the horizon, as jimmydafish from XDA Developers has received an updated build of the Moto X’s software.  What’s more is that this isn’t just any updated build with new camera software, it’s an official Android 4.3 build from one of Motorola’s Moto X test devices.

You might remember right after the official announcement of the Moto X, Motorola’s COE went on to say that an official Android 4.3 update would be right around the corner after the phone officially launched in late August.  Well here we are not a scant month after the launch and it looks like that word might just be something to hold on to in the future.  We were excited when we found out that Motorola would be the one in control of software updates instead of the carriers, which have traditionally been a stumbling block to Android updates for major phones.  While this is a leaked build, remember that it is from a test device, and even further that it’s from a T-Mobile test Moto X, so be wary of flashing anything unless you are really confident that you know what you are doing.  If you’re feeling brave today, head on over to the XDA thread about the update and give it a shot.  Be careful to not flash the modem or FSG file included, as it will likely break your radio and WiFi, leaving your Moto X without any sort of network communication.  Also worth noting is that this build is slower than the Android 4.2.2 build that shipped with the Moto X, so while the camera software seems better, your overall phone won’t feel as zippy.  As always, have fun and be careful with these sorts of things, and if you aren’t feeling experimental this weekend just wait for the official (or even a more final build).  It’s safer and will likely not have the bugs exhibited in this build.