Moto X smartphone to be customisable

Motorola aims to bounce back in the smartphone market by offering users the chance to customise their own smartphone, according to a teaser posted online.

The advert for the Moto X suggests this will be the "first smartphone you can design yourself". The level of customisation users will be afforded over the finished product is unknown at this time.

At the basic end customers could simply be restricted to changing the colour and preloaded content such as apps on the device. However, there are suggestions that Motorola may offer users the option to change screen sizes and even pick internal components, such as storage.

Update 04/07/2013: According to ABCNews, the customsation options will include the ability to select the colour of the back case and the trim of the smartphone. Sources have also suggested that users will be able to have an encraving etched onto the back of the device and also personalise the wallpaper from the factory.

The customisation aspect is not the only way Motorola is looking to differentiate itself from market leaders Apple and Samsung. The smartphone maker, which was purchased by Google, has confirmed that its Moto X will be assembled in the US, and that 2,000 jobs will be created in Ft. Worth Texas this summer.

"Imagine what will be when you have the world's best design, engineering, and manufacturing talent located here in the USA," it said in the advert.

"We knew this [building in the US] would be a challenge. In fact, some people said it couldn't be done. But we're not just any company. And nothing exciting ever comes this easy."

More details are expected to be announced soon and Motorola has offered a signup page so you will be alerted when more details become available. It will be interesting to see whether Motorola has entered into any partnerships with retailers, as the customisation aspect implies a direct selling model. It also remains to be seen whether users outside of the US will be eligible to order devices.

Do you think smartphone customisation is going to be the next evolution in the mobile market? Would this encourage you to buy Motorola product? As always, let us know below.

Khidr Suleman is the Technical Editor at IT Pro, a role he has fulfilled since March 2012. He is responsible for the reviews section on the site  - so get in touch if you have a product you think might be of interest to the business world. He also covers the hardware and operating systems beats. Prior to joining IT Pro, Khidr worked as a reporter at Incisive Media. He studied law at the University of Reading and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism and Online Writing at PMA Training.