Motorola confirms it has no phablet plans

Motorola's design chief promises its future devices' screen sizes will be "just right" and will be putting features and usability above specifications and pre-loaded software. All of which is good news for people who aren't geeks and who don't have huge pockets.

Motorola's design chief promises its future devices' screen sizes will be "just right" and will be putting features and usability above specifications and pre-loaded software. All of which is good news for people who aren't geeks and who don't have huge pockets.

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In an interview with PC Mag, Jim Wicks says that ever-expanding screen sizes and customized operating system wrappers only appeal to a very small percentage of the overall smartphone market and that Motorola believes "better is better" and not that "bigger is better."

Therefore it will be concentrating its efforts on simplifying the user interface -- i.e. keeping with stock Android.

"Consumers love what the Android OS can do for them, and they want to have the most recent releases faster," Wicks said. "From a software and UI perspective, our strategy is to embrace Android and to make it the best expression of Android and Google in the market. It will be the unadulterated version of Android, and I feel really good about our embracing Android and being the best Android experience."

He also explained that despite the apparent demand for larger screens there is a "sweet spot" in terms of size that is starting to be exceeded by manufacturers. "There are some people that like a big display, but there's also a lot of people that want something that's just about right," he said. "I think ‘just right' is important, and we're designing so we don't disappoint those people."

Motorola Mobility, the hardware arm of the company credited with inventing the mobile phone, was officially acquired by Google in May 2012 but, due to the phone-maker's existing product pipeline, the benefits of being owned by Android's creators in terms of design, functions and features are yet to be seen.

However, Wicks promises that the first phones to be developed under Google, which will focus on features rather than specifications and will place more emphasis on thinner screen bezels and scratch resistance than on processor speed, will be ready for the public in the second half of 2013.