Lenovo and Motorola’s build-a-phone service, dubbed “Moto Maker”, will soon be rolling into Australia. It’s essentially a website that allows you to custom-order your smartphone’s appearance and specifications, much like you would when purchasing a laptop. (There’s a small catch with the local release, however.)
During its Tech World briefing in Beijing, Lenovo confirmed that Australians will soon be able to create bespoke Motorola phones in just a few mouse clicks. As with the US service, customers can choose between different colours and finishes (including leather and wood options), optional “accents” such as coloured bezel buttons, a custom engraved message of up to 140 characters, a personalised boot-screen message, pre-configured wallpapers and a range of storage options (up to 64GB).
Lenovo’s ANZ managing director Matt Codrington said the service will initially be offered for the Moto X handset via Lenovo’s Australian website. There are also plans to eventually bring the service to retail stores with customers making customised orders in-store.
In the US, all devices customised through Moto Maker are shipped within seven days of purchase. Codrington acknowledged that Australian customers will likely have to wait longer due to overseas manufacturing. Delivery could take as long as a fortnight, although this still seems like a reasonable wait for a customised smartphone.
Codrington wasn’t able to give a definitive date for the rollout, but indicated it would be “soon”. A Lenovo rep later reiterated that the company does not have firm launch dates for Moto Maker in Australia.
So what do you guys think? Does the idea of a Moto X finished in bamboo with a portentous quote engraved on the back appeal to you? Or do you prefer to leave this stuff in the hands of the actual designers? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Gizmodo travelled to Tech World Beijing as a guest of Lenovo.