Lenovo has plans for 2017, big plans. A roadmap has leaked which specifically names the Moto X 2017 edition as a device that is in the works. The roadmap shows all the devices Lenovo and Motorola will be producing under the Moto brand and specified which branches will be contributing to the development:

• Moto Z - Motorola
• Moto X - Lenovo
• Moto M - Lenovo
• Moto G - Motorola / Lenovo
• Moto E - Lenovo / ODM
• Moto C - Lenovo / ODM

As you can see, only one will be made fully by Motorola, and that's the new Moto Z, however, the Moto X is coming back under Lenovo's stewardship.

And this is very good news indeed, as the Moto X, while criminally underrated, has always been one of the most reliable and value-laden releases of the year since the first one arrived way back when. The MO with the Moto X has always been to place utility in front of prim and fluff – it does everything a phone should do with all the bells and whistles often associated with flagship releases.

Moto make a name for itself again with the original Moto X, which champion functionality and value for money over pomp and bloatware. The result was a simple, elegant device packed for of useful features and a beautifully clean version of Android. Moto has picked things up since then adding in more design flare and a focus on things like software features and imaging.

The diversification of the Moto brand shows the company wants a handset in each category, a model used by both LG and Samsung to good effect. Moto isn’t one of the most visible brands in the Android Kingdom but it is one of the most reliable, so if you’re looking for a solid update on what came before, be sure to keep your eye on this handset.

Techdroider has the latest info regarding the Moto X 2017, which includes a batch of images showing an all-metal bodyshell, the return of the distinctive large circular camera housing, and what appears to be a repositioning of the antenna bands similar to the iPhone 7 design.