According to reports (read rumours!) in the online technology press Google and it’s newly acquired partner Motorola Mobility are working on “Project X” – a new kind of smart phone they are planning as a challenger for the iPhone.

According to the reports this new phone will likely not, unfortunately, be based on the Motorola Droid/Milestone format but will be something altogether different. This is a shame as Motorola had previously set their particular take on the Android Smartphone as “The Phone Without Compromise” so it will be interesting to see two model brands out there without compromise.

Naturally, it’s difficult to talk about Smartphone technologies these days without talking about Tablets, and even Smartlets (those 5-7” devices that sort of fit in between phones and tablets), too so the design will need to be consistent across these formats. This will be essential for brand identity and for it to stand out, and stand a chance, in such a crowded market. As a result it’s not likely the X is going to be too cutting edge on the design front.

The X device is also likely to run Android too – albeit Android 5 (or as some are calling it).

The use of “Project X” is an interesting one as this has already been referenced against several Google projects. The Google X Lab is apparently a secret “Google Lab” that looks to future technologies.

There is quite a bit of talk, mostly speculation, about what this new “Project X” phone will look like, and what killer features it may offer, including bendy screens and such like. However, realistically the typical specification is likely to be more along the lines of the Smartphone format we are already familiar with together with a tighter interface and more integration into social media and an online app store.

Recent developments in smart phone technology have included induction based charging (so no plug-in connector), 1080p High Definition (or beyond), voice recognition, 4G/LTE support, higher resolution cameras, optical zoom technology, and thinner bezels around the screen.