Even though Google acquired Motorola Mobility over a year ago, since then Google has been persuading its partners that it would not compete against their flagship offerings and teamed up with Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics to create leading-edge Nexus-branded smartphones. However, deep inside Google and Motorola, the development of the so-called X Phone and X Tablet is in progress.

After taking over Motorola Mobility, Google implemented a number of strategic changes: Motorola develops devices that will be sold by carrier partner Verizon Wireless, such as the "Droid" line of smartphones; and the X phone, X tablet projects, reports the Wall Street Journal. As it usually happens, nothing particular is known about the Google/Motorola X phone and tablet, except of the fact that they are projected to compete against Apple iPhone/iPad and Samsung Galaxy/Galaxy Tab devices. WSJ claims that premium materials (ceramics, flexible AMOLED screens [which points to partnership with Samsung], etc.), technologies, software capabilities as well as striking design are set to be features of the X phone.

Google and Motorola did not confirm the development of phone X and tablet X, but did acknowledge that Google is investing into a development team that is supposed to design products different from those on the market today. Unfortunately, the company did not reveal any details about the projects in development or under consideration.

“The company is investing in a team and a technology that will do something quite different than the current approaches. While Motorola has fallen under hard times, it now has the support of a shareholder in Google that has resources to do big things," said Dennis Woodside, chief executive officer of Motorola Mobility, in an interview with WSJ.

Keeping in mind that Google has "secret" Google X division that works on futuristic technologies and is overseen by co-founder Sergey Brin, then the X phone and the X tablet could probably feature some of the never-seen-before technologies that may, at least partly, come from the X group.

Even though Google and Motorola have reportedly run into obstacles associated with manufacturing and supply-chain management that have caused the company to rethink some initial plans for the X phone, Google still hopes to release the latter commercially in 2013.

When it comes to own-brand or Motorola-brand premium devices, for Google it is crucial to ensure that they do not ruin their relationship with companies like Samsung Electronics, which ensure long-term success of Android platform in general, despite of obvious competition. It is unclear how does Google plan to manage its relationships with Android adopters amid competition against its own partners on the premium segments of the market.

Tags: Motorola, Google, Apple, Android, Samsung, iOS, LG, LG Electronics, HTC, Droid