What are Motorola doing, exactly?

If you’re keenly waiting for the Moto 360 or new Moto X to launch in Australia, you’re probably scratching your heads. Just like us.

Where’s the Moto 360?

You see, the Moto 360 was announced just shy of eight months ago, on 18 March 2014. Motorola first talked about releasing an Android Wear at MWC, and then the announcement came. And then nothing came, for a very long time. The Moto 360 didn’t get released to a hungry, buying public until early September, and even then, that’s the US buying public. Not Australia’s.

Not only this, but there’s rumours that Motorola might have even worked with popular freight-forwarder ComGateway to make sure that US stock didn’t wind up elsewhere (like.. you know.. Australia).

As of 7 November 2014, there’s still no Motorola 360s in Australia, except for those that have been imported from overseas, and likely a handful sitting in Motorola’s offices, leftovers of a media briefing held more than a month ago. At that briefing, the Moto 360 was promised within October. It’s now a week into November, and nothing. Review units are not with media organisations such as Ausdroid. Retail units are not in stores. The product can’t be ordered online.

What gives?

You might be forgiven for thinking it’s just a popular product and there are stock delays. Don’t get us wrong, the Moto 360 is indeed a pretty good watch. However, it’s not just the Moto 360 that’s delayed.

What about the Moto X?

The Moto X was also promised to a keen audience in late October or early November. October came and went, and not a sign was seen beyond some confidential demo units, again held by Motorola. There’s no retail release. No carriers. No online ordering. Nada.

Earlier, we became aware that Harvey Norman was likely to have the Moto X in the first week of November… but that came, and went. No launch.

Then we saw actual listings appear on Harvey Norman’s website. They’re still there today, and they show stock. Except for one thing. There is no stock. Stores are now advising that stock is not anticipated until the end of November, with this statement being posted on Harvey Norman’s website today:

CORRECTION: Due to supplier delays, the Motorola Moto X (product code 2764191 and 2764190) advertised at $698, and the Moto 360 Watch (product code 2764193) advertised at $325 in the Harvey Norman ‘Latest & Greatest’ catalogue, are late arriving into stores. Stock is expected at the end of November. Harvey Norman’s raincheck policy applies and orders will be taken. Offer ends 23.11.2014.

This leaves us wondering… what has happened, Motorola? Flick back twelve months, or even two years, and you had some great handsets going. First the RAZR M and RAZR HD, some of the most innovative phones of their time. Last year the Moto G arrived, and the Moto X a little bit behind it, and while they were late to the Australian market, they were great devices to behold.

Motorola has learned from its mistakes. Or has it?

Motorola told us it had learned from the mistakes of delaying launches into Australia, and that we wouldn’t see it happen again. Promises were made of houses being on the line if products weren’t delivered in the timeframes mentioned at the September media briefing… but yet, there’s no products delivered, nor are certain houses on the market.

Motorola’s woes might not stop with their own branded products. Even Google’s Nexus 6 is being delayed into the Australian market, and limited stock is likely to make it impossible to get some of this unobtainium this side of Christmas.

What we have here is an amazing situation. A manufacturer that is making very desirable products that are, in all likelihood, class-leading. However, for whatever reason, they just can’t get them on shelves and available to buy. Is it stock shortages? Is it some legal or certification issue? Is it artificially driving up consumer demand? Is it a combination of the above?

Who knows.

Whatever the issue, Motorola, your audience is waiting… and waiting.

Other companies are beating Motorola to the punch

LG announced a round Android Wear watch — the LG G Watch R — after the Moto 360, and has delivered it to market before Motorola. You can buy a G Watch R today. In fact, we have a demo unit of the G Watch R today. Same day as launch.

You can’t buy a Moto 360. We don’t have a demo unit from Motorola. We had to source one elsewhere. It’s not a good sign when sites like Ausdroid have to go elsewhere to get review product because the official channels don’t have any, and have no time frames…

Please don’t leave us waiting too much longer, Motorola, or someone else might come along and steal that thunder before the lightning even hits the ground.