ZDNet’s Kevin C. Tofel discovered this when he popped his Project Fi SIM card into his new Moto X Pure Edition. It worked, although with a few limitations. While he was able to get 16Mbps over HSPA+, there didn’t appear to be a full LTE connection. It’s also impossible to force a connection to Sprint, so he was only able to test it with T-Mobile and Wi-Fi.
However, staying on a phone call worked while hopping between Wi-Fi and a cellular signal.
Given that the Moto X Pure Edition is sold unlocked for use on any carrier, it’s not a terrible surprise to see it work. Given that Motorola partnered to build the Nexus 6 (the only phone officially supported by Project Fi), perhaps the Moto X will be the next phone to join the MVNO.
Why this matters: Project Fi is a rather compelling concept, as you only pay for the data you use and get to subscribe to a reasonably-priced plan. Google also engineered the Nexus 6 to automatically hop between Sprint, T-Mobile, and open Wi-Fi networks. However, the appeal is going to be limited as the Nexus 6 is too big for most. With a slightly smaller 5.7-inch screen, the Moto X may be a better fit.