Chip Chick
The budget Moto G smartphone has been a runaway success internationally, selling far more units in all than the higher-end Moto X. So, it’s no wonder that it was the center of attention during Motorola’s big announcement this week, which revealed three new devices in the line — the Moto G, the Moto G Plus, and the Moto G Play. There’s a little something for everyone looking for a good deal, with just one caveat — the most important detail, price, is still unannounced for all three.
The new Moto G once again looks like a solid mid-range phone, and as always, it helps that it’ll be running stock Android. The most obvious sacrifice made here is the processor, with Motorola using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 SoC, which includes a 1.5 GHz octa-core processor. It’s a shrewd sacrifice to make — high-end smartphones are overpowered for the vast majority of smartphone users right now, and one of the latest from Qualcomm’s mid-range line should do nicely.
Past that, the spec sheet looks pretty good — the 5.5″ 1080p display is much larger and has a higher resolution than the previous generation’s, while a 3,000 mAh battery (with TurboPower quick charging), 16/32 GB of internal storage (with a Micro SD slot for 128 GB more), and 2 GB of RAM should make for a strong, long-lasting device. A big selling point (as it is with most budget phones) will be the camera, which has a 13 MP sensor and dual LED flash (plus a 5 MP front camera). Waterproofing doesn’t hurt, either. And, in keeping with Moto tradition, there will be loads of customization options available using the Moto Maker tool, as well.
Bucking the usual naming trends, the Moto G Plus isn’t physically bigger than the Moto G. Instead, it gets small spec and feature boosts — namely, a better camera and a fingerprint sensor. There will be a fingerprint sensor on the front of the phone, while the rear camera’s sensor will get bumped up to 16 MP, which is enhanced further by the addition of phase detect auto-focus. And, if you spring for a 32 GB or 64 GB model, you’ll get 4 GB of RAM to boot, making it a great choice if you need to run a lot of apps in the background. Meanwhile, the Moto G Play will be the low-end device of the trio, with a smaller 2,800 mAh battery, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC with a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, and an 8 MP rear camera. It’ll also be smaller at 5.0″, with a 720p display. Unlike the other two, you won’t be able to customize this one using the Moto Maker — it’ll just be available in black and white.
All three phones should be released in the United States eventually, but for now, Motorola will focus on the Moto G’s strongest markets. Chiefly, that means Brazil and India — both the Moto G and the Moto G Plus are available now in Brazil, with the Moto G Plus available now in India. Motorola says the two phones will arrive in countries in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific in the summer. The cheaper Moto G Play will get a worldwide launch in the summer, as well. No word on how much each will cost in the United States yet, but Motorola will likely make that announcement soon.
