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The Moto E4 Plus offers a huge battery without a huge price tag
Slowly but surely, Lenovo's Motorola is updating all of its major smartphone lines. We got the refreshed Moto Gs while traipsing around at MWC, the Moto Z2 Play just recently broke cover, and now we have a new pair of low-cost Moto E4s to consider.
Moto X returns in Motorola's leaked 2017 phone lineup
Motorola is going to have a very busy 2017, if you believe tipsters. Well-known leaker Evan Blass has obtained a presentation photo that purports to show the Lenovo brand's phone roadmap for the year, and there will be no less than nine devices by the time it's all said and done. Most notably, the Moto X (apparently called the Moto X4) is finally slated to return after a long absence. This image doesn't reveal much beyond the 5.2-inch "3D glass" display and a "SmartCam," but details gleaned from a video hint that it's an upper mid-range phone with the shiny new Snapdragon 660 processor, a hefty 3,800mAh battery, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of built-in storage and a fingerprint reader.
The new Moto G5s trade fun colors for mature looks
When Lenovo/Motorola first revealed the 4th-generation Moto G and Moto G Plus last year, it did so at a surprisingly secretive launch event in India. That was probably just as well: They were perfectly decent mid-range phones that didn't excite the way earlier G's did. The swanky interior of the W Hotel in Barcelona seems to suit the new G5 and G5 Plus a little better. Lenovo still wanted to build a set of reasonably priced mid-range phones, but it's clear the company was angling to give the G series something of a premium makeover. This year is all about cleaner lines and metal bodies, but I wonder if the G5 and G5 Plus didn't lose a bit of character in the redesign.
Moto Z Mod puts a walkie-talkie on your phone
Motorola has been encouraging enterprising hardware hackers to create Mods at contests around the globe for the Moto Z smartphone, though so far results have been somewhat limited. The latest Mod to make its way to an Indiegogo project is the Linc radio -- a nifty little walkie-talkie Mod that the creators say will let you stay in touch at a range of up to six miles without cell service.
Lenovo is being dragged down by its mobile business
Lenovo is accustomed to good financial news, but even it's not immune to the tepid smartphone market. The company's mobile division lost $112 million as sales took a 23 percent nosedive, including both Moto and Lenovo handsets. Not long ago, Lenovo was the number one smartphone maker in China, with mobile sales (including tablets) actually besting PCs. Now, however, it's well behind arch-foes Oppo, Huawei and Vivo.
Motorola is thirsty for new Moto Mods
Motorola's dream of a slick, modular smartphone is struggling to take off. The base handset is perfectly capable, but the ecosystem of Moto Mods is still pretty sparse. After its launch accessories, we've seen a Hasselblad attachment and little else. To solve the problem, Motorola is teaming up with Verizon and Indiegogo for a new developer competition. The challenge is simple: Create the best Moto Mod out there. If the Moto team likes your work, you'll be invited to a hackathon and encouraged to set up a crowdfunding campaign. Finalists will pitch at Motorola's headquarters in Chicago for "a shot at funding" and distribution in Verizon stores.
The £499 Moto Z and Moto Mod accessories come to the UK
This week may well be dominated by the launch of the new iPhone, but that doesn't mean Apple's smartphone rivals are holding things back. After a few months of US exclusivity, Lenovo has finally brought its super-customisable all-metal Moto Z to the UK. The 5.5-inch quad HD smartphone is now available on the Motorola store for £499, offering a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 2600mAh battery with TurboPower charging and a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera. Oh, and it's ditched the headphone jack in favour of a USB-C connector.
Mini review video: Our quick verdict on the new Moto Z phones
For years, Motorola put out a flagship phone called the X, and for years it won positive reviews, thanks to its customizable design, clean software build and generally good value. This year, there's no X. Instead, we have two new Moto phones, the Z and Z Force. And it makes sense that Motorola chose a different naming scheme, because these are indeed very different devices from what the company has put out in years past. The design is no longer customizable, and with prices reaching $624 for the Z and $720 for the Z Force, they're not exactly what we'd call affordably priced either. Instead of being colorful and cheap, they have a modular design that allows you to snap in optional "Moto Mods" accessories, including a speaker, projector and battery pack. Another risk? Neither phone has a headphone jack. Oh, and they're exclusive to Verizon. While we're not too pleased about those last two caveats, the Moto Mods make the Z line the best modular phones we've seen yet. The Z in particular is exceptionally thin and charges quickly, while the slightly chunkier Z Force adds longer battery life, a shatter-proof screen and a more robust 21-megapixel camera. For that reason, we gave the Z Force the higher score. But hey, if a thin phone floats your boat, you'll be happy with the Z too.
Mini review: Our quick verdict on the Moto G4 and G4 Plus
Since 2013, the Moto G has been our favorite mid-range smartphone -- or favorite budget phone, even, depending on how you define "budget." Now in its fourth generation, the G series has expanded to include three models, two of which we got to take for a spin in a recent review. Indeed, the 5.5-inch G4 and G4 Plus mostly impress, but not every design decision feels like an improvement. Though the phones are more expensive than they used to be, at $200 and $250, respectively, the plastic build feels less durable than we would have otherwise expected. What's more, the G4 is no longer waterproof, and its camera suffers in low light, to boot. The G4 Plus at least offers a better camera and faster performance, though it too has a chintzy build that doesn't feel likely to stand years of wear and tear. Those complaints aside, the handsets nonetheless deserve their strong scores of 84 and 86 -- and they continue Moto's tradition of holding down the "value smartphone" crown.
The new Moto E is bigger and better, but just as affordable
Motorola's entire smartphone lineup is getting a refresh in 2016. Following the new Moto Z and Moto G families, the company has unveiled the Moto E3, an update to its most affordable handset. It sports a 5-inch HD display, up from the 4.5-inch panel in the previous model, a quad-core processor and a 2,800 mAh battery, which Motorola claims will last you a full day. The rear-facing camera has been stepped up to eight megapixels, while a 5-megapixel selfie-snapper sits on the front. The internal storage is a mystery for now (don't expect much) but it will come with a microSD card slot.
USB-C and Lightning headphones aren't great news for everyone
The 3.5mm port is dying -- at least when it comes to smartphones. If the persistent Lightning headphone rumor wasn't enough to persuade you, the fact that Motorola beat Apple to the punch should be. Motorola's new Moto Z and Moto Z Force don't have that familiar circular hole for your cans to plug into, and it now seems inevitable that almost every phone within a few years will forgo the port in favor of a single socket for both charging and using headphones. This is a change that few people actually want. It's driven entirely by the makers of our phones and their desire to ditch what they view as an unnecessary port.
The best mobile phone on the UK market for 2016
Picking the right smartphone can be tough. With Apple, Samsung, LG, HTC and plenty of other manufacturers releasing handsets at a steady clip, it can be difficult to keep up with each and every launch. We use our smartphones for work, play and everything in between, so it's important to settle on the right blend of hardware, operating system and price tag that makes sense for you. After all, you're likely going to be spending anywhere from 18 months to two years of your life with your new handset, unless your budget allows you to upgrade on whim. Deciding between so many candidates can be a bit of a struggle, but we're here to help with our guide to the best smartphones around. Article prices are based on the RRP, but more up-to-date listings can be found in the buyers guide widget below.
Motorola's legendary RAZR flip phone is making a comeback (update: nope)
The year was 2004, and Motorola had just announced what was then an insanely thin flip phone, the RAZR V3. It was -- and still is -- a head-turner, and eventually over 130 million units were sold in total. Such were the glorious days of Motorola. Twelve years later, the now Lenovo-owned brand appears to be prepping a relaunch of this legendary model, according to its teaser video of a nostalgic walkthrough at a high school. "Flip back to the Razr days of yesteryear and get ready for the future." Well, our money's on an Android refresh of the RAZR flip phone, and we're already quite stoked about that. The big unveil will take place at Lenovo Tech World on June 9th, and we have a feeling that this new RAZR may overshadow the new Moto X devices that are also expected there. Update 6/5: Alas, it's not to be. Motorola tells The Guardian that it's not re-releasing the RAZR when Tech World kicks off on June 9th. The clip was ultimately a reminder of how Motorola changed the mobile world with its thin flip phone, rather than the hint of a full-scale revival. Your 2004 self is going to be so disappointed.
Motorola hired a graffiti legend to tag the Moto X Pure (update)
Legendary graffiti artist Futura has teamed up with everyone from The Clash, Nike, streetwear clothing company Supreme and even the 2000s trip-hop group UNKLE -- now he can add one more name to that list: Motorola. In the video below you'll hear Leonard McGurr wax poetic about his decade-spanning career, and talk about how street art speaks to an innate desire for people to stick out from the crowd "It's getting harder and harder to maintain your individualism," he says. This is a pretty logical extension of Motorola's focus on customization with things like the Moto Maker, and it looks really cool.
Motorola's name disappears from its phones this year
Motorola's name is virtually synonymous with cellphones (it invented the category, after all), but you aren't going to see it around for much longer. Parent company Lenovo informs CNET that it's phasing out the Motorola name on phones this year: The "Moto" name and that signature "M" logo will be all that's left on higher-end devices, while lower-cost models will go with Lenovo's own Vibe moniker. While Motorola as an organization will still exist, it won't be nearly as prominent in 2016.
The Moto Body fitness-tracking app is now available on your phone
There are probably way too many ways to keep tabs your activity these days -- dedicated fitness trackers, smartwatches, and even your phone let you know how how healthy or lethargic you are. Motorola rolled its own fitness-tracking features app into the Moto 360 smartwatch called Moto Body; it tracks of your steps, monitors your heart rate and provides estimates on how many calories you burn every day. The only downside is that the data was mostly confined to your watch; aside from a weekly progress email, there wasn't an easy way to get that data off your phone. Motorola is changing that today by releasing a dedicated Moto Body app for Android phones.
At last, Motorola reveals a Moto 360 you can take to the gym
Let's be real: As pretty as the new Moto 360 is, it definitely isn't ready for the gym. That's where the new Moto 360 Sport comes into play. The company hasn't said anything about price or when we'll be able to take these things out for a torturous run -- hell, there wasn't even a live model to play with -- but there's still more going on here than you might expect.
Moto X Pure Edition review: The third time really is the charm
The Moto X line is a smartphone that's always been dancing around greatness. The first one was a lovely, underpowered experiment in smartphone customization and thoughtfulness. The second added some much-needed Moto Maker style and some more powerful silicon. Now Motorola's at it again with the Moto X Pure Edition, a phone that appears to sit right at the intersection of price and power. It's unlocked, ready for any US carrier and -- more importantly -- it's priced as low as $400 off contract. In other words, it's a serious contender for the "Best Smartphone Out There" crown, at least on paper. The thing is, the market for cheap unlocked smartphones has exploded in popularity this year, and it'll take something really special for it to capture the title. So, how does Motorola's new flagship fare? Spoiler alert: really damned well.
The new Moto 360 comes in two sizes, ships later this month for $299
Samsung and LG might have been first to market with Android Wear smartwatches, but the Moto 360 was the first that really got people excited. Now, after innumerable leaks, Motorola's finally ready to talk about the sequel it's been working on behind closed doors. Say hello to the 2015 Moto 360. Prices for these shiny new models start at $299 and they'll hit store shelves later this month, with pre-orders starting today. In the meantime, let's take a closer look at Motorola's handiwork.
Moto G review (2015): Motorola wins the 'best cheap phone' crown, again
Motorola is on a mission. For the last two years, it's been trying to suss out the finest blend of silicon and style it could get away with selling for just $180. And for the last two years the company has had winners on its hands -- can you say "best-selling smartphone in Motorola history"? That level of success makes crafting a second Moto G sequel even trickier: Can Motorola keep its winning streak alive? Have people come to expect more out of a cheap phone than what the company can provide? It's true that this year's model doesn't stray far from the formula we've already seen, but make no mistake: The 2015 edition is still the best deal you'll find on a good Android phone.
