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Motorola's Z2 Play sacrifices battery life for sleekness
Motorola's first Z-series smartphones were as impressive as they were divisive. Remember, the Z was insanely thin, the Z Force was nearly indestructible and both could be augmented with Moto Mods, but they were among the first devices to completely give up on the headphone jack. Then came the Moto Z Play, which felt like a more sensible spin on the Z formula: It wasn't quite as fast, but it was cheaper, still modular, and ushered in the return of that classic audio port. Is it any surprise that Motorola wanted to build a sequel?
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.
Moto focused on slimming down for the Z2 Play
If you liked the original Z Play for its low price and compatibility with Moto Mods, you'll probably dig the pending follow up, Motorola's Z2 Play. They pretty much look the same, minus the shape of one of the buttons. If you expected the original's long battery life, however, the sequel might disappoint you. According to a review of some marketing material by VentureBeat's Evan Blass, the new Moto Z2 Play might be thinner than its predecessor yet more underpowered when it comes to battery life. The original Z Play has a 3510mAh battery in it, while the Z2 could come with a lowly 3000mAh pack, according to VentureBeat.
The Moto Z2 Play looks very familiar
You probably picked up the Moto Z Play for its long battery life, mid-range price and compatibility with Motrola's flagship modular backs. If you were worried that those components wouldn't work on the next version of the handset, don't -- leaked images of the Moto Z2 Play from TechnoBuffalo suggest that the device will be almost visually identical to the original. Well, there is one notable change: the Moto Z Play's square button has been replaced with a round one.
Moto Z Play review: Buy it for the battery life
You should've seen this one coming. Of course Motorola wasn't going to just release two versions of the Moto Z and call it a year. While the first two -- the Moto Z and Moto Z Force -- had to bear the weight of flagship expectations and justify the lack of a headphone jack, the Moto Z Play merely had to be inexpensive and not terrible. Well, mission accomplished ... mostly. At $449, the Z Play isn't the cheapest mid-range phone out there, but it clears the "not terrible" bar with more room than I imagined. All right, all right, there's no point in being coy. The Moto Z Play is actually pretty great.
Motorola's new Moto Z Play is cheaper, but not compromised
Well, that was fast. It's been just over a month since the Moto Z and Moto Z Force landed in the US and Motorola has already cooked up another phone to go with them. The new Moto Z Play is the last and least expensive member of the Moto Z Family, and you'll be able to nab one for yourself in the US starting on September 8. Sounds all well and good, but here's the big question: How does Motorola's modular vision scale down to more modest smartphones? Pretty well, actually.
