Motorolas Cheap Android Phones Just Got a Big Update
Motorola has long flaunted its Moto G smartphones as a low-cost alternative to devices like Apple's iPhone or Samsung Galaxy lineup, which can cost around 700 without a carrier payment plan. The trade off, however, has been that Motorola's budget phones haven't offered as many features as phones with higher price tags. Motorola is changing this at least a little bit with its newly announced fourth generation Moto G and Moto G Plus. Both feature a 5.5-inch screen that's sharper than last year's 5-inch display, a more powerful processor, and a larger battery 3,000 mAh versus last year's 2,470 battery. The standard version is priced at 169 while the Plus model costs 199, according to reports from The Verge and Engadget. Motorola hasn't mentioned pricing or availability for the U.S. yet. The Plus model comes with a fingerprint sensor, the first phone in the Moto G lineup to feature one. This and a more advanced camera are the only differences between the standard version and the Moto G Plus. While the regular Moto G comes with a 13-megapixel camera, its more expensive sibling boasts a 16-megapixel camera with better focusing abilities. Motorola has steadily improved the Moto G's camera over the past several years, but critics have noticed that low-light performance was still lacking in the 2015 model. Companies like Samsung and Apple have emphasized low-light photography in their high-end phones this year, with the Galaxy S7's larger pixels and the iPhone 6s/SE's front-facing camera flash. Both new Moto G phones will be available in Brazil starting immediately. Customers in India will be able to get the Moto G Plus today as well. The phones will also be available in countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, but exact timing has not been announced. Motorola also announced a third phone that will be available globally, the Moto G Play, but hasn't revealed many details other than that its battery size 2,800 mAh and processor. Based on photos, it looks like the Moto G Play will be smaller than the other new phones in its family.