Motorola launches Moto X Style, Moto X Play and Moto G smartphones

Motorola has becoming something of an underdog in the mobile industry. After dominating the segment — and most pop culture — in the mid ’00s with their all-conquering RAZR flip phone, the American smartphone maker faded into an awkward obscurity after the launch of the iPhone. Particularly so when Samsung launched the Galaxy S and started mopping up the majority of Android sales.

Rather than admit defeat, Motorola instead buckled down and decided to try something different. Rather than follow the Android crowd into a smartphone arms race, competing on the latest technologies and unnecessary software additions, Motorola instead stripped back the smartphone and instead rebuilt it into something else, something more useful. In 2013, they launched the Moto X, a smartphone that was drastically different from its competition. With a refined design, high-quality screen and a myriad of useful, thoughtful features atop a stripped-back Android build, it was clearly different to the over-specced, feature-saturated competition. What’s more, Moto Maker let buyers customize their phone in a variety of colors — or swap plastic entirely for a real wood back, if so desired. Critics lauded it, but a 720p display and middling internals held it back from greatness.

Last year’s Moto X built upon the first iteration’s successes. A better display, more premium build, faster internals and further refined software features transformed it into a true flagship device. Moto Maker added real leather to its options list, while the Moto X’s price was remarkably affordable when compared with other flagships. Only an average camera and battery life held it back from perfection, but it didn’t stop many reviewers from lauding it as the greatest Android device available.

This year, Motorola has to compete with a bucketload of expectations for the 2015 Moto X. That makes it all the more surprising that, rather than merely update the X, they’ve instead split it into two separate devices — as well as launched a new version of their all-conquering Moto G budget phone.

Yes, the Moto X is now the Moto X Style and the Moto X Play, each with their own unique features and intended purposes.

The Style is undoubtedly the flagship device. Motorola is touting it as a smartphone without compromise, noting that it offers more customization than any other device on the market. In terms of options, there are new Saffiano leathers, while the much loved wood grains also return. For those who want a more colorful rear, plastic has been replaced with soft touch silicone for a “warm look,” apparently.

The device itself has clearly been drinking its protein shakes. Screen size has swelled from 5.2- to 5.7-inches — Motorola has also abandoned its AMOLED tech in favor of a more traditional LCD display, though at least resolution has been bumped up to Quad HD (2560×1440), in line with other flagships. The Style also weighs a beefy 6.3 ounces, while it measures 0.43 inches at its thickest point — however, Motorola’s curved design tapers to a mere 0.24 inches at the edges.

Inside, the Style is also considerably beefier. A six-core Snapdragon 808 hums away, nestled next to 3GB of RAM and two Motorola processors which power its voice- and motion-activated software capabilities, the sexily titled Natural Language and Contextual Computing processors. Storage is 16, 32 or 64 GB, but microSD support is on board for cards up to 128 GB. An “All Day” battery is also in place, rated at 3,000 mAh — whether that will hold up for those addicted to their smartphones remains to be seen. On the plus side, Motorola is touting the world’s fastest charging in a smartphone (take that, Samsung!), promising ten hours of life in just 15 minutes.

Elsewhere, there are stereo, front-facing speakers (something more phones need — seriously), a water repellent coating which should protect your phone against rain or accidental spills, while Motorola’s typically pared-back software runs atop the freshest version of Android, 5.1.1 Lollipop — an update to Android M will arrive when that launches later this year. Meanwhile, something sure to please Motorola fans, the main camera has leapt from 13 to 21 megapixels. There’s a variety of techno-schizzlewizzle features such as Phase Detection Auto-Focus and Dual Color Correlated Temperature flash, but in layman’s terms Motorola is claiming a camera that is among the best in the business. A bold claim, certainly. Selfie addicts, meanwhile, can admire every pore with a 5 megapixel front camera.

Perhaps most impressively, however, is the way in which Motorola will sell the Moto X Style. Launching “Fall 2015,” which is expected to be September, it’ll be known as the Moto X Pure Edition in the states. That means it’ll be available from Motorola directly as well as Best Buy and Amazon. It’ll come unlocked and work across every carrier, including super fast LTE. The price for all of this customizable, supersized, pixel-dense smartphone goodness? A mere $399. That’s hundreds less than an equivalent iPhone or Samsung Galaxy. It will come to carriers at a later date, but if you’re not interested in upgrading through your network, it’s an incredible deal — and an incredible show of confidence from Motorola in the desirability of its product.

The Moto X Play, meanwhile, is more of a tease. While it will launch in 55 countries next month, America isn’t on the list. Should you feel disappointed at that fact? Well, it remains to be seen.

It’s a Style-lite in most aspects. Screen size shrinks to 5.5-inches, drops to 1080p resolution and sits inside a chassis that is, on average, thicker than the Style. Inside, there’s a slower processor, less RAM, less available storage (64GB aren’t available, but a microSD slot remains), and no CDMA network support, which means Verizon and Sprint fans are out of luck. However, the Play maintains the Style’s 21 megapixel camera and its 5 megapixel front-facer, as well as its water repellent coating. Furthermore, it boosts battery life up to an estimated thirty hours. That’s seriously impressive stamina.

What’s more, it’s also customizable through Moto Maker, with a variety of materials and accents on offer, while its smaller body brings a lower weight (5.96 ounces) than the Style. As a midrange device, it makes a pretty compelling case for itself — which makes a lack of a US release all the more puzzling, especially when the price is estimated at being some $100 less than the Style.

Lastly, but by no means least, the Moto G. In many respects, the G has done what the X failed to do — it put Motorola back at the top of the bestsellers list. Motorola’s budget smartphone, which has always punched above its weight in terms of specs and features, returns for 2015 faster, more premium and yet as affordable as ever. For just $179 — and it’s available to buy from today — consumers are getting an absolute bargain.

A 5-inch, 720p display, battery life that lasts up to 24 hours, a Snapdragon 410 processor that will have no trouble running Motorola’s clutter-free version of Android, all paired with 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM, or 16 GB and 2GB, respectively. What’s more, it’s fully customizable using Moto Maker for the first time ever. Yes, the humble G can be specced in a variety of colours and accents, or outfitted in a swappable, colorful shell.

It comes in a variety of flavors to suit every network, while there’s a “best in class” (to quote Motorola) 13 megapixel camera that was taken from last year’s flagship Nexus 6, tweaked slightly, and dropped into the G. Furthermore, Motorola has given the Moto G full IPX7 waterproofing — that means thirty minutes of submersion in up to three feet of water, which should make the G an excellent companion to the pool.

Motorola has somehow made the Moto G even more of a bargain, without jacking up the price. It’s an impressive move, one which should cement the G’s status as the bargain Android phone — if flagships are often described as being “iPhone-beating,” the same is true for cheap devices and the Moto G.

In many ways, Motorola really deserves for its new smartphones to be a success. Moto Assist, the company’s voice assistant that actually works, is an example of one of the few changes the company has made to an otherwise stock version of Android on all of its devices. It seems to genuinely care about its customers — marketing materials frequently espouse that smartphones should work for us, rather than against as many seem to. Whether its latest devices will help improve the company’s market share remains to be seen, but Motorola at least can say it tried its best.