So we kind of saw this coming, but Motorola’s latest smartphone to support Moto Mod add-ons is here.
The Moto Z4 is up for pre-order starting today for $500 and it should ship to customers starting June 6th It’ll also be available from Verizon starting June 13th.
The smartphone blends a mix of high-end and mid-range features so you get a 48MP rear camera, for instance, but a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor rather than a more powerful Snapdragon 855 chip. But the key thing that sets Moto Z phones apart from the competition are their support for modular add-ons.
Case in point: at launch Motorola is offering the Moto Z4 bundled with a 360 degree camera Moto Mod. Normally that add-on would cost $200 and it’d probably only appeal to a relatively small group of potential customers. But since Motorola is throwing it in for no additional charge, it might be a nice bonus that could help you decide if you care about 360-degree video.
Verizon customers can also pick up an optional 5G Moto Mod for $200 if you want to sign up for a 5G data plan. Normally that add-on would set you back $350.
Honestly I’m not sure why you’d want to make the move to 5G just yet. But it’s nice to know you could do it in a year or two without buying a new phone.
Other Moto Mods include speakers, batteries, and even projectors.
Here’s a run-down of the Moto Z4’s key specs:
- 6.4 inch, 2340 x 1080 pixel OLED display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor
- 4GB RAM
- 128GB storage
- In-display fingerprint sensor
- 48MP rear camera (with Quad Pixel tech for 12MP low-light photos)
- 25MP front camera (with Quad Pixel tech for 6.2MP low-light photos)
- 3,600 mAh battery
- USB 3.1 Type-C port
- 15 watt TurboPower charger
- 3.5mm headphone jack
via Motorola
I I were interesting in 5G (which I am not–at least for a smartphone) I’d wait for it to be built into a phone, not a mod. And if I were interesting in paying $500 for a phone (which I am not) I’d wait for something with a Snapdragon 7xx chipset.
Or you could just buy the notchless Zenfone 6, which has an 855 and looks kind of amazing.