In June this year, Lenovo unveiled the Moto Z, its flagship smartphone for 2016. The new phone took a radical approach to smartphone design, with its Moto Mods. These attachable accessories add functionality to the smartphone that is one of the best implementations of the concept yet.
The company has gone a step further and has now introduced the Moto Z Play, a more affordable version of the Moto Z. It features the same modular design, but with a more mid-range approach to the specifications sheet. The device was unveiled in the build-up to IFA 2016, and we were on hand to try it out.
The biggest feature of the Moto Z is its support for Moto Mods, a set of optional accessories that can be attached to the back of the device to add functionality. The new Moto Z Play also features support for Moto Mods, with the same ones compatible with both devices. Lenovo has promised that three future generations of Moto Z smartphones will be compatible with the same Mods.
For the time being, there are only four Mods available to buy, including the newly announced Hasselblad True Zoom Mod which was announced alongside the Moto Z Play, along with Style Shells which allow you to customise the back of the phone. What we really liked about the Moto Z Play is that attaching a Mod is incredibly simple. You don’t have to open or replace anything; all you have to do is touch the Mod to the back of the phone and it will clamp onto it magnetically and stay firmly attached.
Removing the Mod after you’re done is equally simple, only requiring you to pull the accessory off. Mod connectivity is seamless as well. We tried attaching the JBL SoundBoost while the phone was already playing music, and the phone detected it and switched over within moments, without any intervention on our part. This also holds true for the other Mods, which spring into action the instant you attach them onto the back of the phone.
Key Specs
- Display – 5.50-inch
- Processor – octa-core
- Front Camera – 5-megapixel
- Resolution – 1080×1920 pixels
- RAM – 3GB
- OS – Android 6.0.1
- Storage – 32GB
- Rear Camera – 16-megapixel
- Battery capacity – 3510mAh
Moto Z Play Review: Long-Lasting and Affordable Phablet
