IFA 2016
IFA is Europe's big annual gadget show, and it increasingly plays host for new phone announcements. We're expecting news from Sony, Samsung, Lenovo, ZTE, and more. We're in Berlin all week bringing you in-depth hands-on reports.
Lenovo to Sell Moto Z and Z Play Unlocked In October
Lenovo today said it will offer unlocked GSM variants of the Moto Z and Moto Z Play handsets later this fall. Pre-orders will kick off on September 15, with availability expected in early October. The Moto Z will cost $700 and the Moto Play will cost $450. Both devices will be compatible with the Moto Mods ecosystem of attachable modules.
Hands-On with Moto Z Play Droid and Hasselblad True Zoom
Here are our first impressions of the mid-range Lenovo Moto Z Play Droid smartphone and the new True View camera mod from Hasselblad.
Hasselblad Announces True Zoom Mod for Moto Droids
Hasselblad and Motorola today announced the Hasselblad True Zoom mod for the Moto Z Play Droid. Like other Moto Mods, the Hasselblad True Zoom attaches to the rear of the Z Play via magnets. The Hasselblad is a full camera that covers and replaces the Z Play's built-in camera. The True Zoom has its own 12-megapixel sensor with 10x optical zoom lens and optical image stabilization for photos. It can capture full HD video with electronic image stabilization. The mod includes a grip for easy holding, a hardware zoom dial, and physical shutter button. Moreover, the Hasselblad True Zoom has a xenon flash for brighter lighting. Last, the Hasselblad True Zoom has a unique camera application for the Z Play that allows it to shoot in RAW mode. The mod will be compatible with the Z Play Droid out of the box. Motorola says the Z Droid and Z Droid Force will receive a software update on or about September 15 that adds compatibility with the mod. The Hasselblad True Zoom will be available in the U.S. for pre-order starting September 8 and in Verizon stores September 15 for $249.99. For a limited time, when you buy a Moto Mod, Verizon is offering 50% off another Mod of equal or lesser value. The Hasselblad True Zoom will also be sold on Motorola.com for $299.
Moto Z Play Droid Does Moto Mods for Less
Motorola today announced the Z Play Droid, a more affordable Android smartphone that is compatible with the company's Moto Mods system of modular attachments. The Z Play Droid is almost indistinguishable from the Z Force Droid: it has a thick profile with a metal frame and glass front panel. The device scales back specs in order to reduce the price. The Z Play Droid has a 5.5-inch full HD screen. It is powered by a Snapdragon 625 processor with eight cores clocked at 2 GHz. The processor is joined by 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. The Z Play Droid includes a 16-megapixel main camera with laser autofocus and an aperture of f/2.0, while a wide-angle, 5-megapixel selfie camera with LED flash is around front. Like the Z Droid and Z Force Droid, the Z Play Droid has a fingerprint reader, water-repellant coating, and USB-C port. The Z Play, however, adds a 3.5mm headset jack. The Z Play is the first of the new Droids to be compatible with the new Hasselblad True Zoom camera module, which offers 10x optical zoom. The Moto Z Play Droid will be available in the U.S. beginning September 8 at Motorola.com and at Verizon for $17 per month on a Verizon device payment plan. The full retail price is $408.
