Motorola has announced a new mobile today, taking the hugely popular Moto G and scaling it down a little in order to sell it to MORE PEOPLE at a cheaper price. The result is the Moto E, a phone that arrives running Android 4.4 on an “up to” 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor, outputting via a 4.3-inch display running at 540 x 960 resolution.
And while there’s only 4GB of onboard storage, Motorola’s stuck a microSD card slot on here. Lovely. The 5MP camera and lack of flash is not so awesome. The killer feature is its price, with Motorola expecting it to launch the Moto E for just £89 unlocked.
Which is nice, although with the more capable Moto G only just managing a full-power smartphone experience for a tenner more, it’s hard to imagine that a slightly lower-spec device will be quite as popular. Maybe it’s for the kids.
Meanwhile, Motorola also announced a plan to launch a 4G/LTE version of the classic Moto G. That’ll cost £149 and will launch within weeks — and has been updated to include a microSD card slot too. Here’s the thing:
Introducing Moto E and Moto G with 4G: Smart phones priced for all
London, 13 May 2014 09:30AM. Motorola was the first company to bring consumers the cellular phone, the flip phone and a really, really thin feature phone. Now we want to radically transform the mobile industry once again by making quality smartphones that can do great things, available to practically everyone.
Nine months ago we launched the Moto franchise and flagship Moto X, which brought new value to smartphone buyers through exclusive experiences like Touchless Control and Moto Maker, and the fastest software upgrades in the industry. Then we introducedMoto G, an exceptional phone at an exceptional price and now the best-selling smartphone in Motorola history. Now we’re pushing the boundaries of the value equation even further with Moto E, a new class of smartphone that’s fully loaded and fairly priced — a perfect combination for savvy shoppers and first-time smartphone buyers. Because smartphones haven’t always come at smart prices and we believe that people shouldn’t have to compromise on quality, style or experience.
The fact is, about 70% of mobile phone users in the world are still using feature phones that can’t unlock the full wonder of the mobile Internet, in many cases because they don’t think it’s worth the $337 (£199.00) for a smartphone1. We believe it’s time the feature phone era came to an end and that quality smartphones are made accessible and affordable for all. Say hello to Moto E and join us in officially saying goodbye to the feature phone forever.
Moto E: Made to Last. Priced for All.
Built to last
Moto E has a high-resolution 4.3” display with 256ppi, the sharpest in its class. Everything from photos to videos to web pages comes to life in brilliant detail. Plus, Corning® Gorilla® Glass and a water-resistant splash guard help protect it for lasting durability.
Power to last
With a long-lasting 1980 mAh battery you can go all day without plugging in.2 So you can think about everything you want to do, not how much time you have to do it.
Software to last
Moto E runs Android™ 4.4.2, KitKat®, the latest version of the world’s most popular mobile platform. And with a guaranteed upgrade3, you’ll know you’re always up to date with the best Android experience.
Style to last
Moto E features colourful interchangeable backs — called Motorola Shells — providing more than 20 colour and design combinations to let you personalise the look of your phone.4
More features:
· Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 200 processor with up to 1.4GHz dual-core CPUs for high performance power, superior mobile graphics and exceptional battery life
· 5MP rear-facing camera with Motorola’s streamlined camera interface; touch anywhere on the screen to take a shot, capture panoramic pictures or record video.
● microSD slot for up to 32GB of expandable memory to save photos, videos, music, movies and apps.
● Built-in FM radio — just tune in to listen to your favourite stations or pick up a new signal.
And the best part — it’s priced starting at just £89 with no contract.
Moto E will be available in more than 40 countries through more than 80 carrier partners around the world over the next few weeks. We’re also offering an upgraded version of our popular Moto G, featuring 4G. Same great features now on the fastest networks where available, for just £149. The original Moto G continues to be available from £119 and through local carriers in more than 40 countries worldwide.
Share your memories of what life was like before smartphones, while helping your family or friends say #HelloMotoE at www.goodbyedumbphone.com.
Moto E is available in the UK and Ireland from £89. It is available through various carriers and retailers including EE, O2, Phones 4u, Tesco Mobile, Vodafone and Meteor Ireland. It will also be distributed by Tech Data Mobile. Check with local carriers and retailers for specific details on price and availability.
Moto G with 4G is available in the UK and Ireland from £149. It is available through various carriers and retailers including EE, O2 and Phones 4u. It will also be distributed by Tech Data Mobile. Check with local carriers and retailers for details on price and availability.
For further information visit www.motorola.co.uk
1The average selling price globally in 2013. Source: IDC http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS24461213
2All battery life claims are approximate and based on an average user profile that includes both usage and
standby. Actual battery performance will vary and depends on signal strength, network configuration, features
selected, and voice, data, operating temperature and other application usage patterns.
3The device will receive at least one software update to the current KitKat 4.4.2 operating system.
4Motorola Shells sold separately. Colours and availability vary by market.
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ThePeninsula
/ May 13, 2014#noselfies