Motorola officially unveiled its new line of smartphones at IFA 2019 in Berlin last night, introducing the Moto E6 Plus and its first premium-range device, the Moto One Zoom.
The Moto E6 Plus, a new addition to the Moto E family of devices, features Motorola’s first dual-camera system, 13MP main camera, 2MP depth sensor and built-in bokeh mode to allow users to blur out the foreground or background for the desired look.
Also included in the new device is an ultra-wide 6.1-inch display, and the phone can be unlocked via the fingerprint scanner or facial recognition.
Explaining the reasoning behind introducing mid-tier and high-end phones, Motorola’s Angela Gomez said the company believes quality technology that customers can rely on should be accessible at all price points.
“We’ve always said top-shelf features don’t need to come with a top-shelf price tag. With the Moto E6 family, we’re proud to offer consumers reliable phones that take quality seriously at an affordable price point. We’re excited to take that mindset a step further with the Moto E6 Plus, introducing a dual-camera system and beautiful design features.”
Gomez indicated the Moto E6 Plus will be available in countries in Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific in four colours: Caribbean Blue, Rich Cranberry, Bright Cherry and Polished Graphite. The device is expected to retail at EUR139.
Moto E6 Plus specifications
The Motorola brand is owned by Lenovo, after it acquired the phone maker in 2014.
Yesterday, the company also announced the Moto One Zoom, the first device from Motorola to feature a quad-camera system.
“We know consumers use their phones daily, to capture moments for once in a lifetime to everyday. We see it in research, we see it walking in streets and that is why Moto One Zoom features Motorola’s best camera innovation to date,” said Gomez.
The new handset is packed with a 48MP camera sensor, dual optical image stabilisation, night vision software, dedicated 8MP telephoto and 16MP ultra-wide angle lenses and AI brain power.
The new Moto One Zoom will be available in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, various Latin American countries and Europe at a starting selling price of EUR429. It will sell in the US for EUR449.
Moto One Zoom specifications
Nokia flips it up
Debuting its latest mobile phones yesterday was HMD Global, announcing five new Nokia phones.
Two new smartphones are the Nokia 7.2, a smartphone with a powerful 48MP triple camera featuring Zeiss optics, and the Nokia 6.2, where the PureDisplay meets an advanced triple camera setup powered by artificial intelligence experiences.
Furthermore, the company expanded its feature phone portfolio to introduce the Nokia 800 Tough, Nokia 2720 Flip and Nokia 110.
According to HMD, the Nokia 2720 Flip is a classic flip phone reimagined for today’s user.
The Nokia handset features a familiar flip-phone design, and some of today’s popular apps, such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Google Assistant.
In case the unexpected happens, the Nokia 2720 Flip comes with an emergency button as well as an “in case of emergency” information menu.
The Nokia 2720 Flip isn’t the first time HMD Global, the Finnish company that owns the right to use the Nokia brand on mobile phones, has brought a classic phone back to life.
Two years ago, HMD launched reimaged retro feature phones, most notably a reinvention of the 3310, and smartphones that use Google's Android as an operating system.
When Nokia unveiled the 3310 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, fans were happy to get a second chance to own the iconic cellphone of the early 2000s.
The original device was one of the best-selling mobile phones, selling 126 million units when it was launched in 2000. It was known for its durability and long battery life.
Commenting on the new devices, Florian Seiche, HMD Global CEO, said: “We are now paving the way for the next phase for Nokia phones and have identified strategic investment areas for driving a high-quality Nokia smartphone experience for our fans, specifically focusing on bringing innovation in the area of 5G, security, imaging and design.
“We are very proud of our laser-sharp focus on security across all our phones, making us the only European brand in our category with a strong emphasis on trust, security and a pure Android experience,” added Seiche.
“With amazing achievements like being the only brand to have our entire portfolio running the latest version of Android, we have brought the latest Android features across all price segments.”
Xperia 5 lands
Sony’s Xperia 5 was also launched yesterday, featuring the latest display, camera and audio technologies in a smartphone.
The Xperia 5’s key features include the triple lens camera with 16mm, 26mm and 52mm lenses, the eye autofocus, 21:9 CinemaWide 6.1-inch FHD+ HDR OLED display and cinematic Dolby Atmos multi-dimensional sound.
Samsung Fold is coming
Meanwhile, South Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung used IFA 2019 to confirm its Galaxy Fold “will arrive for US consumers in the coming weeks”.
This comes after the company said in July that the luxury foldable phone had been improved and will be ready to be launched in select markets from September.
The pricey phone was recalled before ever reaching consumers, after it faced reliability setbacks.
Detailing this new design in phone manufacturing, Samsung said it’s an exciting moment for the industry because the Galaxy Fold marks the beginning of a new era in mobile technology.
“…During the past several months, our team has been refining the Galaxy Fold to ensure we can provide the best possible experience. We learned from the feedback we received, and not only applied those lessons to the Galaxy Fold’s design, but also took the time to rethink the entire consumer experience from purchase to unboxing and post-purchase service.”
There was no indication as to whether the Galaxy Fold will ship to SA in the near future.
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