If LG and Google’s Ara didn’t get you excited about modularized smartphones, perhaps Lenovo’s new Moto Z line will. The Moto Z, which was announced today and will be available in two forms on Verizon this summer before heading to the rest of the world in the fall, has a new system for accessory add-ons called Moto Mods. The Mods attach to the back of the phone via magnets and provide a new look, improved audio, a projector, or other extra features.
I guess this is the new thing thrown to see at the wall if it sticks.
I see more potential in Ara’s take on modular smartphones than the kind of stuff LG and Motorola is doing, which feels a bit tacked-on and limited.
FYI – there are a couple of typos in your comments. Not trying to be a pedant, I know you care about this kind of thing.
Up until now, I had greatly appreciated Moto phones over the past couple years: they were reasonably priced, reasonably speced, well designed (IMHO I just liked the curved back).
Now… I just don’t know. I probably wouldn’t buy any of the accessories, nor do I like the lack of a 3.5 audio jack.
I agree. I see more potential in Ara’s original idea, with the ability to change out core components, not just peripherals.
There is some benefit in these limited expansion options, but very little indeed if they are not standardized across vendors.
Well, if wanting to change the core, change your Ara. Keep using your accessories.
Their other half ended up being a niche market with only a handful of hobbyists making other halfs for the phone
Well on one hand, Jolla isn’t moto/lenovo.
On the other hand Moto also did the first Android tablet, the first conversion unit with the lapdock, the first heath smart watch thing with motoactiv and they were all smash successes that propelled them to be the largest, most sucessfullist, not-slowly-dyingist company out there. So I’m certain that this is guaranteed to be as successful as those.
largest, most succesful subsidiary of lenovo you mean?
Pretty sure you’re missing a few /S tags in there.
😉
I like what they are trying but why did they change something beautiful to something this ugly?
Everything that isn’t released yet and promises a lot has more potential. But in the mean time this is already shipping and looks pretty great with the phone being incredibly thin while still having a good battery and specs. Project Ara looks like a hobbyist frame instead of a real project. We will have to see what Ara can do and also what it will cost because the 50 dollar frame doesn’t sound realistic anymore
I came within a hair’s breath of buying the Moto X Play. This locked down Verizon only crap would never get my money. Way to fumble again with an acquisition corporate morons.
Seriously… Why does every new phone need to change physical dimensions?
Come up with a solid one and stick with it for 8 years.
Every year you can pack more processing, battery, camera, pixels, etc into the same physical size.
I really like this idea here, but unless they had a commitment to have several more phones that would work with these accessories I wouldn’t buy one.
… and if I’m not going to buy any accessories I’d be hesitant to buy this phone even if it’s solid all by itself.
None of the accesories get’s me excited. Lack of 3.5mm jack? Uhhh… Count me out. Am I the only one, that are planning on getting back to stuff like seperate music player and camera? Yes, it’s more than one device, yet they can’t interfer with the usage of one another. Seems more convenient to me.
Edited 2016-06-13 15:46 UTC
Using one of the latest cheap cameras NOT HAVING integrated WiFi
As said at nausea in the field: at a World alienated in ‘Blue Pill’ paradises this option is quickly dying.
“The Moto Mods attach to the Z or Z Force via four magnets and communicate with the phone through a series of pins on the back of the device.”
Strong magnetic attachment is one of those things -seeming to me as- having possibilities to evolve into a well implemented standard.
Have you seen those door keys having conic holes at both sides? That seems seems a good physical interface to thinker around, a a pin [and magnet] standard, also.
Please, nothing micro, damaged after a few hundreds uses.
Strong bendings resistant, as natural to every mobile [miss]handling.
Motorola carry in its name a Resilience Feeling and Lenovo could leverage on that, (carrying it to the SW stack, also).
Remembering also the legendary resilience of ThinkPad, which Lenovo has diligently preserved. Always recommending a ThinkPad for non-school|office environments.
…..
Used a small ‘clam’ lap many years ago. Maybe the first civilian model with kevlar carcase.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Kwolek
[Where are our engineers?]