The Moto Z3 (stylized as Moto z³ by Motorola and not to be confused with the Moto Z3 Play) is an
Android
Android may refer to:
Science and technology
* Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human
* Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system
** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...
smartphone
A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...
developed by
Motorola Mobility
Motorola Mobility LLC, marketed as Motorola, is an American consumer electronics manufacturer primarily producing smartphones and other mobile devices running Android OS, Android. It is a subsidiary of the Chinese multinational technology company ...
, as the successor to the
Moto Z2 Force Edition
Moto, Motos or MOTO may refer to:
Business
* Moto Hospitality, a chain of motorway service stations in the United Kingdom
* Moto Gold Mines, an exploration and mining company acquired by Randgold Resources
* Moto (restaurant), a restaurant in Ch ...
. It is the world's first 5G-upgradable smartphone. Like all of Motorola's smartphones in the Moto Z series, it supports Motorola's magnetically attachable "
MotoMods" modules.
Specifications
Hardware
The Moto Z3 is 76.5mm wide, 156.5mm long and 6.75mm thick, with a polished aluminum frame, a glass rear and a 2.5d glass front.
The back of the Moto Z contains
pogo pin
A pogo pin or spring-loaded pin is a type of electrical connector mechanism that is used in many modern electronic applications and in the electronics testing industry. They are used for their improved durability over other electrical contacts, a ...
connectors used to communicate with "MotoMod" accessories designed for the device.
The phone features a OLED screen, a
Qualcomm
Qualcomm () is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Diego, California, and incorporated in Delaware. It creates semiconductors, software, and services related to wireless technology. It owns patents critical to the 5G, 4 ...
Snapdragon 835
This is a list of Qualcomm Snapdragon systems on chips (SoC) made by Qualcomm for use in smartphones, tablets, laptops, 2-in-1 PCs, smartwatches, and smartbooks devices.
Before Snapdragon
SoC made by Qualcomm before it was renamed to Snapdr ...
CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage, with
microSD
Secure Digital, officially abbreviated as SD, is a proprietary non-volatile flash memory card format developed by the SD Association (SDA) for use in portable devices.
The standard was introduced in August 1999 by joint efforts between SanDis ...
expansion up to 2TB.
Moto Z3 utilizes a
USB-C
USB-C (properly known as USB Type-C) is a 24-pin USB connector system with a rotationally symmetrical connector. The designation C refers only to the connector's physical configuration or form factor and should not be confused with the conne ...
connector, and does not include a 3.5mm
headphone jack
A phone connector, also known as phone jack, audio jack, headphone jack or jack plug, is a family of electrical connectors typically used for analog signal, analog audio signals. A plug, the Gender of connectors and fasteners, male connect ...
, headphones must be used with a USB port adapter or over Bluetooth.
Unlike the previous Z2, the Z3 lacks an internal FM Radio receiver. The phone is Splash-resistant
p2i
P2i is a nanotechnology development company that works with manufacturers to produce liquid repellent nano-coating protection to products for the electronics, lifestyle, life sciences, filtration and Energy, and military and institutional sectors. ...
.
The phone has an 8MP front facing
wide-angle (84°) camera, 2.0
aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture and focal length of an optical system determine the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane.
An opt ...
, 1.12μm with screen flash. The front camera is capable of up to 1080p 30fps video capture.
Dual 12MP rear cameras 2.0
aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture and focal length of an optical system determine the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane.
An opt ...
, 1.25μm capable of up to 4K () at 30fps video capture.
Software
The phone includes the operating system (OS)
Android Oreo
Android Oreo ( codenamed Android O during development) is the eighth major release and the 15th version of the Android mobile operating system. It was first released as an alpha quality developer preview in March 2017 and released to the publ ...
8.1.0. It can be upgraded to
Android 9.0 (Pie).
Accessories
The Moto Z features an
accessory system known as "Moto Mods". Mods are case-like accessories that are attached to the rear of the Moto Z via a series of magnets. Using the pogo pin connectors, Mods can communicate with the device to provide additional functionality. Mods are
hot swappable
Hot swapping is the replacement or addition of components to a computer system without stopping, shutting down, or rebooting the system; hot plugging describes the addition of components only. Components which have such functionality are said ...
, and are automatically detected by the operating system software once installed. Motorola provides a relatively wide array of these "Moto Mods" in various departments such as photography and entertainment.
However, there are reports that indicated Motorola's diminished interest in its MotoMods modular concept, which was initially expected to give the flagship Motorola phones edge in a highly competitive Android market. This is attributed to a recent move on the part of the company to scale back on its partnership with third-party MotoMod makers. The company also confirmed previously reported layoffs, which was acknowledged to have affected less than two percent of its global workforce.
Reception
''
TechRadar
''TechRadar'' is an online publication owned by Future and focused on technology. It has editorial teams in the US, UK and Australia and provides news and reviews of tech products and gadgets. It was launched in 2007 and expanded to the US in ...
'' noted the phone's "stylish design" and primarily its 5G up-gradable feature. On the contrary, it noted that the "Snapdragon 835 chip is outdated".
A ''TechRadar'' review also stated, "The Moto Z3 won't turn heads with its simple design and lack of flagship features, but it's a surprisingly powerful phone at a bargain price. Which would be enough to recommend the phone – but it's also Verizon's secret weapon to get folks in the 5G door at a lower cost by buying the Z3 and a 5G Moto Mod. But how it will perform on the network has yet to be seen."
DigitalTrends said, "The Moto Z3 brings strong performance, an all-day battery, and an affordable price tag. The potential of 5G aside, it’s the best option for Verizon subscribers looking for a sub-$500 phone." "If you’re on Verizon looking for a mid-range smartphone, you’ll be satisfied with the Moto Z3. The 5G Moto Mod is nice, but it shouldn’t be the primary attraction for buying this phone, since it’s so limited in availability."
References
{{Motorola phones
Android (operating system) devices
Motorola mobile phones
Mobile phones introduced in 2018
Mobile phones
Mobile phones with multiple rear cameras
Mobile phones with 4K video recording