Motorola has officially launched the third generation Moto G, and this device boasts of a range of features missing out on the previous versions. Motorola is currently offering the Moto G in two variants, 8GB and 16GB, boasting 1GB and 2GB RAM respectively.
So what’s the catch of the upgraded version? Well there are quite a few to be honest, but the sole feature that caught us by surprise was the inclusion of the water proof IPX7 panel! Motorola claims that the Moto G (3rd Gen) can survive up to 30 minutes in water up to three feet deep.
The device further features LTE (4G) connectivity while Motorola is offering customizable features for the customers. This is truly unique at this price range, which is a major reason for the Moto G3 standing out in the crowd.
Some of the defining elements of the Moto G3 are mentioned below.
Display – Motorola has not made many changes to this department and the device uses the same display as its predecessor. The Moto G3 sports a 5-inch 720p HD display, although, many users would have liked a larger touch screen on the device.
Outdoor visibility should not be a problem since the Moto G3 has effective viewing angles and high brightness levels.
Design – Not much has changed in terms of the form factory either. The rear plastic cover has been replaced with a matte-finish textured panel, providing additional grip. The side panels feature a brushed metallic feel while the device still has the dual speaker layout up front.
Motorola has definitely upped the build quality of the device, which now feels more compact. The back panel needs to be removed in order to access the SIM cards and MicroSD slot.
Performance – Motorola plans to cater to the needs of the mass market segment with the Moto G3. Hence, much like the Moto G2, the G3 is technology-rich. The G3 features a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor with a clock speed of 1.4 GHz. The device is available in two variants sporting 1GB and 2GB of RAM, depending on their base memory.
Motorola is currently offering stock Android v5.1.1 Lollipop, which will be upgraded to Android M as soon as the OS is ready for the masses.
Battery – The Motorola Moto G3 sports a 2,470 mAh battery, which is expected to provide additional backup than the second generation variant.
Camera – Major upgrades have been made in terms of the camera’s performance, including the addition of a dual-tone flash, a 13 megapixel primary camera, along with a 5 megapixel front camera. The best part about the camera is that it can record 1080p videos and 720p slo-mo videos via both the lenses.
The focus ring features exposure control and Quick Capture, which allows users to swap between the front and rear camera with the swift movement of the wrist. The overall experience is crisp, as the camera’s performance has improved by a significant margin.
Software – The best part about the Moto G’s (3rd Generation) OS is that it runs on stock Android. Hence, even though it may look simplistic and basic, it is miles ahead in terms of performance. The Moto G3 features a Google Now-based launcher, with a few additional apps from Motorola.
Even though the Camera, Messaging and Gallery apps have been tweaked by the company, there has been no major impact on performance. The DND feature is now available as standard and its operation is similar to Apple.
Apart from the standard features such as Motorola Migrate and Moto Ambient Display, two additional gestures have been added. The Moto G3 (dual-SIM variant) allows users to switch between the functions of both the SIM cards, such as selecting the default connectivity option for calls, data and messaging.