Moto Z and Mods grab the limelight, but the Moto X perseveres

By Julian Chokkattu Published July 20, 2016

Moto Z — Image used with permission by copyright holder

After Lenovo acquired Motorola, many believed a brand name change would take place for most of its popular smartphones. “Moto by Lenovo” was one such motto that echoed after the acquisition was announced, but we haven’t heard much about that since.

Rumors pointed to the Moto X being replaced by the Moto Z, and we did see a slight change with the Moto G — it’s now called the Moto G4 (with Plus and Play variants). And indeed, the newly announced Moto Z certainly seems to replace the Moto X as the current flagship, thanks to its killer specs and a new category of modular add-ons called Moto Mods. But the Moto X isn’t dead.

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“Moto X is alive and well,” a Motorola spokesperson tells Digital Trends. “Moto X Force recently launched in multiple new markets around the world. Moto X and Moto Z do share some great qualities, but they ultimately provide different experiences and make our portfolio more robust for consumers looking for the perfect smartphone to fit their needs. Tech-hungry consumers who are looking to get a brand new set of experiences from their smartphone will turn to Moto Z and Moto Mods.”

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But “alive and well” could just mean that Motorola is still supporting the Moto X Force, which is a given, considering it was only announced in November 2015 (it’s known in the U.S. as the Droid Turbo 2). But the phrasing of the comment does leave room for the company to launch another Moto X phone — one that doesn’t cater to Moto Mods.

It could be that the Moto X is Motorola’s “safe” flagship as opposed to the riskier Moto Z, which bets big on Moto Mods and doesn’t have a headphone jack. When asked if we could see a Moto X device any time soon, the spokesperson said “it’s Motorola’s policy not to comment on their future roadmaps.”

Both the Moto Z Force and Moto Z are Verizon-exclusive for the summer. The Moto Z will open up to other carriers in the fall, when it launches globally, but only Verizon users will be able to enjoy the bigger battery, better camera, and tougher-built Moto Z Force. A Moto X line could add more variety.

The Moto Z and the Z Force will also retain the same size and shape, allowing current and future Moto Mods to remain compatible for the next two years. Keeping the Moto X line alive would allow the company to offer a flagship product that can change based on market trends, and Motorola can still offer Moto Mods for the Moto Z. Or you know, Motorola could just use a different letter, but the X line has already developed a good reputation.

Either way, don’t rule out a future Moto X launch.

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Julian Chokkattu

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…

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