I nearly purchased a Motorola telephone once more till I seemed past the {hardware}

motorola phones arranged beside a warning symbol.png


For a very long time, Motorola telephones slightly registered in my thoughts once I considered purchasing a brand new Android tool.

I used to possess the first-generation Moto G a decade in the past, again when Motorola’s model of Android felt refreshingly easy when put next with closely custom designed skins from different manufacturers. The corporate progressively become much less related as Samsung, Google, and more recent Android manufacturers took middle degree in smartphone discussions.

Just lately, although, Motorola began feeling fascinating once more. The {hardware} design feels way more assured than it used to, and a few of Motorola’s telephones really feel unusually refreshing in a marketplace stuffed with an increasing number of equivalent units.

For the 1st time in years, I significantly regarded as switching again to a Motorola telephone.

However the extra I seemed into the telephones, the extra I stored fascinated by Motorola’s device recognition, and whether or not the {hardware} on my own is sufficient anymore.

Motorola Razr Ultra next to a Motorola G Play 2026

Motorola does not wish to beat Samsung — it simply wishes to bear in mind this

Motorola can not lose sight of price

Motorola’s design identification feels more potent than ever

Motorola telephones at all times had their very own design identification, which is most probably a part of the explanation I nonetheless have in mind the use of my outdated Moto G. Even again then, Motorola units felt other from many different Android telephones. The curved backs, delicate branding, Moto gestures, and cleaner device gave them a character that stood out with out attempting too exhausting.

Motorola’s partnership with Pantone offers a lot of its telephones colours that stand out straight away in a marketplace stuffed with protected black, grey, and silver units. Some fashions use finishes like vegan leather-based or picket textures that really feel way more unique than the shiny glass backs that dominate maximum flagship telephones.

That’s most probably what shocked me maximum whilst taking a look at Motorola’s contemporary units. The corporate not feels adore it’s chasing tendencies from higher Android manufacturers. As a substitute, it looks like Motorola understands what makes its telephones memorable within the first position and is leaning into it a lot more optimistically now.

Motorola’s pricing feels a lot tougher to forget about

Four Motorola smartphones arranged against a green and blue background Credit score: Gouveia / Android Police

A part of what made me significantly believe Motorola once more is that the telephones not really feel overpriced for what they provide.

That issues so much now as a result of flagship smartphone pricing has turn into an increasing number of tricky to justify. Many top class Android telephones at the moment are dear sufficient that folks be expecting to stay them for years, which additionally manner consumers have began paying a lot nearer consideration to total price relatively than simply specs.

Samsung nonetheless dominates lots of the foldable dialog, however Motorola’s turn telephones regularly really feel more uncomplicated to justify while you in fact evaluate the pricing. You’re nonetheless getting top class fabrics, massive quilt monitors, succesful {hardware}, rapid charging, and surely unique designs, however generally with out crossing into the ultra-premium pricing territory some foldables now occupy.

Even Motorola’s non-folding telephones really feel extra aggressive than I anticipated.

Purchasing a telephone now manner considering years forward

Motorola smartphones laid out on a desk

Something that stored coming again to me whilst taking a look at Motorola’s contemporary telephones is how in a different way I take into accounts smartphones now when put next with a couple of years in the past.

I not purchase telephones anticipating to exchange them briefly.

Flagship telephones have turn into so dear that the general public be expecting them to closing a number of years, particularly as a result of fashionable {hardware} enhancements appear smaller than they was. Whilst excellent {hardware} and tasty design stay necessary, long-term possession is now a the most important issue within the purchasing determination. Sides reminiscent of device updates, safety make stronger, computer virus fixes, battery longevity, resale price, and total reliability play a vital position in client alternatives.

This is the place I started to hesitate with Motorola. After I envisioned proudly owning one for a longer duration, I become extra involved concerning the device revel in. Sadly, Motorola turns out to fall quick when put next with a lot of its competition relating to long-term make stronger and replace consistency.

Motorola nonetheless hasn’t totally solved the device replace query

Motorola ThinkPhone software in 2025

The largest downside preventing me from totally committing to a Motorola telephone is the uncertainty round long-term device make stronger. Even the more recent Motorola Razr 2026 simplest will get 3 years of Android OS updates.

Motorola has constructed a name for having slower device updates and shorter make stronger classes when put next with another Android manufacturers. Even in 2026, many older Moto G units obtain just one or two Android model upgrades at the side of somewhat temporary safety make stronger.

In quite a lot of Reddit and Android communities, one of the crucial common lawsuits is concerning the delays in updates. Some customers file ready months for Android upgrades or safety patches compared with Samsung and Pixel units. As telephones get started attaining flagship value issues, this uncertainty turns into much more regarding.

When buying a telephone that I plan to make use of for a number of years, I wish to be confident that it’s going to proceed to obtain well timed updates, safety patches, and long-term make stronger.

Different Android manufacturers raised expectancies

Samsung Galaxy A56 held up against a Google Pixel 9a

Samsung and Google have considerably altered expectancies for Android updates in recent times. As a substitute of being outstanding, longer make stronger home windows have turn into the norm, specifically for top class and higher midrange units.

Samsung advanced its replace insurance policies to the purpose the place many Galaxy telephones now obtain as much as seven years of Android and safety updates. Google raised expectancies even additional with Pixel telephones by way of offering sooner Android rollouts and rapid characteristic drops.

Now, once I have a look at a telephone, I robotically suppose past the {hardware}. I take into accounts how briefly updates arrive and the way lengthy the tool will realistically really feel present. As soon as the ones expectancies exchange, it turns into tricky to not evaluate each Android logo in opposition to that ordinary.

Moto G Stylus (2025) in hand with stylus

Motorola is doing what Samsung would possibly not, and it is beginning to repay

Stay bringing again what Samsung does not

Motorola feels so on the subject of getting the whole thing proper

Lengthy-term device consider now issues nearly up to the {hardware} itself, and that’s the phase the place Motorola nonetheless feels rather at the back of Samsung and Google.

Nonetheless, the truth that I’m even significantly taking into consideration a Motorola telephone once more says so much about how a ways the corporate has come not too long ago. A couple of years in the past, I most probably wouldn’t have concept two times about Motorola in any respect. Now, it looks like the corporate is just one or two large enhancements clear of turning into surely interesting once more.

A promotional image of the Motorola Razr 2026

6/10

SoC

MediaTek Dimensity 7450X

Show solution

1056 x 1066 quilt / 1080 x 2640 inside

RAM

8GB LPDDR5X

Garage

256GB UFS 3.1



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