Motorola continues to release Android smartphones, including the Z series, which is compatible with Moto Mods. The Mods are a series of accessories that attach to your smartphone using magnets to add features such as a projector, speaker, or battery pack.

In 2011, Motorola, Inc. split into Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions. Google acquired Motorola Mobility in 2012 ​and sold it to Lenovo in 2014. The Z series smartphones are nearly stock Android with a bit of Moto customization thrown in. They compete well with flagship phones from Google and Samsung. Here’s a look at Motorola’s recent Z phone releases.

Moto Z4

  • Display: 6.4 inch OLEDResolution: 2340 x 1080 @ 402 ppiFront camera: 25 MPRear camera: 48 MPCharger type: USB-CInitial Android version: 9.0 PieFinal Android version: Android 10.0Release Date: June 2019

The Moto Z4 (Verizon exclusive) is a 5G-upgradeable phone, meaning it can connect to Verizon’s 5G network wherever it’s available. With a 48 MP night vision-capable rear camera, a 25 MP selfie camera, and up to two days of battery life, the Z4 stands out from the competition.

Now, with an integrated fingerprint sensor on the display glass, the phone has never been more secure. And, in a move sure to please audiophiles, the 3.5 mm headset jack is back.

The Z4 is compatible with Moto Mods, has a Nano SD card slot, and is available in a 128 GB version.

Moto Z3 and Z3 Play

  • Display: 6 inch AMOLEDResolution: 2160 x 1080 @ 402 ppiFront camera: 8 MPRear camera: Dual 12 MPCharger type: USB-CInitial Android version: 8.1 OreoFinal Android version: 9.0 PieRelease Date: July 2018

The Moto Z3 (Verizon exclusive) and Z3 Play (unlocked) are very similar smartphones, the main difference being carrier compatibility and price. The biggest difference is that the Z3 is 5G-ready, meaning it can connect to Verizon’s 5G network when it launches.

Both smartphones are compatible with Moto Mods, have micro SD card slots, and lack headphones jacks. In addition, the phones have side-mounted fingerprint sensors located underneath the volume buttons. The Z3 comes in a 64 GB configuration, while the Z3 Play has 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB versions.

Moto Z2 Force Edition

  • Display: 5.5 inch AMOLEDResolution: 2560 x 1440 @ 535 ppiFront camera: 5 MPRear camera: Dual 12 MPCharger type: USB-CInitial Android version: 7.1.1 NougatFinal Android version: 8.0 Oreo for most carriers, 9.0 Pie for VerizonRelease Date: July 2017

The Z2 Force is an incremental update to the Z Force; the two smartphones are very much alike. The most significant upgrades are the processor, camera, a redesigned fingerprint scanner, and an available update to Android 8.0 Oreo. It also has more carrier support in the U.S. than the Z Force did.

The fingerprint sensor is a bit larger than the Z Force’s. It also responds better to gesture controls that enable the scanner to act as a Home, back, and current apps key. Plus, it can put the phone to sleep.

The Z2 Force has two 12-megapixel cameras on the back, producing higher-quality photos than a single lens. The secondary sensor shoots in monochrome so you can get black-and-white snaps. It also helps you create the bokeh effect, in which part of the photo is in focus while the background is blurred out. The selfie camera has an LED flash for well-lit self-portraits.

Otherwise, the Z2 Force is just like the Z Force. It features the same ShatterShield technology that protects it from everyday drops and bumps; however, the bezel is prone to scratches.

It only has a single speaker embedded in the earpiece. To get better sound, you might consider the JBL SoundBoost Moto Mod. Neither of the Force smartphones has a headphone jack, but they come with a USB-C adaptor. Both have micro SD card slots.

Moto Z2 Play

  • Display: 5.5 inch AMOLEDResolution: 1080x1920 @ 401 ppiFront camera: 5 MPRear camera: 12 MPCharger type: USB-CInitial Android version: 7.1.1 NougatFinal Android version: 9.0 PieRelease Date: June 2017

The Moto Z2 Play breaks with Motorola tradition and gives both the Verizon and unlocked version the same name, rather than tacking Droid to the end of the Verizon version. The Z2 Play adds a variety of voice commands, including “OK Google,” which wakes up the phone and launches Google Assistant, and “Show me,” which you can use to summon weather information and launch apps. “Show me” commands work even when the phone is locked, and these commands only work with your voice for security’s sake. 

The fingerprint scanner works as a Home button, unlike previous models, and responds to gestures to go back and show recent apps. This design is an improvement, as many reviewers mistook the scanner for the Home button on older smartphones. Still, the gestures can sometimes be challenging to execute. The metal back is compatible with Moto Mods.

Its battery life isn’t as impressive as the Z Force phones, but that can be improved by attaching TurboPower Pack Moto Mod. It also has a headphone jack, which the Z Force models lack, and a micro SD slot.

Moto Z Force Droid

  • Display: 5.5 inch AMOLEDResolution: 1440 x 2560 @ 535 ppiFront camera: 5 MPRear camera: 21 MPCharger type: USB-CInitial Android version: 6.0.1 MarshmallowFinal Android version: 8.0 OreoRelease Date: July 2016

The Moto Z Force Droid is a high-end smartphone exclusive to Verizon with a rugged display protected by Shattershield technology and a metal finish on the back. You’ll find many preinstalled Verizon apps on this smartphone, along with smart gestures from Motorola, including a karate chop motion that turns on the flashlight. The fingerprint scanner is on the front, just below the Home button, because of the available Moto Mods that attach to the phone’s back. Mods include a JBL SoundBoost speaker and a Moto Insta-Share Projector.

Like many high-end smartphones, the Z Force Droid lacks a headphone jack but comes with a USB-C adapter. It also has a micro SD card slot.

The camera, which you can launch with a twisting gesture, has optical image stabilization to combat blurry photos.

Moto Z Play and Moto Z Play Droid

  • Display: 5.5 inch Super AMOLEDResolution: 1080 x 1920 @ 401 ppiFront camera: 5 MPRear camera: 16 MPCharger type: USB-CInitial Android version: 6.0.1 MarshmallowFinal Android version: 8.0 OreoRelease Date: July 2016

The Moto Z Play Droid (Verizon) and the Moto Z Play (unlocked) are mid-range devices compared to the Moto Z and Z Force smartphones, which are faster and lighter. The added bulk is due to a larger battery that Lenovo (which owns Motorola) says will last for up to 50 hours on a single charge. The smartphones also retain the much-loved-by-many headphone jack that new models often eschew.

The Z Play models lack the ShatterShield display featured on the Z and Z Force phones, and the back is glass rather than metal. Another difference is that the Z Play cameras lack optical image stabilization to compensate for shaky hands. Like other smartphones in the Z series, it’s easy to mistake the fingerprint scanner for a Home button.

While the Verizon version comes jammed with bloatware, the unlocked version (AT&T and T-Mobile) has only a few Motorola add-ons, including a series of gestures and a one-handed mode. Smart gestures include a Star Wars-inspired Jedi move, in which you wave your hand over the smartphone’s face to light it up and show your notifications and the time. Both models have micro SD card slots for extra storage.

Moto Z and Moto Z Droid

  • Display: 5.5 inch AMOLEDResolution: 1440 x 2560 @ 535 ppiFront camera: 5 MPRear camera: 13 MPCharger type: USB-CInitial Android version: 6.0.1 MarshmallowFinal Android version: 8.0 OreoRelease Date: July 2016

The Moto Z and Moto Z Droid share the same specs, but the Z is unlocked, while the Z Droid is exclusive to Verizon. When these phones were released in mid-2016, they were the world’s thinnest phones at 5.19 mm thick—and the first smartphones compatible with Moto Mods. The fingerprint sensor is on the front of the phone, designed not to interfere with the Moto Mods. Unfortunately, it’s easy to mistake it for the Home button located just above it on the screen.

These smartphones lack a headphone jack but come with a USB-C adaptor for your headphones.

The Moto Z and Z Droid come in 32 GB and 64 GB configurations and can accept micro SD cards up to 2 TB.

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