Moto G6 – What To Expect?
In March of 2017, Motorola launched two promising smartphones that entered the Indian market’s ever-growing sub-15K category. The Moto G5 and G5 Plus both received praise from critics and consumers alike for their build quality, software, and camera performance. The Moto G5 Plus especially was hailed as the best camera smartphone in that price bracket. Almost a year after its launch, the Moto G5 Plus’ camera holds up well against a lot of its competitors.
As we approach March of 2018, there is anticipation about the Moto G6 and Moto G6 Plus which will possibly be launched in March this year. Ever since the launch of the Moto G5 and G5 Plus, the budget smartphone category has seen the entrance of a lot of smartphones that brought flagship features to this price bracket. Devices like the Moto G5s Plus and Xiaomi Mi A1 had dual-camera setup at the back while the likes of LG Q6 and Honor 7X had a nearly bezel-less design.
Moto G5s Plus
The Moto G6 Plus might be a mix of both these elements as Motorola would want to start off 2018 with powerful devices. So, what can we expect from the Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play of 2018? Let’s find out:
Price
Every brand knows that India is an extremely price-sensitive market and a difference of thousand bucks can sway consumers from one phone to another. With that in mind, Motorola might launch the Moto G6 and G6 Plus with a bit more competitive price tag of about Rs. 13999 for the G6 Plus and Rs. 11999 for the Moto G6. A price of Rs. 13999 with stock OS and thin bezels would make the Moto G6 Plus an instant hit especially when compared to the Xiaomi Mi A1 which has a dated design and the Honor 7X which as EMUI which a lot of people don’t prefer.
Also read: Apple iPhone SE2: What To Expect
Design
The ‘G’ series is what brought Motorola back in the smartphone game after a few hit and misses. The original Moto G released at an extremely affordable price and unlike a lot of smartphones at that point in time, did not skim out on design and hardware features. Hence, over the years, the Moto G series has seen a gradual design shift from plastic builds to now solid aluminium builds in the G5 and the G5s smartphones.
The Moto G6 and G6s Plus, however, need to have a design overhaul to compete with modern day mid-range devices like the Honor 7X. The Moto G6 Plus, at least, could have an 18:9 display with thin bezels. Motorola could retain the 16:9 aspect ratio on its slightly cheaper model, the Moto G6. But, historically, Motorola has maintained the same design language for its regular and Plus model. The company is expected to maintain the same metal build and hopefully retain the iconic Moto dimple.
Moto G5s Vs Xiaomi Mi A1 Vs Honor 7X
Display
If Motorola does go the 18:9 aspect ratio route, the Moto G6 Plus could have a display size close 6 inches, similar to the Honor 7X. The Moto G6 could maintain the 5.2-inch display size while both the devices are expected to have a FullHD resolution.
Hardware
The Moto G5s has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 and G5s Plus was powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset. An incremental upgrade in terms of hardware is expected in the upcoming Moto G6 and G6 Plus. Qualcomm is expected to launch three mid-range chipsets in the coming weeks, the Snapdragon 670, 640 and 460. Motorola could use the 460 and 640 in its upcoming Moto G6 and G6 Plus or, it could decide to use the existing Snapdragon 630 for the G6 Play. The RAM of the devices is also expected to receive a bump while the storage options will more or less remain the same.
Moto G5s Plus
OS
One of the USPs of Moto smartphones has been the software experience. Apart from adding a few of its tweaks, Motorola brings out close to stock Android OS on all its phones. The Moto G6 and G6 Plus won’t be any different and unlike a few OEMs who are still launching devices running Android 7 Nougat, Motorola will, in all likelihood introduce Android 8.0 Oreo in the two smartphones.
Also read: Why Are New Android Phones Launching With Old Software?
Camera
The Moto G5 Plus and Moto G5s Plus both had marquee camera performances and the same can be expected from the Moto G6 Plus. Motorola would want to launch a modern-day mid-ranger and that means a dual-camera setup at the back. The Moto G6 could continue to have a lower price tag and subsequently, a single camera setup as well. For the Moto G6 Plus, Motorola is expected to retain the same 13MP dual-camera setup but, this time around might offer a wider aperture like f/1.8 or f/1.9.
Conclusion
Motorola G series of smartphones have been a great entrant in the budget segment and the Moto G6 and G6 Plus are expected to take the lineup a notch further. With more smartphones launching in a similar price bracket, the Moto G6 and G6 Plus would need to have a refreshed modern design and performance to compete with the likes of the Honor 7X.
