The upcoming Moto Z (2017) may include an iris scanner, according to a new patent filing. Looking into the details of the patent, it appears the company’s iris scanner would rely on two narrow-angle lenses placed on the front of the device that would then read the user’s individual eyes. Not much is known about Moto’s upcoming 2017 flagship yet, other than the fact that it is expected to follow last year’s Moto Z design language, hinting at the fact that the large camera bump could make a return. As well as this, the company is also expected to bring back its Moto Mods, something the company has made clear that it is serious about and has big plans for this year.
Speaking of which, the company launched Indiegogo campaigns in order to gather ideas for future mods and has also revealed that roughly 40-percent of all Moto Z owners own a mod, with an average of 2 mods per user. Not all of the company’s plans revolve around the Moto Z flagship and its modular accessories, though. The company also has plans to launch new smartphones at MWC 2017 next month, rumored to be the Moto G5 and G5 Plus – the fifth generation of devices in the company’s highly-praised mid-range Moto G line. Similar to the Moto M, the new Moto G5 line is expected to take inspiration from the Moto Z’s design and feature a more premium build along with a large camera bump. While this year’s Moto G line will likely not support Moto Mods, there is the chance that compatibility will be added eventually, depending on how popular the accessories become this year.
Nonetheless, with Moto yet to release any devices in 2017, the company still has a lot to come in the year and kicking off its releases at MWC with the Moto G line is sure to make an impact. As well as this, if today’s patent filing is anything to go by, Moto might just be trying to fill its 2017 flagship with as many specs as possible, though the implementation of an iris scanner on a smartphone would not be a first, with Samsung previously placing a scanner on its now-discontinued Galaxy Note 7. Either way, with a few months before Moto unveils their new flagship, more rumors regarding features are likely to appear, not to mention details regarding the future of Moto’s Mods.
