Motorola today introduced a new edition to the Moto X line – the Moto X4. This is a smartphone that has been highly rumored on, and debated over, during the past few months. After all, Motorola introduced the Moto Z line in 2016 as something that many understood to be a direct replacement for the Moto X range. With today’s announcement of the return of the Moto X line, that assumption no longer seems to be the case.
Which leads to the question of where does the Moto X4 now stand within the market? Even more so considering the very recent arrival of the Moto Z2 Force. In answering that, it seems the Moto X4 is designed to be a smartphone that almost offers a best-in-class experience, but not quite. This is where the difference largely lies, as the Moto Z2 Force was confirmed as retaining the Motorola flagship position due to it coming equipped with top of the line specs, as well as a larger (by comparison) display, and a greater (by comparison) resolution. Instead, the Moto X4 adopts a mid-range position, with a smaller 5.2-inch display, a lesser 1920 x 1080 resolution, and a less premium spec list overall. Including 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 octa-core SoC. The latter of which is one of the most telling aspects of the Moto X4’s market position, as the 600-series from Qualcomm is an SoC range that looks to provide mid-range smartphones with a upper mid-range level of performance.
That said, nothing should be taking away from the Moto X4, as although this is clearly a mid-range smartphone, it is one which looks to offer an overall well-rounded user experience. Not to mention, the X4 is designed with durability in mind and will appeal to those looking for a more sturdy device. As the Moto X4 comes equipped with an IP68 certification for water-resistance. Likewise, one are in where the Moto X4 seems to be directly competing with the Moto Z2 Force is the camera department. As like the Moto Z2 Force, the Moto X4 also comes loaded with a dual rear camera setup. One which consists of a 12-megapixel camera primary camera and an 8-megapixel secondary rear camera. This is in addition to the 16-megapixel camera found on the front. Some of the other notable features include a fingerprint sensor, the option to expand the storage via microSD (up to 2TB), a 3,000 mAh battery, and Android 7.1 (Nougat) pre-installed. In terms of availability, Motorola has yet to fully confirm exact dates and prices for everywhere. However, Motorola has confirmed the Moto X4 will first become available “in various countries in Europe” from September and will be priced at €399 (which equates to $475 in US terms). As for the US, Motorola has confirmed that the Moto X4 will become available in the US, as well “other global markets” later in the year.
