Motorola is now all set to crank out premium smartphones again. The company’s global marketing strategy boss Francoise LaFlamme has announced that a high-end Motorola 5G smartphone is coming. And given that the phone will support the next generation of wireless connectivity, it will not be cheap.
First True Motorola 5G Smartphone Will Cost A Pretty Penny
LaFlamme says that if the price tag is kept low, the company will have to cut corners. As a result, the 5G device will be bereft of features that consumers want. Although the manufacturer hasn’t revealed what its flagship 5G phone will cost, we can expect the price to be north of $800.
It has been quite a while since Motorola last launched a true flagship. In 2018, the company released the Moto Z3 but it shipped with the year-old Snapdragon 835 SoC.
Instead, the company was focusing on low-cost and mid-range phones to return to profitability.
In the early days of Android, Motorola’s phones were quite a hit but the popularity was diluted because of competition. After a decade, the company is finally back on track again.
According to LaFlamme, losing unprofitable products, cutting down staff, and reducing marketing expenditure has helped the vendor curtail losses. Another thing that helped is focusing on important markets such as the U.S., the UK, Mexico, and Brazil. Quite recently, the company posted a profit after a long time.
The premium 5G Motorola smartphone will not be the company’s first phone to support 5G. The Moto Z3, Moto Z4, and Moto Z2 Force are all upgradable to the next generation of telecommunication connectivity. All you have to do is buy the 5G Moto Mod, which costs $350 a pop. If you want a rough estimate, one of the phones and the accessory together will cost you more than 750 bucks. Thus, it’s not like its 5G offerings are in the budget range at the moment. However, they aren’t true 5G phones.
An Affordable 5G Handset Is Also Expected
Today, a 5G handset can cost anywhere between $800 to $1,300. Churning out a phone that sits at the bottom of the price range can help Motorola attract budget-conscious consumers. The company’s recent phones offer some neat camera tricks. Pairing an impressive camera system with 5G connectivity can help Motorola create a successful product.
Does that mean the company will not offer budget 5G phones? Certainly not. Qualcomm recently revealed that it’s 6-series and 7-series chipsets will also support the next generation of connectivity in the future. Additionally, the chipmaker revealed that Motorola is one of the twelve companies that are going to use the 7-series SoC with an integrated 5G modem.
Thus, by the end of 2019 or early next year, we can expect two 5G devices from the company. One will be a high-end 5G smartphone while the other will be a midranger. And of course, the company will likely continue releasing lower-cost phones as well. Apart from that, a foldable Razr inspired phone is also in the pipeline.
Now, that’s an interesting mix of products. And in a struggling smartphone market, that’s just what Motorola needs to capture a wider range of audience.