Many have tried their luck with modular smartphones but no one comes close to Motorola's Moto Z. Yet.
Innovations come and go. But a few stay and become an integral part of our lives. In the case of smartphones, see how we have gotten used to fingerprint scanners which, not long ago, just belonged to premium smartphones. Now, we are seeing companies betting on dual-edge displays and dual cameras in smartphones. In my opinion, the ‘new’ technologies that become mainstay are those embraced by end users and that are actually beneficial to them in several ways. ‘Modular’ is now the latest buzz following the launches of the LG G5 and now Moto Z smartphones. The idea of modular smartphones has been around for a very long time. If we omit Google’s Project Ara, LG and Lenovo-owned Motorola are the two companies which brought the modular phones closer to reality.
A full-fledged modular smartphone may seem distant, but what we have now are the semi-modular phones in the form of Moto Z and LG G5. Though concept wise the two smartphones are pretty much alike, but the implementation of the modular technology is what separates them. As compared to the LG G5, the Moto Z is a better example of modular technology and shows how the brands, if interested, can take this forward. What makes the Moto Z a better modular phone? I believe the sheer ease of use and a plethora of possibilities to do with the device without disrupting the user experience are the key differentiators.
On the LG G5, you need to remove the modular section (battery) and then reboot the phone to get it to work. Not saying that it is a very complicated task, but it’s not intuitive at all. Moreover, the LG G5 was an overpriced smartphone and as a standalone smartphone never appeared to topple the Samsung Galaxy S7, the best premium Android smartphone in my books.
Let me explain how easy it was to use the Moto Mods on the Moto Z. All you have to do is snap on the Mod on the back of the phone, and is as easy as snapping on a case or cover on a phone. The Mods are connected with the 16-dot magnetic gold plated connector at the back of the phone, and software takes care of the rest. I used the JBL Soundboost for a considerable amount of time. What I liked about the Mod was that it comes with a kickstand that props the phone allowing you to keep it on a flat surface, and use it for, say, watching videos or video calling. And, of course, it enhances audio levels, which I think is good enough for a small room. It has pretty decent battery life as well. ALSO READ: Moto Z Review: The Tony Stark of smartphones
That goes without saying that it has its own imperfections. It is bulky and despite the Moto Z being an ultra slim phone, it becomes cumbersome to use the phone with the Mod on all the time. The Mod is not universal and for Rs 6,999, it’s highly unlikely for a customer to invest in the Mod over a simple Bluetooth speaker.
There are two high-end mods — the Hasselblad True Zoom mod and Moto Insta Share projector, priced at Rs 19,999. And there’s an Incipio offGrid power pack, a 2,220mAh battery bank. The powerbank is priced at Rs 5,999. The idea of a snap-on powerback is pretty intuitive, but then why spend Rs 5,999 for a 2,200mAh power bank. Xiaomi’s 20,000mAh powerbank is available for roughly Rs 1,800 on Amazon.
Right now, the Moto Mods seem more of a novelty than a necessity for smartphone users. But one cannot deny the Moto Mods are far more superior implementation of the modular technology than any other smartphone we have seen so far. Guess what, these are just the first lot of Moto Mods. The company is investing in building an ecosystem around the Mods with Moto Mods Development Kit. This will eventually allow third-party developers to build their own mods. It’s easy to imagine the massive possibilities that these Mods bring with such simplicity. Motorola says the mods could be used to create snap-on infrared cameras, e-ink displays, game controllers to blood pressure monitors and air pollution sensors. All possible through just a snap-on cover.
Motorola has to come out with products that are more purposeful for users, and ultimately become compelling enough for users to invest in the Moto Z family. As always has been the case, they have to be affordable as well so that they see a wider and quicker adoption. With LG G5 failing and Google’s Project Ara never taking off, the Moto Mods are in an unchallenged territory. If they gain success, others would follow suit, creating an ecosystem of compelling modular devices.