I've got the Moto Z — you've got questions. Fire away!

[Phil Nickinson]

To keep this a short-answer question... Besides the drop in display size and the mods-approach, is there anything about the Moto Z that strikes you as being an advance over last year's Moto X Pure?

I never quite did figure out why last year's phone just didn't do it for me. I think maybe just just chose a bum back cover. But I LOVE how easy it is to change that on the Z. And I LOVE the implementation of the mods. They're really well done.

 

[Phil Nickinson]

How's fast do these cameras focus? Fast enough for toddlers running around?

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

Is anything that fast, really? They're good, but not great.

 

[Phil Nickinson]

What will be the "in-the-box" Style Shell options? Most of the hands-on showed the black/ash wood back.

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

It's my understanding that the one you see in the reviews is the one that will be in the retail boxes.

 

[Phil Nickinson]

What do you think of a simple mod that added the headphone jack and an internal cavity to store your buds (the ear kind)? Would that make it look a little pregnant?

Interesting idea. (And a good one for that other question.) A proper DAC would be a nice mod.

 

[Phil Nickinson]

Did you opt for the battery pack because "It's available, so why not?" or because you're barely making or not making it though some days without reaching for the charger?

There's a whole section on that in the review.

 

[stanleywinthrop]

Are the TurboPower chargers using Qualcomm Quick Charge or USB Power Delivery?

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

I second this question.

Also how is the thickness of the force with the battery pack? Does it feel too thick in the hand?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Ry]

If you had to put your own money down on one, would you buy the Moto Z or Moto Z Force?

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

 

[pearlmikejam]

Given that a battery mod is available, which is your preference? Z or Z Force?

Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk

 

[Phil Nickinson]

I second this question.

Also how is the thickness of the force with the battery pack? Does it feel too thick in the hand?

Posted via the Android Central App

It's definitely thicker, but the curve helps a lot.

 

[Phil Nickinson]

If you had to put your own money down on one, would you buy the Moto Z or Moto Z Force?

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

I need to do a post answering exactly that. Still trying to decide.

 

[flyingfiddle]

Thank you for your great review! I agree Moto Z's implementation of modular design is better than LG's G5. However does the very big chin with the off-centred fingerprint button and Moto log bother you? I personally can not yet stand that look (the same reason I never considered previous HTC One phone), and I feel they should have implemented the button similar to Samsung phones torelease some screen realestate back to user. On-screen button is only more attractive if it brings less chin (hence shorter phone such as LG G3 and G4), or a front-facing bottom speaker (e.g. ZTE Axon 7).

If they had confirmed that all future Moto Z would work with existing Mods, that would mean the dimension of the phone can't really be changed (much). That means:
-Screen of future Moto Z would have to stay 5.5 or very close to that, unless a future model could go bezel-less
-If screen size stays the same in future model, they will continue to have such a big chin
-It's hard to imagine how much change in terms of phone design they can make if future models are to remain compatible with current mod.

 

[pearlmikejam]

Given that a battery mod is available, which is your preference? Z or Z Force?

Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk

Let me ask this a different way...

With a battery mod effectively negating the battery boost on the force, what are the factors to consider when deciding? Camera and shatter resistant screen?

Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk

 

[stabbedintheface]

Which one of these devices would be best for playing Pokemon Go? Also does Pokemon Go work on this device. Last Question: Can AC do a post about playing Pokemon go on this particular device? Then maybe a follow up Podcast.

 

[Citizen Coyote]

Thanks for the review, Phil. It's certainly more positive than the reviews I've seen on other sites. But that comparison brings up some questions...

1. Ars Technica claims that the Moto Z does not have Android's multi-user support, that Lenovo stripped it out. Is this true?

2. Ars also claims that a Moto rep told them Lenovo would not be bothering with providing security updates for the Moto Z/Z Force. Have you heard this? The fact that the Z is only running May's security patch (when there's no reason it shouldn't be running at least July's) is troubling for those of us who are concerned about security updates.

Thanks!

 

[Aquila]

Are the TurboPower chargers using Qualcomm Quick Charge or USB Power Delivery?

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

Third this question. Obviously there's a third/fourth option, which is it doesn't support either or it could support both. But some details on whether or not it's going to be compatible with everyone's QC this and that they have hanging around and/or whether or not it's safe to use non stock chargers would be helpful.

 

[Tom Westrick]

Let me ask this a different way...

With a battery mod effectively negating the battery boost on the force, what are the factors to consider when deciding? Camera and shatter resistant screen?

Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk

And a larger base battery

 

[bigsaxquatch]

I live in an area with spotty Verizon coverage. My wife's iPhone can make pretty reliable calls from our house, but my HTC One M8 cannot. Can you say how well the Z's signal strength compares to that of other Android flagships? Does it live up to Motorola's reputation for good reception?

 

[Tom Westrick]

This may just be the way my brain works, but I'm just struggling to find the merit with these. For the same $60 as a battery back, I can buy an external battery with ports for every device I'd need it for.

Likewise, for the $80 for the speaker back, I could buy a Bluetooth speaker that works with every device I'd connect it too. I could probably find one with NFC so pairing isn't a pain.

Those may be clunkier than using the mods, but they're infinitely more useful.

 

[libra89]

Question:

My apologies if this is similar to a question someone else asked. Considering that the Moto Z and Z Force are mostly the same, including screen size, what do you think was the point of having two of them? Or asking in a better way, aside from money savings, what is the point of the Moto Z?

Great review by the way, appreciated how you mentioned the bloatware, because it seems like no one else is and I think that's in poor taste personally.

 

[anon(9072051)]

There's a whole section on that in the review.

Sorry bout that. I found out about the review bassackwards, as usual.