Motorola unveils new Moto E edition with 4G LTE, front camera, Android Lollipop & more

Motorola has finally unveiled the successor to Moto E, its budget smartphone offering. Called Moto E (2nd Gen), the device sports a slightly bigger 4.5 inch display, twice the internal storage, and runs on the latest, unadulterated version of Android. In addition to the 3G variant of the smartphone, the company has also added a 4G LTE model to the mix, which will be available only in select markets.

The Moto E (2nd Gen) goes on sale beginning today in select markets like the US for $119.99 (Rs 7,421) and $149.99 (Rs 9,283) for the 3G and 4G LTE models respectively. According to Motorola, the smartphone will be released in over 50 markets in Latin America, North America, Europe and Asia in the coming months.

Launched in May last year, the original Moto E is available for purchase for Rs 6,999 in India.

"There are millions of people that haven't yet joined the smartphone revolution because they either haven't found the right product or they don't want to spend hundreds of hard earned dollars to start the journey. That's why last year we launched Moto E. Now, we're taking Moto E a step further. We're introducing the next generation, packed with more features and functionality to give people around the world even greater access to life's possibilities - without a hefty price tag," read an official Motorola blog post.

Here is an official demo of the smartphone.

Specifications

The smartphone sports a 4.5 inch qHD IPS touchscreen display (960×540 pixels resolution) with 245 ppi pixel density and runs on the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system (out of the box). While the 4G LTE version of the smartphone is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor with 400MHz GPU, the 3G variant is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with 400MHz GPU.

It has 1GB of RAM, and the internal memory of the device is 8GB that can be further expanded up to 32GB with a microSD card. The new Moto E has a 5 mega pixel rear camera that can record HD videos (720p) at 30 frames per second, and a front facing VGA camera for video calling. Additional features of the camera include quick capture, slow motion video, burst mode, auto High Dynamic Range (HDR), and panorama, among others.

On the connectivity front, the device has Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G LTE (depending on the region), as well as a microUSB port and a microSD card slot. The dimensions of the device are 129.9mm x 66.8mm x 5.2-12.3mm (curve design) and its weight is 145 gm. Motorola has provided a 2,390 mAh battery in the device that it claims will provide up to 24 hours of mixed usage.

It has GPS (with A-GPS support), and will be available in black and white colours. The company is also providing a number of removable 'Motorola Bands' with the device, which will be available in golden yellow, turquoise, blue, raspberry, purple and red colours. In addition, 'Motorola Grip Shells' will be available in golden yellow, charcoal, turquoise, blue and raspberry colours.

Moto E (2nd Gen) vs. Moto E

In comparison, the original Moto E has a 4.3-inch display (960×540 pixels resolution) and runs on the Android 4.4 KitKat OS (upgradable to Android 5.0 Lollipop). It packs a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor, with 1GB RAM and 4GB internal storage that can be further expanded with a microSD card.

The smartphone sports a 5MP camera on the back, but does not have rear LED flash and front camera. Users can access the internet over 2G, 3G and Wi-Fi networks, while data can be transferred via microUSB port and Bluetooth 4.0. The smartphone has a 1,980 mAh battery and Motorola claims it can last a whole day once fully charged. The company has used a nano-coating that makes the smartphone resistant to splashes, so that it does not get damaged in rain. Moto E is available in black and white colours, and comes with swappable back covers and grip shells.