The new Moto G: frequently asked questions

“Have a few questions and doubts about Motorola’s latest offering? Read on to get an answer”

Shakespeare may have said “What’s in a name”? But if you ask us, Motorola’s naming convention for its devices is a tad off the mark. The brand has just revealed the successors to its highly-popular budget smartphone, the Moto G (review | FAQs) as well as its innovative flagship, the Moto X (review | FAQs). However, much to our surprise, the new devices answer to the same name as their predecessors.

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The new Moto G went on sale recently, and we’re sure you have some questions about the device. So, read on to find everything you want to know about the Moto G (2nd gen). Also, for the sake of this post, we’ll be referring to the device as the ‘new Moto G’ or the Moto G (2nd gen).

What specs does the new Moto G sport?

The new Moto G is built around a 5-inch display, which features a resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. Under the hood beats a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, with four Cortex-A7 cores running at 1.2GHz. In the memory department, the phone gets a gigabyte of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. To lure shutterbugs, it has an 8-megapixel camera at the back supplemented by an LED flash, along with a 2MP front-facing shooter.

What is the asking price of the new Moto G in India?

One of the main reasons for the success of the original Moto G in India was its affordable pricing, and its successor follows the same ideology. In fact, the new offering is slightly cheaper, retailing at Rs 12,999.

What do you get inside the retail pack of the new Moto G?

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We’ve already given you a peek inside the retail box of the new Moto G. It offers an 850mA travel adapter, a pair of earphones, and user manuals, apart from the device itself, of course.

How’s the build quality of the Moto G (2nd gen)? Is it easy to handle considering its size?

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Just like its predecessor, the new Moto G might bear a plain Jane look, but its sturdiness is top-notch. It feels extremely snug in the hands, and the curved rear adds to the comfort factor. Compared to the previous Moto G, this one gets a larger display, but the dimensions are such that you can easily use the device with a single hand.

Does the Moto G (2nd gen) get a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass?

Yes, similar to its predecessor, the second gen Moto G gets a protective layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 over its screen.

Is the new Moto G water-resistant?

While the Moto G isn’t water resistant, it does get a nano coating which makes it impervious to water to some extent.

How much storage is available to the end user? Is is expandable?

The new Moto G (2nd gen) screenshot (1)

Out of the available 16GB storage, users will be getting around 11.9GB of space for their personal content. The good part is that you aren’t limited by the internal storage, since you can increase it up to 32GB via a microSD card, unlike its predecessor. What’s more, the new Moto G also supports USB OTG, so you can connect extrenal flash drives directly, via an adapter, of course. 

Is the new Moto G dual-SIM compatible?

Yes, the Moto G (2nd gen) accepts a pair of SIM cards. Just like the original smartphone, this one has micro-SIM slots.

Does the new Moto G have NFC? What other connectivity features are available?

Sadly, the device doesn’t have Near Field Communication, but it does offer the standard connectivity options including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.

What’s the battery rating of the new Moto G? Is it removable?

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The second-gen Moto G sips juice from an embedded 2,070mAh battery, which means that you can’t remove it. However, it’s important to note that the rear panel is removable, and gives access to the micro-SIM slots as well as the microSD card slot.

What is the OS on offer? Are there any customisations from Motorola?

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Motorola is committed to provide the latest and undiluted versions of Android, and the new device from brand also follows the same concept. It comes loaded with Android 4.4.4 KitKat, and the brand has promised that it will also get future Android builds.

While the interface is totally stock, Motorola has added some really useful apps to the phone. These include Motorola Alert, Assist and Migrate.

So what happened to its predecessor, the original Moto G?

Since the new Moto G replaces its predecessor, this means that the original Moto G has been phased out from Flipkart (the exclusive retailer for the device). But you need not worry if you’re an owner of the first-gen Moto G, as you’ll continue to get service and support, both for hardware and software.

What exactly has changed between the Moto G and its successor?

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Both the first-gen and second-gen Moto G models are quite similar in a lot of ways, yet are different in others. The key changes are the 5-inch screen size (up from 4.5-inches) as well as 8-megapixel and 2-megapixel camera sensors instead of the 5MP and 1.3MP shooters. The new Moto G also offers the ability to extend the storage, thanks to the presence of a microSD card slot.

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Apart from the changes in the spec sheet, the new Moto G also features a new design in the front. It takes some design cues from the Moto E (review | FAQs) since there are front-firing speakers above and below the display.

What kind of accessories are available for the new Moto G?

For protecting the Moto G, Motorola is offering flip covers as well as back panels available in multiple colours like Violet, Raspberry, Spearmint, Lemon Lime, etcetera. While the back covers cost Rs 800, the flip covers will set you back by Rs 1,700.

Well, we hope that we have answered all your queries about the new Moto G. If you have any other questions, hit us in the comments box below. For more info about the smartphone and its capabilities, stay tuned for our review.