Motorola Moto G9 lands in Europe with €169 price, different name
Most smartphone brands wait around a year to introduce replacement models. Yesterday, though, Motorola broke that rule by announcing the Moto G9 less than six months after the Moto G8 was introduced.
That, at least, is what seemed to have happened.
The Moto G9 is actually the Moto G9 Play
The Moto G9 that was introduced in India will be available internationally as the Moto G9 Play. Both variants are identical in every way save for one small detail – the Moto G9 Play boasts a dedicated Google Assistant button.Motorola still didn’t wait a full year before introducing its latest Moto G smartphone, but the Moto G8 Play has been around since late October, making the 10-month launch cycle much more acceptable.
In terms of specifications, the G9 Play arrives powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, double that of the previous-gen Moto G8 Play.
There is also a 6.5-inch notched display and an updated camera system which consists of a 48-megapixel main sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. But to cut costs, the company has replaced the ultra-wide-angle shooter with a 2-megapixel macro camera.
Completing the package is a massive 5,000mAh battery and Android 10 straight out of the box.
Motorola is targeting buyers on tight budgets
The Moto G9 Play will be available soon across Europe in Forest Green, Sapphire Blue, and Spring Pink for €169, making it cheaper than both the €179 Moto G8 Power Lite and €199 Moto G8.
As for the international Moto G9 and other variants, those are likely to arrive in early 2021. If Motorola sticks to the 10-month replacement cycle, the new lineup should go official in early January.