Tag: Moto X4

Android Enterprise Recommended Smartphones Explained
Recently, smartphone makers have started to promote their devices with a new terminology. Companies like Nokia and Motorola use the term, Android Enterprise Recommended. This new moniker holds a lot of significance. But, should you care? And is it relevant to the Indian market? Let’s find out!

The Definition

Android Enterprise Recommended is a new certification given by Google for the Android-powered smartphones. Subsequently, the devices have to meet the elevated enterprise requirements validated by Google. Interestingly, this is applicable even for non-stock OS running smartphones.

LG V30+

Minimum requirements to enrol under Android Enterprise Recommended?

The device should be running on Android Nougat 7 or the newest version of Android OS. The device should have at least 2GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage. The smartphone should be powered by a chipset with at least 1.4 GHz clock speed with 64-bit architecture.

Google has also mentioned the camera requirements to get this certification. The device should have a 2MP+ front-facing camera and a 10MP+ primary camera.

The OEMs can enrol the devices using QR Code or Zero-touch enrollment. However, to make Zero-touch enrollment the device has to be running on Android 8 Oreo or the latest OS. The devices should receive the security update within 90 days of its release. Similarly, the phone should also receive one letter OS upgrade.

BlackBerry KEYone

Android Enterprise Recommended Devices in India
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL
- BlackBerry KEYone
- LG G6, V30
- Moto X4, Z2 Force
- Nokia 8
- Sony Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, XZ Premium, XZ1, and XZ1 Compact
March 14, 2018
There May Not Be A Moto X5

Lenovo-owned Motorola is expected to launch quite a few devices in the coming weeks. As many as six smartphones in the Moto E and G series have been leaked so far. However, there appears to be a shadow of uncertainty over the company’s X lineup. A new report has claimed that the company won’t launch the Moto X5 and instead focus on the E, G and Z series of smartphones.

Leaked Moto X5 Render

However, the report hasn’t claimed that this is the end of the road for the X series. The Moto X4 was launched in India back in November 2017. The device entered that segment of the market where not a lot of phones resided. With a great build quality, software and camera performance, the Moto X4 is still a great pick for people willing to spend about Rs. 20,000 on a smartphone.

However, Motorola appears to have other plans for the smartphone series. Along with the Moto X series, the company will also do away with niche Moto Mods. This means that Motorola might concentrate on more battery and style mods instead of a gamepad or the Polaroid camera mods.

Rumours

This report has surfaced after Lenovo apparently laid off about 50% of Motorola’s workforce. However, the company, later on, cleared the air around the rumours:

In late 2017, Lenovo announced a worldwide resource action that would occur over the next several quarters, and impacting less than two percent of its global workforce. This week’s employment reductions are a continuation of that process.

We are reducing our Motorola operations in Chicago however this did not impact half of our workforce there and our Moto Z family will continue.

The Moto X5 was leaked back in January along with the Moto G lineup. This could mean that the company was working on the Moto X5 and then decided to scrape it off. However, nothing can be said with certainty as of now.

March 10, 2018

Nokia 7 Plus Vs Moto X4

HMD Global launched the Nokia 7 Plus at MWC 2018. Leaked way ahead of its official launch, the Nokia 7 Plus garnered a lot of interest. It was touted to be the first-ever Nokia smartphone with an 18:9 aspect ratio. However, the Nokia 89 Sirocco, launched along with the 7 Plus, has the same aspect ratio. The price of the Nokia 7 Plus EUR 399 (Rs 31000).

However, if the company decides to launch the Nokia 7 Plus in India, it will have to be priced below the estimated price. The Nokia 7 Plus at a price of Rs. 25000 would really be one of the best options on the market. At Rs. 28000 or thereabouts, the Honor View10 has a better chipset and features like AI integration. However, at Rs. 25000 price bracket, the Nokia 7 Plus has competition from the Moto X4 and Honor 8 Pro at best.

The Moto X4 has a glass back while the Nokia 7 Plus has an aluminium unibody design. However, the Nokia 7 Plus has subtle accents around the camera and fingerprint sensor, similar to the Nokia 6 (2018). So, if the Nokia 7 Plus is launched at around Rs. 25000, which smartphone comes out on top? Let’s find out!

Specifications

Specifications	Nokia 7 Plus	Moto X4
Price	EUR 399 (Rs. 31000)	Starting at Rs. 20999
Display	6 inch IPS LCD	5.2 inch LTPS IPS LCD
Resolution	2160 x 1080 px 18:9 Aspect Ratio 403 ppi	1920 x 1080 px 16:9 Aspect Ratio 424 ppi
Chipset	Snapdragon 660	Snapdragon 630
RAM	4GB	3GB 4GB 6GB
Storage	64GB Expandable Up to 256GB	64GB Expandable Up to 256GB
Battery	3800 mAh	3000 mAh
Primary Camera	Carl Zeiss Optics 12MP f/1.8 Wide-Angle 13MP f/2.6 Telephoto	12MP f/2.0 aperture 8MP f/2.2 aperture
Primary Camera Video	3840 x 2160 @ 30fps	3840 x 2160 @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	16MP f/2.0	16MP f/2.0
Add-Ons	Fingerprint Sensor Android One	Fingerprint Sensor

March 3, 2018

Honor 8 Pro Android 8 Oreo Update Starts Rolling Out

Huawei sub-brand Honor has started rolling out the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Honor 8 Pro. The Honor 8 Pro is priced at Rs. 25999 in India and is available on Amazon right now. Despite the 16:9 aspect ratio, the Honor 8 Pro has thin bezels and also sports a dual-camera setup on the back.

With the new update, the Honor 8 Pro will run EMUI 8.0 which is based on Android 8.0 Oreo. The Honor View10 already runs Android 8 Oreo and is priced at Rs. 29999. The Honor 8 Pro was announced back in April of 2017 and even though it might be a bit late, it is a good news for Honor 8 Pro owners right now.

Recently, the OnePlus 3T also received an update to Android 8 Oreo which is priced at Rs. 24999. The Moto X4 with 6GB RAM went on sale on the 1st of February also runs Android 8 Oreo out of the box.

Moto X4

Honor 8 Pro Specifications

The device has 5.7 inch 2560 x 1440 px display which is ideal for media consumption via VR.

[amazon_link asins=’B01N4FMUFH’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’igyaan-21′ marketplace=’IN’ link_id=’e9005d1d-07ff-11e8-8dc5-8f27400e8a2c’]The Honor 8 Pro runs on the Kirin 960 chipset which is an octa-core chip – four high-performance Cortex A73 cores clocked at 2.4GHz and four low-power Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.8Ghz. The Honor 8 Pro has 128 GB of storage along with 6GB of RAM.

The phone also has a large 4000 mAh battery and fast charge capabilities, with long battery modes built into Honor’s user interface.

The camera setup consists of two cameras, 12+12 MP shooters, where one is a monochrome camera while the other is RGB. The smartphone can combine the aperture to deliver an extremely wide f/0.95. The Phone also shoots 4K video at 30fps. The front camera is an 8 MP shooter with an f/2.0 aperture and capable of 1920 x 1080p video.

February 2, 2018

Moto X4 Vs Honor 8 Pro Vs OnePlus 3T

The budget segment of smartphones in India saw a plethora of releases in 2017. Even the flagship segment and affordable flagship segment saw the release of some great devices by Samsung, Apple, OnePlus and Honor. However, the Rs. 20,000-25,000 price category is right now full of old devices that were great at one point. In November 2017, Lenovo-owned Motorola launched the Moto X4 that entered this price segment.

Recently, Motorola launched the 6GB RAM variant of the Moto X4 in India at a price of Rs. 24999. At this price, the Moto X4 has competition from the bygone flagship devices OnePlus 3T and Honor 8 Pro. It is worth noting that only a certified refurbished OnePlus 3T is available on Amazon anymore.

While how people perceive a phone is subjective, the Moto X4 does exude a premium feel. The OnePlus 3T and Honor 8 Pro offer great build quality as well but, the contoured glass back of the Moto X4 feels more premium. The Sterling Blue colour of the Moto X4, thanks to a different hue of blue stands out between the three phones.

Both the Moto X4 and OnePlus 3T run Android 8 Oreo out of the box. The Honor 8 Pro, launched after the OnePlus 3T runs Android 7 Nougat right now with no confirmation from the company regarding an Android 8 Oreo update. OnePlus has confirmed that Android 8 Oreo will be the last major software upgrade for the OnePlus 3T. Since the new Moto X4 runs Android 8 Oreo out of the box, there is a high possibility that it will receive an update to Android P as well.

Under the hood, the OnePlus 3T has the 2016 flagship chipset, Snapdragon 821. The Honor 8 Pro has the Kirin 960 while the Moto X4 has the Snapdragon 630 under the hood. OnePlus 3T has a very capable chipset under the hood which is almost two years old now. Add no software support to that, and the OnePlus 3T doesn’t look like a future-proof phone.

The Honor 8 Pro is already lagging in the software department but, it does offer a customisable skin which a lot of people prefer over stock OS.

One of the USPs of the Moto X4 is its ruggedness. While 2017 flagship phones like the Pixel 2 and OnePlus 5T skipped an IP rating, the Moto X4 has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The Moto X4 is the only device in this price range that has a dual-camera setup and provides an IP68 rating.

Let’s compare the specifications and see which smartphone provides the most in this price range.

Spec Comparison:

Specifications	Moto X4	Honor 8 Pro	OnePlus 3T
Price	Rs. 24999 (6GB RAM)	Rs. 25,980	Rs. 24999 (Refurbished)
Display	5.2 inch LTPS IPS LCD	5.7 inch LTPS IPS LCD	5.5 inch Optic AMOLED
Resolution	1920 x 1080 px 424 ppi	2560 x 1440 515 ppi	1920 x 1080 px 401 ppi
Battery	3000 mAh	4000 mAh	3400 mAh
Chipset	Snapdragon 630	HiSilicon Kirin 960	Snapdragon 821
RAM	6GB	6GB	6GB
Storage	64GB, Expandable up to 2TB	128GB, Expandable up to 256GB	128GB, Non-Expandable
Primary Camera	12MP f/2.0 8MP f/2.2	12MP f/2.2 12MP f/2.2	16MP f/2.0 OIS
Primary Camera Video	4K at 30 FPS 1080p at 60fps	4K at 30 FPS 1080p at 60fps	4K at 30 FPS 1080p at 60fps
Secondary Camera	16MP f/2.0 LED flash	8MP f/2.0	16MP f/2.0
Add-Ons	Fingerprint Sensor IP68 Rating	Fingerprint Sensor	Fingerprint Sensor

January 30, 2018

Moto X4 With 6GB RAM Launched At Rs. 24999
Lenovo-owned Motorola has launched a new version of the Moto X4 in India. The new smartphone has 6GB of RAM and runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box at a price of Rs. 24999. It will go on sale via Flipkart and Moto Hub from 11:59 pm, 31st January. The Moto X4 was launched in November in India at a starting price of Rs. 20999 for the 32GB storage variant. The 64GB storage variant is priced at Rs 22999. The Moto X4 remains one of the few phones in this price bracket that offers a dual-camera setup and IP68 rating.

Accompanying the launch are a few offers from Motorola as well:
- Get Rs.1500 flat discount with ICICI bank credit cards
- Exchange offer – Additional Rs.3000 off on exchange of your old smartphone
- Get up to 490GB data free when you recharge with INR 199 on Vodafone
- No cost EMIs up to 12 months starting at Rs. 2083
The new Moto X4 has the same specifications as the previous two versions apart from a bigger RAM.

Specifications

The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection.

The Moto X4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 2.2 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 508 GPU, along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. The phone has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the home button which also doubles up as a single navigation button.

The device is powered by a 3000 mAh battery with TurboCharge capabilities.

The device has a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and the 8MP secondary camera with an f/2.2 aperture is equipped with a wide-angle lens. The dual-cameras allow users to have depth effect shots, bokeh effect shots, ultra-wide angle shots, and selective focus shots. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The cameras record 4K videos at 30 FPS.

The Moto X4 has impressive specifications for its price and with 6GB RAM, it gives consumers a new version to look out for.
January 29, 2018
Moto X4 Running Android 8 Oreo And 6GB RAM To Be Launched In India On February 1st

Lenovo-owned Motorola will launch a refreshed version of the Moto X4 on the 1st of February. The Moto X4 was launched in November in India at a starting price of Rs. 20999 for the 32GB storage variant. The 64GB storage variant is priced at Rs 22999 and it is one of the few phones in this price bracket to offer a dual-camera setup and IP68 rating.

On the 1st of February, Motorola will launch a new variant of the Moto X4 with 6GB RAM. Apart from the bumped up storage, the new version will also run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. The specifications apart from this will remain the same. There is no word on its price yet.

Specifications

The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection.

The Moto X4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 2.2 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 508 GPU, along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. The phone has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the home button which also doubles up as a single navigation button.

The Moto X4 is powered by a 3000 mAh battery with TurboCharge capabilities.

The device has a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and the 8MP secondary camera with an f/2.2 aperture is equipped with a wide-angle lens. The dual-cameras allow users to have depth effect shots, bokeh effect shots, ultra-wide angle shots, and selective focus shots. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The cameras record 4K videos at 30 FPS.

The Moto X4 has impressive specifications for its price and with 6GB RAM, it gives consumers a new version to look out for.

Watch Our Full Review Of Moto X4:

January 25, 2018
Regular Variant Of The Moto X4 Starts Receiving Android 8.0 Oreo Update

Lenovo-owned Motorola is catching up with the Android 8.0 Oreo hype train real quick. After releasing the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Android One variant of the Moto X4, it appears that the regular variant has also started receiving the new Android 8.0 Oreo update.

Recieved oreo update on moto x4 @igyaan pic.twitter.com/l8fnv0CDJO

— QuickTech Mohit (@quicktechmohit) December 28, 2017

A user tweeted the images of the update and screenshots post the update with a new layout and confirming that the device indeed is the Moto X4. The update has a build number of OPW27.2 and along with the new version of Android, also brings the December security patch. This means that Android Oreo features like Picture-In-Picture, Notification Dots and better back-end functioning will now be present in the Moto X4. An update to Android 8.0 Oreo also means that the device will now support all Bluetooth 5.0 features.

The Moto X4 was launched in India at a starting price of Rs. 20999 and is one of the few phones in this price range that offers an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection.

The Moto X4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset, 2.2 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 508 GPU, along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the home button which also doubles up as a single navigation button.

The Moto X4 is powered by a 3000 mAh battery with TurboCharge capabilities.

The Moto X4 has a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and the 8MP secondary camera with an f/2.2 aperture is equipped with a wide-angle lens. The dual-cameras allow users to have depth effect shots, bokeh effect shots, ultra-wide angle shots, and selective focus shots. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The cameras record 4K videos at 30 FPS.

December 28, 2017
Moto X4 Is Getting Android 8.0 Oreo Update

Moto X4 Android One edition has started receiving Android 8.0 Oreo update. At the time of its launch, the company had promised an update of Android 8.0 Oreo by the end of the year, and it has delivered on the promise. In addition, the update also includes the latest Android security fixes.

The Moto X4 that launched in India is the regular variant which, even though has a stock Android OS, is far from being an Android One phone. However, with the Moto X4 Android One variant receiving the Android 8 Oreo update, it is fair to assume that an update for the regular Moto X4 might not be too far away.

The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection.

The Moto X4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 2.2 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 508 GPU, along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the home button which also doubles up as a single navigation button. The Moto X4 is powered by a 3000 mAh battery with TurboCharge capabilities. The company claims that the 15 mins of charge can give up to 6 hours of talk time. It has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

The Moto X4 has a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and the 8MP secondary camera with an f/2.2 aperture is equipped with a wide-angle lens. The dual-cameras allow users to have depth effect shots, bokeh effect shots, ultra-wide angle shots, and selective focus shots. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The cameras record 4K videos at 30 FPS.

We will keep you updated as and when the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the non-Android One variant comes out.

December 23, 2017

Motorola Moto X4 Vs Moto G5s Plus

After launching the Moto X4, Lenovo-owned Motorola now has two strong offerings in the sub-20K category and the sub-25K category. The two phones are the Moto G5s Plus and the Moto X4. Both the phones offer a dual camera setup at the back, a Full HD display and run pure Android 7.1 Nougat OS.

Let’s pit these two phones together and see which phone comes out on top:

Specifications	Moto G5s Plus	Moto X4
Price	Rs 15999 Click here for latest price	Rs 20999 (3GB RAM variant) Rs 22999 (4GB RAM variant) Click here for latest price
Display	5.5 inch IPS LCD	5.2 inch LTPS IPS LCD
Display protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 3	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution	1920 x 1080 px 401ppi	1920 x 1080 px 424ppi
Protection	Water repellent nano-coating	IP68 rating for water and dust resistance
Design	Aluminium unibody with glass in front	Aluminium frame with glass on front and back
Battery	3000 mAh	3000 mAh
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 625	Qualcomm Snapdragon 630
GPU	Adreno 506	Adreno 508
RAM	4GB	3GB 4GB
Storage	64GB Expandable up to 256GB via microSD card	32GB 64GB Expandable up to 256GB via microSD card
Primary Camera	13MP f/2.0 aperture + 13MP f/2.0 aperture PDAF DUAL LED	12MP Dual Pixel senor with f/2.0 aperture + 8MP Ultra-wide sensor with f/2.2 aperturePDAF DUAL LED
Primary Camera Video	4K at 30 FPS 1080p at 60fps	4K at 30 FPS 1080p at 60fps
Secondary Camera	8MP f/2.0 aperture wide angle lens	16MP f/2.0 aperture LED flash
Other Features	Fingerprint sensor	Fingerprint sensor
Colours	Lunar Grey Fine Gold	Super Black Sterling Blue

November 21, 2017

Moto X4 Vs The Competition

Motorola recently launched the Moto X4 in India at a price of Rs 20999 for the base variant. At this price, there aren’t many phones that offer IP68 water and dust resistance, and a dual-camera setup at the back. So, how does the Moto X4 stack up against other phones with a similar price? Let’s find out:

Specifications	Moto X4	Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro	Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro
Price	Rs 20999 (3GB RAM) 22999 (4GB RAM) <a href=”http://fkrt.it/1ILGO!NNNN”>Click here for latest pricing</a>	Rs 24990 <a href=”http://fkrt.it/GF~2bTuuuN”>Click here for latest pricing</a>	Rs 24900 <a href=”http://fkrt.it/GFnSzTuuuN”>Click here for latest pricing</a>
Display	5.2 inch LTPS IPS LCD	6 inch sAMOLED	5.7-inch sAMOLED
Resolution	1920 x 1080 px	1920 x 1080 px	1920 x 1080 px
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 630	Qualcomm Snapdragon 652	Qualcomm Snapdragon 626
RAM	3GB/4GB	4GB	4GB
Storage	64GB, expandable up to 2TB	32GB, expandable up to 256GB	64GB, expandable up to 256GB
Battery	3000 mAh, TurboCharge	5000 mAh	3400 mAh
Operating System	Android 7.1 Nougat, Android 8.0 Oreo Update awaited	Android 6 Marshmallow	Android 6 Marshmallow
Primary Camera	12MP f/2.0 aperture + 8MP f/2.2 aperture	16MP f/1.9 aperture	16MP f/1.9 aperture
Primary Camera video	4K @ 30fps 1080P @ 60fps	1080P @ 30fps	1080P @ 30fps
Front Camera	16MP f/2.0 aperture	8MP f/1.9 aperture	16MP f/1.9 aperture
IP Rating	IP68	None	None
Additional features	Connect 4 bluetooth devices at once, Fingerprint sensor Amazon Alexa support	Fingerprint sensor	Fingerprint sensor

The Moto X4 is ahead of its competition in terms of primary, software and price to performance ratio. With the added advantage of IP68 rating, the Moto X4 looks like a clear choice over the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro and Galaxy C7 Pro. However, if you are a fan of big displays and a big battery as well, then the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro has that albeit, higher price than the Moto X4.

November 14, 2017

Top Water Resistant Phones In India Right Now

A lot of smartphones nowadays boast of an ‘IP’ rating which indicates the phone’s ability to fight off water and dust damage. Here’s what an ‘IP’ rating mean-

IP- This stands for the International Protection marking, a standard drawn up by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Dust

6- The first digit stands for its resistance to dust, but also general dirt and sand. For example, the Moto X4 earned a ‘6’ rating for “No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact (dust tight).”

Water

The second digit stands for the phone’s resistance to water

•   0 – No protection.
•   1 – Dripping water shall have no harmful effect.
•   2 – Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect with enclosure is tilted at 15°.
•   3 – Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical.
•   4 – Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction.
•   5 – Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction.
•   6 – Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm nozzle) from any direction.
•   6K – Powerful water jets with increased pressure.
•   7 – Immersion, up to 1m depth for up to 30 minutes.
•   8 – Immersion, 1m or more depth (exact details vary).
•   9K – Powerful high temperature water jets.

This feature has become ever so important nowadays as phones are getting more expensive and every user wants the best features for the price he/she pays. Also, phones are the principal mode of photography for a majority of consumer market and having a phone with an IP68 rating always helps. So, let’s take a look at the top phones with an IP68 rating available in India right now:

Moto X4

The cheapest phone on the list, the Moto X4 starts at a price of Rs 20999 and is the only phone in this price bracket which has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection.

The Moto X4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 2.2 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 508 GPU, along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the home button which also doubles up as a single navigation button. The Moto X4 is powered by a 3000 mAh battery with TurboCharge capabilities.

The Moto X4 has a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and the 8MP secondary camera with an f/2.2 aperture is equipped with a wide-angle lens. The dual-cameras allow users to have depth effect shots, bokeh effect shots, ultra-wide angle shots, and selective focus shots. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The cameras record 4K videos at 30 FPS.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Priced at Rs 54945, the Sony Xperia XZ Premium became the first phone with a 4K HDR display. The device is also IP68 water and dust resistant.

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium has a 5.5 inch 4K HDR Display with TRILUMINOS Display for mobile and X-Reality for mobile picture engine. The 4K display comes into play whenever high res content is available like a 4k video or movie.

Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset along with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of Storage with microSD support for 256 GB. Running all the hardware is a 3230 mAh battery with Qnovo Adaptive charging and Quick Charge 3.0.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium has a 19MP Motion Eye camera which has a 1/ 2.3” Exmor RS for mobile memory stacked sensor with a pixel size of 1.22m and Predictive Hybrid Autofocus.
The XZ Premium also offers 960 fps Super slow motion video and the camera is equipped with a 25 mm wide G Lens with a F2.0 Aperture.
The Sony Xperia XZ Premium has SteadyShot 5-axis image stabilization and does 4K recording at 30fps. The front camera is a 13MP 1/ 3.06” Exmor RS for mobile image sensor with a 22mm Wide-angle lens with an F2.0 aperture. The front too has SteadyShot with 5-axis stabilization.

LG G6

The LG G6 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset with quad-core processor and Adreno 530 GPU along with Android 7.0 Nougat. The phone has a 5.7 inch QHD+ FullVision display with a 2880 x 1440 px resolution and an awkward 18:9 aspect ratio. The LG G6 is available in two variants – one with 4 GB RAM, 32 GB internal storage and the other with 4 GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage. Both the variants have an expandable storage of up to 2 TB, when those card become available.

The LG G6 has a dual rear camera setup with two 13 MP sensors. One of the sensors supports wide-angle shots and has a 125 degree lens. The other sensor is for regular shots, with OIS 2.0 and 71 degree lens. The front camera is a 5 MP wide angle lens with a 100 degree field of view.

The LG G6 has a non-removable 3300 mAh Li-ion battery, which supports QuickCharge 3.0, and will work for more than a day according to LG.

Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+

The 2017 flagship phones from Samsung have an IP68 rating as well for water and dust resistance.

Samsung launched the Galaxy S8 and its bigger sibling, the Galaxy S8+ in April 2017. Apart from the LG G6, there was hardly any mainstream global phone with thin bezels and premium features. Qualcomm made a deal with Samsung and gave the company an exclusive early access to the Snapdragon 835 chipset. This made it possible for Samsung to launch the Galaxy S8 with a 2017 flagship chipset way before any other OEM got their hands on it.

The display is edge-to-edge with minimal upper and bottom bezels. Both the phones run a new 10 nm chipset, The S8 has an Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64 bit chipset while the S8+ will have an Octa core (2.35GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64 bit chipset.

Both the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have a 4GB RAM (LPDDR4), 64GB (UFS 2.1) storage, the Galaxy S8 has a 5.8” (146.5mm) Quad HD+ 2960×1440 px display with a 570ppi while the S8+ has a 6.2” (158.1mm) Quad HD+ 2960×1440 px display with a 529ppi density. Both have Samsung’s own super-AMOLED display. For cameras both phones get a main Dual Pixel 12MP OIS (F1.7), Front: 8MP AF (F1.7). While the battery on the Galaxy S8 is 3000 man, the S8plus has a 3500 mAh battery. Both support fast charging and wireless charging as well.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ does most of the things right. If you have the budget, there aren’t many phones that look as good and perform as well as these two flagship phones from Samsung.

Buy it here

Samsung Galaxy Note8

Both the Galaxy Note8 and the S Pen are IP68 rated for water and dust resistance.

The Samsung Galaxy Note has a 6.3 inch 2960 x 1440 px 18.5:9 aspect ratio Super AMOLED display with an 83.1% screen-to-body ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back of the device.The Galaxy Note 8 runs Android 7.1.2 Nougat and Samsung has promised an update to 8.0 Oreo in the near future. The phone is powered by a non-removable 3,300 mAh battery with QuickCharge 2.0 through the USB Type C port and because of the glass at the back, the phone also supports wireless charging as well.

Just like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, the fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device right next to the dual-cameras. As is with all Samsung flagship devices, the Galaxy Note8 ships with two different chipsets, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 2.45 GHz octa-core processor with Adreno 540 GPU for USA and China, and the Exynos 8895, 2.3GHz Quad-Core (Custom CPU) + 1.7GHz Quad-Core (Cortex-A53) with Mali-G71 MP20 for the remaining markets.

The Galaxy Note 8 is the first phone from Samsung to feature dual-cameras with a 12MP dual-camera setup, the primary camera has a wide-angle 12MP lens with an f/1.7 aperture and the secondary camera has a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture. The telephoto lens enables a 2X lossless optical zoom and has features such as the Bokeh effect, much like the iPhone 7 Plus. The dual-cameras are capable of capturing 4K videos at 30 FPS On the front is an 8MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture and captures 4K videos at 30 FPS.

The Galaxy Note8 is much more than just a “slightly larger Galaxy S8+.” It surely does what Galaxy S8+ does best, and then does a lot more. The integration of the S Pen in Samsung’s UI and the dual-cameras are worth an upgrade to the Galaxy Note8 and the premium price tag.

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Apple iPhone X

Although onky IP67 rated, the iPhone X deserves a mention for its superior hardware and software performance.

The iPhone X has a 5.8-inch 2436 x 1125 px OLED True Tone Super Retina display with minimal bezels around it. The phone runs iOS 11 and is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery which charges through the Apple signature lightning port placed at the bottom of the phone. Under the hood, the smartphone has the Apple A11 Bionic chipset with a neural engine, a hexacore processor, 3GB of RAM and storage options of 64GB, and 256GB. As is with every iPhone, the onboard storage can not be expanded via a microSD card. The small bezels mean there is no physical home button, which is now replaced with gestures for navigation. Siri is activated by pressing the now larger lock/unlock button. The iPhone X is also IP67 certified for water and dust resistance.

The iPhone X has dual 12-megapixel rear cameras, and it’s equipped with dual optical image stabilization. The sensors are both larger and faster, according to Apple, and the main camera is equipped with a wide angle lens and has an f/1.8 aperture while the secondary telephoto lens has an f/2.4 aperture. In between the two cameras is a quad-LED True Tone flash. Both the front and back cameras have the portrait mode. The rear cameras have the portrait lighting feature, just like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

The bottom line is, the iPhone X has all the ingredients of being the best iPhone yet. The design, the new cameras and the AR integration makes the iPhone X even more future-proof than it predecessors. However, the price tag of the iPhone X can make you question how much you love the iPhone and whether its enough to shell out over a thousand dollars on it.

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November 13, 2017
Motorola Moto X4 Review

The Motorola Moto X4 comes to India for a price of Rs 20999 for the 3GB RAM variant and Rs 22999 for the 4GB RAM variant , after an unexpectedly long wait. Is the new Moto X series phone the right sequel to the popular Moto X Play and Moto X Style?

[section label=”Build Quality and Design”]

Build Quality and Design

The design of the Moto X4 is pretty impressive, with a glass front and 3D curved glass back, the phone has a rigid aluminium frame and is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 with Native Damage Resistance. The Moto X4 is also IP68 water resistant, making it a really interesting proposition in the present price bracket.

The matte-finish frame feels excellent in the hand and the curved back fits comfortably in your palm. The cameras are placed in the notorious Moto round camera bump, however is well protected by a metal lip around the glass. The phone is offered up in two colors the Super Black and the Sterling Blue, both are interesting shades of their respective base colors and make the device look premium. Motorola has also placed all markings on the bottom of the phone next to the USB – C connector, making the device look clean.

The displays do have a top and lower bezel, but they are put to use with the large forward fitting speaker and front flash, along with the Fingerprint sensor which sits below the screen.

[section label=”Unboxing Video “]

Watch our unboxing video here-

[section label=”Hardware”]

Hardware

The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch screen and while Motorola has used OLED displays in their phones frequently, the Moto X4 continues to use a 1920 x 1080 px LTPS IPS LCD display. Inside the Moto X4 has the Snapdragon 630 chipset with the Adreno 508 GPU. The 2.2 GHz oct core chipset manages to deliver impressive daily performance. Options of 3 / 4 GB of RAM and 32/ 64 GB of Storage (respectively) along with a 3000 mAh battery with Moto TurboPower charging.

The chipset does have FM radio capabilities and DUAL SIM support along with VoLTE for Indian networks.

[section label=”Display and Multimedia”]

Display and Multimedia

The forward firing speaker is loud and clear, we would have liked the dual stereo speakers Moto has used in the past, but this single one works well. The dimply is vibrant and bright with excellent color accuracy and viewing angles. The display is easily readable indoors and out and offers a 10 point multi touch just as most smartphones nowadays.

Consumption of content will be a plenty with the loud speaker and good looking display the responsiveness of the device also enhances the multimedia experience. A few customisations for the display are available, a color mode and adaptive brightness come standard. Also standard is a display size modifier to allow for larger or smaller fits and icons.

The sound output from the 3.5mm jack and the included earphones are impressive, adding a pair of high quality headphones will also offer better results.
[section label=”Performance and Gaming”]

Performance and Gaming

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset ( mid-high range chipset) works well on the Moto X4, paired up with the 4 GB RAM variant that we tested the phone offers impressive perforce for gaming and day to day usage. Multi tasking and peak task management along with RAM management is good with the stock Android and despite using the phone for over 4 weeks we found no slow down from the UI.

Games run well, including graphic intensive games manage to run at full graphics with impressive frame rates and no lag from the gaming experience. The forward firing speaker also helps the gaming experience, and whether you play arcade or intense games, the experience is pretty satisfactory.
[section label=”Android and Moto Experience”]

Android and Moto Experience

The Moto X4 runs a pure Android 7.1 ROM, with minor customisations from MOTO and a custom Camera APP. The user experience is lag free and pretty much as good as a pixel device. The Moto app has some interesting additions including the Moto Key which almost ever user for Moto X4 will learn to love. Much like Touch ID and Face ID the Moto Key on the Moto X4 will allow users to store passwords and sensitive information on the secure part of the Snapdragon 630 chip encrypted with the users fingerprints. This also will allow access into a windows computer, acting as a portable fingerprint reader for your laptop or desktop. The app available to download for Windows allows several more customisations.

The single button navigation also opens up more display real-estate and its gesture based experience is truly something that one can get used to .

The Moto X4 will be updated to Android Oreo soon claims the company, this will also enable Bluetooth 5.0 which is an OS dependant update, and the phone presently offers Bluetooth 4.1. But you do get the muti speaker connectivity because Bluetooth 5.0 hardware exists in the device, You can pair upto 4 different bluetooth speakers sync them up and have your own little party.

[section label=”Cameras”]

Cameras

The Moto X4 is made up of dual cameras at the rear, with one 12 MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and Dual Pixel AF while the other an 8 MP wide lens camera with an f/2.2 aperture.A huge improvement in the dual camera experience of the Moto X4 from previous Moto devices. With one Wide sensor the camera is able to do a lot more in the same space.

Wide Angle

Normal Shot

Wide Angle

Normal Shot

The HDR on the camera is really impressive offering up good levels of contrast on both the highs and mids. The dynamic range is pretty flexible and can be left in automatic for some interesting image results from the camera.

HDR On

HDR Off

The depth mode is a lot more accurate and fine tuned as well. Selecting out elements from the depth shot and editing them on the in built app allows for background replacement/blur or monochrome effects which can reproduce a lifelike shot.

Spot Colour (Red)

Normal Shot

Video capture from the phone with a resolution of 4k at 30 fps is good as well, we do miss stabilisation on the video capture which makes video caught by shaky hands, well “shaky!”

Both in video and images you get precise color saturation and sharp images, also assisted with the dual AF offered by the 12 MP primary camera. Additionally the manual mode assists in delivering more precise controls for the Photo Nerds in us.

[section label=”Phone and Battery”]

Phone and Battery

With support for all Indian networks on the 660 chipsets modem, and a robust Antenna on the Moto X4 call performance was top notch, with no call drops in weak network areas. The use of a three mic setup improves noise cancellation on the other end of the call and the earpiece is nice and loud. It is worth noting that the included headset also works with the noise cancellation microphones, and the earphones offer a full and impressive sound stage for music and voice calls.

Battery life will range from 4 hours of screen on time to 11 hours of screen on time depending on what your usage patterns look like. On an average the phone lasts a full day and then some, but in scenarios where you may need extra battery the TurboPower charger can juice you up for a good 5-7 hours of usage in about 15 minutes.

[section label=”Conclusion”]

Conclusion

Despite pretty big top and bottom bezels, the Motorola Moto X4 has a premium design and robust build quality a rigid frame and most importantly is the only phone in this price range with IP68 water proofing. The dual cameras are a lot more refined and offer up some interesting picture and video capabilities. Call quality and battery life on the Moto X4 delivers its due and the phone offers up a full experience. The phone is also kept in an interesting price bracket which leaves a good wiggle room for other brands whose flagship chipset based phones are 5-8 thousand in the north.

For the price and for IP68 alone the Moto X4 may just be the right phone in this price bracket, and with a lack of serious competition in this price range, Motorola may just reap the benefits of their pricing strategy. We would have liked to see a larger battery, an OLED display and stereo speakers. But the current arrangement is good at the price and we don’t really have that much to complain about.

In the market for a phone for Around Rs. 20000? give serious thought to the Moto X4.

Buy it here

Watch Our Full Review

Low Light

November 13, 2017
Unboxing The Moto X4
The Moto X4 has been launched in India at a starting price of Rs 20,999. After a few launch delays, the phone was launched at an event in Delhi and it was announced that the Moto X4 will be sold online via Flipkart exclusively. Let’s unbox the Moto X4 and see what we get inside:
- Moto X4
- Documentation
- Earphones
- Sim ejector tool
- Wall adapter
- USB Type C Cable
First Impressions

The Moto X4 looks and feels different from the Motorola phones launched in recent years. The device has a glass front and back which gives it a very premium look but, it also means that the phone will attract fingerprints. The dual camera at the back protrudes a little but, it is not that prominent and thanks to the presence of Corning Gorilla Glass, the camera glass won’t get scratched up easily.

Thanks to the curved glass at the back, the phone is extremely comfortable to hold in the hand and is also very grippy unlike phones with a matte finish.

The moment you switch on the Moto X4, you will notice why Motorola phones have been so successful over the years. The company’s commitment to stick with stock Android OS shines on the Moto X4, too as the phone is very responsive and day to day tasks are a breeze. The camera on the Moto X4 is also much improved with some tweaks and new features.

Specifications

The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection.

The Moto X4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 2.2 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 508 GPU, along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. The phone has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the home button which also doubles up as a single navigation button. The Moto X4 is powered by a 3000 mAh battery with TurboCharge capabilities. The company claims that the 15 mins of charge can give up to 6 hours of talk time.

The Moto X4 is the only smartphone in this price bracket that has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

Like every Motorola phone, the Moto X4 runs stock Android 7.1.2 Nougat. Motorola recently announced that the Moto X4 will receive an update to Android 8.0 Oreo by the end of the year.

The new smartphone will also feature Alexa, the Amazon AI voice assistant, when Alexa officially launches in India. This isn’t the first time that Alexa has made its way onto a smartphone, the Huawei Mate 9 was the first smartphone to feature the voice assistant. Since then, we have also seen Alexa make its way to the HTC U11. The 4 in Moto X4 signifies that the new smartphone will be able to share the sound with up to 4 devices, thanks to the presence of Bluetooth 5.0.

The Moto X4 has a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and the 8MP secondary camera with an f/2.2 aperture is equipped with a wide-angle lens. The dual-cameras allow users to have depth effect shots, bokeh effect shots, ultra-wide angle shots, and selective focus shots. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The cameras record 4K videos at 30 FPS.

Watch Our Unboxing Video Here
November 13, 2017
Moto X4 With IP68 Rating Launched In India At Rs 20999

The Moto X4 has been launched in India at a starting price of Rs 20999 for the 3GB RAM variant. The 4GB RAM variant is priced at Rs 22999. After a few launch delays, the phone was launched at an event in Delhi and it was announced that the Moto X4 will be sold online via Flipkart exclusively.

The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection.

The Moto X4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 2.2 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 508 GPU, along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the home button which also doubles up as a single navigation button. The Moto X4 is powered by a 3000 mAh battery with TurboCharge capabilities. The company claims that the 15 mins of charge can give up to 6 hours of talk time.

The Moto X4 is the only smartphone ion this price bracket that has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

Like every Motorola phone, the Moto X4 runs stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Motorola recently announced that the Moto X4 will receive an update to Android 8.0 Oreo by the end of the year.

The new smartphone will also feature Alexa, the Amazon AI voice assistant when Alexa officially launches in India. This isn’t the first time that Alexa has made its way onto a smartphone, the Huawei Mate 9 was the first smartphone to feature the voice assistant. Since then, we have also seen Alexa make its way to the HTC U11. The 4 in Moto X4 signifies that the new smartphone will be able to share the sound with up to 4 devices, thanks to the presence of Bluetooth 5.0.

The Moto X4 has a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and the 8MP secondary camera with an f/2.2 aperture is equipped with a wide-angle lens. The dual-cameras allow users to have depth effect shots, bokeh effect shots, ultra-wide angle shots, and selective focus shots. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The cameras record 4K videos at 30 FPS.

November 13, 2017