Motorola MOTO U9 Preview

Motorola MOTO U9 is running on the Linux-Java OS we’ve seen in devices like the RAZR2 V8 and the ROKR Z6. In our view, it is both user-friendlier and more pleasant to the eye than the old one you’ll see in phones such as the KRZR (K1 and K3), RAZR2 V9 and SLVR L9. The version here is a step newer than the one of the V8 but the changes are minor. From the homescreen, the left softkey will open menu with shortcuts and additional four that can be personalized are attached to the directions of the D-pad.

The main menu now can be visualized in three ways: grid, vertical list or horizontal one. The 3x3 grid looks outdated as most new phones now come in 3x4 but as we like the option to rearrange the icons. They all correspond to the numeric keys which act as shortcuts and so is in the first level sub-menus. The horizontal list with spinning icons is one of the new things coming with the newer Linux-JAVA OS version.

In this preview we won’t go into deep details about all the features of the phone. We’ll cover just the most interesting parts of it but once final units appear, expect our updated in-depth review.

In the Multimedia menu you’ll find all multimedia content, the games, camera and voice recorder. The Media Finder is one of the main improvements over the previous version of the OS and is application that will retrieve all files from the phone and sort them so you can choose for example Music, Video or Pictures.

The MOTO U9 is music-friendly pocket clamshell and will be able to filter your tracks by Artists, Albums, Genres, and Composers or by Playlists. The Now Playing interface shows information on the track but lacks option for album art cover. When the player is minimized to play in the background, the lower part of the home screen will be shortcut to it. Close the shell, and the external display will show what’s playing and right below it three touch-sensitive buttons for the player will appear.


The camera is present just to capture some moments and is definitely not a key feature. The interface is something we’ve seen in past Moto phones and will do the job, but nothing more.