Home
News
You are here

Motorola unveils the Moto G Pro in Europe, also prepping a US-bound Moto G Fast

Updated: Dec 18, 2020, 3:48 AM

0comments

Moto G8

As if Motorola's mid-range smartphone lineup was not already expansive and confusing enough, the Lenovo-owned company has just taken the wraps off yet another eerily familiar Moto G-series model in Europe while also preparing a new addition to the same popular budget-friendly roster stateside.

The brand's global strategy is officially all over the place, which threatens to impact the mass appeal of a family of mid-end Android devices that otherwise has a lot going for it in terms of affordability, respectable specifications, and modern designs. Without further ado, here's everything we know about the freshly unveiled Moto G Pro and impending Moto G Fast:

Not another pen-wielding mid-ranger

At first glance, it might seem like the Moto G Pro is joining the Moto G Stylus in directly rivaling the LG Stylo 6 while also providing an ultra-low-cost alternative for Samsung's high-end Galaxy Note lineup with built-in pen support.

But if you look closely at the G Pro's spec sheet, you'll find that this is little more than a rebranded Moto G Stylus for European markets like Germany. The two devices are practically identical, starting with a trendy hole punch 6.4-inch display and including everything from a reasonably powerful Snapdragon 665 processor to a 4GB RAM count, 128 gigs of internal storage space, and a triple rear-facing camera system consisting of a 48MP primary shooter, a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro sensor.

Moto G Pro

Obviously, the Moto G Stylus is not available in the countries where this "all-new" Moto G Pro is already up for pre-order at a recommended price of €330 ahead of an actual release in early June. In case you're wondering, that roughly equates to $360, which is unsurprisingly a little higher than the $300 US MSRP of the Moto G Stylus.

But while this all means we shouldn't expect to see the Moto G Pro expanded to the US (now that would be confusing), the next phone is actually designed (or rather branded) specifically for that market.

The "standard" Moto G8 is finally coming to the US... kind of

You may not remember this now, but the Moto G8 Plus, G8 Play, and G8 Power, aka G Power, all came before the regular 6.4-inch Moto G8 saw daylight at last in March with a low-res screen and fairly modest 16 + 8 + 2MP triple lens setup on its back.

Curiously enough, the G8 and G8 Play never became officially available stateside, leaving a bit of a hole in the brand's handset lineup between last year's Moto G7 family and the $250 Moto G Power. Based on a promotional video accidentally uploaded to the official Motorola US YouTube account yesterday (and deleted shortly thereafter), we can safely assume the Moto G Fast will look to fill that gap soon.

While we can't be 100 percent certain right now that the G Fast will replicate the G8's specs and features to the letter, the two devices sure look similar, down to a noticeably thicker "chin" than what you get on the Moto G Stylus and even the Moto G Power.

The 30-second "leaked" video reveals the Moto G Fast will pack an unspecified octa-core processor and 3 gigs of RAM, the former of which could well be the same Snapdragon 665 powering the G8, G Stylus, and G Pro while the latter is actually one gig short of the international G8's memory count. That's not necessarily bad news if you're interested primarily in the price point of the G Fast, which could definitely circle the $200 or even $150 mark.

The promo video goes on to highlight the macro and ultra-wide angle sensors of the upcoming US mid-ranger, which are probably not as impressive as they sound, settling for 2 and 8 megapixel counts respectively. But the 2-day battery life and overall design undoubtedly make the Moto G Fast a low-cost handset to watch.

View Full Bio

Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.