Moto Z2 Play now official, new Moto Mods in tow

The Moto Z Play (review) was a solid if unspectacular smartphone, coming to South Africa several months after its global release.

You had a mid-range but frugal processor, a pleasant design and those cool Moto Mod hardware add-ons. In saying so, it was a tad pricey locally, while the camera was pretty bad in low light conditions.

In any event, Lenovo isn’t slowing down, revealing the Moto Z2 Play today.

In the hardware department, we’ve got a Snapdragon 626 processor (being a slight upgrade over the SD625), 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage (or 3GB/32GB). Otherwise, Lenovo still retains the full HD 5.5-inch screen and 3000mAh battery of the original model.

Is it a better smartphone for photos though? Well, the company has introduced a 12MP f/1.7 main camera with dual-pixel autofocus and 1.4 micron pixels. So in theory it should offer good low-light performance. Look at the front of the phone and you’ve got a 5MP f/2.2 shooter with 1.4 micron pixels as well.

Lenovo’s Moto Z2 Play is more of the same, but packs a much better camera — on paper

Lenovo is also taking a page out of Meizu and Huawei‘s playbook, opting for a one-button-to-rule-them-all user interface.

“Now your fingerprint sensor also lets you easily navigate your phone. Swipe left to go back, right to access recent apps, tap to go home and long press to lock your phone,” the company explained. If it’s anything like the Huawei P10, I’m hoping for soft-keys as an option.

Otherwise, the Z2 Play is also compatible with older Moto Mod hardware add-ons. But it’s also joined by several new Moto Mods, such as a gamepad, second generation JBL speaker, a wooden back with wireless charging, and another battery mod.

Lenovo says the phone is a Verizon-exclusive in the USA, launching in July 2017. We’ve asked Lenovo’s local representatives for details on South African availability and will update the article accordingly.