Motorola Moto M – Review of a quality smartphone with a reasonable price. Appearance and ease of use

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Its engineers managed to create two absolutely different smartphones, which, despite the significant difference in price, equally received the highest praise. It would seem that all the company needs is to continue in the same spirit, trying to discover new markets and soon conquer them. But, as you know, in this life not everything obeys the laws of logic. This night, while most decent citizens was watching another dream, representatives of the search giant Google announced the sale of Motorola to Lenovo. What are the benefits of selling and purchasing? Let's figure it out.

A little history

First of all, it is worth noting that happy times Motorola has already become covered in a thick layer of dust. The company's success dates back to 2005, when almost everyone tried to get their hands on the incredibly thin and stylish RAZR V3. Soon there was a lull, and only devoted fans remembered the new smartphones, which, by the way, received good support.

Disappointment

The reason for changing this state of affairs was its purchase Google team in the spring of 2012. It was clear to the vast majority of analysts that the main purpose of the acquisition was to acquire a number of important patents. However, many did not lose hope. Since Google is taking a company under its wing, it can't just use its capabilities, right? It turns out it can.
The purchase of Motorola cost $12.5 billion. As it turned out, the patents purchased for such fabulous money were greatly overvalued. They did not bring much benefit either in the fight against Microsoft or in attempts to ban local iPhone sales. In addition, the production of smartphones brought meager profits. It became obvious that Motorola is just a headache for Google.

Prerequisites

The intentions to get rid of the creator of Moto X became clear a long time ago. In April 2013, the Motorola Home division was sold to Arris for $2.35 billion.
In addition, many analysts attribute Andy Rubin's transfer to the difference between his views and the company's vision. The former head of Android was reported to have advocated for Motorola to integrate with Google. Yes, this would mean cutting back on collaborations with companies like HTC, LG and Samsung. By the way, about the last one.

South Korean factor

Just a few days ago, it was reported that Google and Samsung managed to conclude a deal under which the companies undertake to exchange patents. Naturally, it would be naive to believe that cooperation will be limited only to the exchange of important documents.

According to some experts, the deal with Samsung is much more important. For example, it is reported that Samsung decided to change the graphical shell of the Magazine UI and use applications in the form in which Google created them, precisely because of the agreement. What's on the other side of the scale? Perhaps something related to Motorola?

Benefits

As for Google, the situation is clear. The company retains the patents and gets rid of the smartphone creator.
For Lenovo, this step is much more important. It is no secret that the Chinese manufacturer has long been looking for ways to enter the American market. This became clear back in November 2013, when the Canadian government banned its purchase of BlackBerry.
Now there are no obstacles to this. Lenovo gains access not only to the US consumer electronics market itself, but also to cooperation with mobile operators, something that until now the company’s management could only dream of.

Bottom line

On this moment it is unknown whether the Motorola brand will become part of history, or whether Lenovo will continue to produce smartphones under this name. Most likely, there is absolutely no point in changing the name for the American market.

The price of the deal between Google and Lenovo, by the way, is $2.91 billion. 660 million of them will be given in cash, 750 million in shares, while the remaining 1.5 billion will be paid over three years.

The main and most painful of all the reforms of the Chinese leadership is the “dissolution” of the American division within Lenovo. Motorola ceases to be an independent smartphone manufacturer and turns into a Lenovo manufacturer of mid- and premium-class smartphones.

Outrageous? And how! Remarks with varying degrees of indignation are already circulating on the Internet, starting with reproaches of Lenovo for “enslaving and killing” the legend and continuing with jokes: “I will sell the smartphone manufacturer Rola, inexpensively.” But there is still logic in the actions of the Chinese.

Let's start with the traditional “get it first.” Motorola was unprofitable for a very long time - about eight years in a row for sure. And this is a signal that something needs to be changed at the conservatory. Lenovo reasoned that living “separate reservations” and at the same time doing the same thing in the USA and Beijing would be both costly and illogical.

Of course, future smartphones called " Lenovo Moto"will hurt the eyes of fans of the brand. But in the same way, in the past, everyone was outraged by the Lenovo ThinkPad, and even earlier by Sony-Ericsson, Fujitsu-Siemens, BenQ-Siemens. And nothing - we got used to it. The main thing is that smartphones are of high quality and have a twist.

The company's lineup has expanded into four positions: the waterproof budget Moto G, middle class represented by the Moto X Play, the stylish sub-flagship Moto X Style and the very best Moto X Force with the coolest characteristics and an unbreakable screen. Smartphones are no longer new on the global market, but the company will present something new at the end of February.

First impressions of smartphones

The corporation's leaders promise close cooperation between American and Chinese engineers in the future, but the new products presented in Russia have no relationship with modern smartphones Lenovo. And this is good, because several very diverse “trends” have already accumulated under the wing of the Chinese company. Read at least about another “daughter” of Lenovo - ZUK.

The hardest thing will be for the budget Moto G - in our difficult times, when we have to get out and buy Chinese smartphones, looking only at the characteristics, for its 17 thousand it will not surprise you much in terms of hardware. But it, like all other Moto smartphones, is conscientiously assembled, beautiful and reliable.

Shattersheild Indestructible Display Design

However, Lenovo did not promise to knock the buyer off their feet with exorbitant characteristics for the ruble spent. Moto's feature is a lightweight, no-frills "factory" Android. Only small convenient touches have been added to it: just shake the smartphone to activate the flashlight, and X Style and older models support gesture control of the smartphone above screen. You can switch music tracks, find out the time and check notifications even with your palms in grease and a mixer in hand, or with a piece of grilled chicken in your hands. All smartphones except Moto G have fast charging, and the energy consumption itself, according to company representatives, is quite moderate for Moto.

The main feature of Moto X Force is its shock-resistant screen, which is even excessive in its indestructibility for household use. The design allows you to repair a 5.4-inch screen with little expense, simply replacing the glass, and not the entire “sandwich” with the matrix.

But keep in mind that, despite all the safety margins, the X Force has exactly the same “civilian” manufacturer’s warranty and does not qualify as a shock-resistant smartphone according to any documents. If you manage to “kill” the speaker, motherboard or camera, no one will repair such damage to your smartphone for free.

Plans for tomorrow

Lenovo representatives are talking about the merger of Lenovo proprietary shells (VIBE UI) and Motorola software developments. MotoBlur It’s unlikely that they will dig it up, but the Chinese assured journalists that Lenovo will not “rewrite the history of Moto from scratch.” They promise to please both lovers of pure Android and fans of Chinese colorful functional add-ons.

In America, Moto attracts buyers with the Moto Maker tool, in which you can assemble a smartphone for yourself: choose the colors of panels and edging, case materials, memory capacity, case, and even order engraving. In Russia, all this will not happen, because transferring the entire zoo of opportunities to the Russian market will be troublesome and expensive, and this means an increase in the final price. Lenovo promised to find out what kind of decorations Russians like the most and introduce the most desirable “tricks”. In the meantime, there are smartphones in white and black cases with two replaceable colorful back covers.

Contrary to what some Google time waved Motorola patents in front of Microsoft, relations with Redmods Moto are good- sales are affected Lenovo computers included with Windows. Company representatives are silent regarding Motorola smartphones on Windows, but promise steps towards Microsoft in the near future.

Moto smartphones will not compete with the VIBE line, because Lenovo will always create simpler mobile phones, and Moto will give the “chic” to them.

Moto smart watches will come to our country later: Lenovo is skeptical about such gadgets and wonders whether Russians now need such unpopular and expensive “toys.” But there will be no Moto tablets at all yet. The Chinese are calling: “Buy Lenovo tablets - we already produce them for every taste.”

Presentation of Motorola smartphones in Moscow

What does Motorola mean to us?

In ancient times

If we turn the popular saying inside out, we can say that everything that is well forgotten and old turns into something new. Today, completely different manufacturers are heard, in addition, the army of mobile phone users has already been replenished by those who did not experience the peak of Moto’s popularity in Russia or remained committed to another brand, not knowing what else the “American manufacturer of walkie-talkies” was doing.

We won’t take bread away from Wikipedia, so today we’ll do without savoring the company’s prehistoric inventions. Just know that Motorola started out producing batteries and car radios (hence the “motor” in the name), then took off due to high-quality radios for soldiers during World War II, and in the post-war period switched its attention to cellular communications. In the years when the mobile divisions of Samsung and Apple were not yet in the project, Motorola released the first cellular telephone, and later - the world's first flip phone. In general, with many clown brands of the modern era, which progress only in processor cores and megapixels, the legendary “engine” has little in common.

For several decades, Moto was in great demand in its home market - the USA, building towers and producing mobile phones. The company entered Russia as a telephone manufacturer at a time when Russians were “new” and jackets were “crimson.”

In the 21st century

When is the era cellular communications“for the elite” in Russia is over, mobile phones have finally become widespread. We have known Motorola since such times.

One of the first models that really went viral was the Motorola T190 - in 2001-2002 it was sold out to its heart's content for its modern dimensions and features at an adequate price. That is, in terms of its positioning, the brand was for buyers an analogue of modern “correct” Chinese manufacturers. For premium connoisseurs, cooler models were produced, but only those phones that were promoted by operators became popular.

Motorola T190 - Honored Hero of Distribution mobile communications in Russia

Then began the era of polyphony, the first color displays and the fiercest competition between the few telephone manufacturers. At that time, the word “mobile” sounded cool regardless of the model, but each of the brands already had its own face.

Nokia immediately got an image like Apple iPhone- thoroughly, prestigiously, expensively. Innovative models cost a pretty penny, while mass-produced models were seriously inferior in bells and whistles to their competitors. And the approach “why do you need so many settings? Do you have nothing to do except remake the phone for yourself?” was also painfully similar to the modern songs of Cupertino.

Ericsson, before the Japanese bought it from Sony, was a semblance of the current BlackBerry - serious guys bought functional, but not the most modern business mobile phones, and if it weren’t for the guys from the Land of the Rising Sun, the Swedes would have gone down in the same way as they do today makes "blackberry".

The great and tough budget C-series. From indestructible long-lived phones to multimedia devices with a camera and the Internet at low cost

Siemens was like modern ASUS products - smartphones that had everything and were inexpensive, with very sophisticated firmware that sometimes took on a life of its own. Opinions about the brand also varied from “yes, for that kind of money you won’t find anything better!” to “Lord, why didn’t I overpay for Nokia and buy this glitchy scrap metal?”

And Motorola? If HTC and Lenovo had a daughter, this is what she would look like. Very strong budget models C-series, sometimes with design and firmware mistakes, like the “Chinese”, scandalously beautiful image representatives (the V70 rotator alone caused a stir, and the RAZR V3 “clamshell” became a sex symbol among mobile phones) in the best Taiwanese traditions and great amount experimental models that are unlike anything else, like those of these two brands combined.

Motorola RAZR V2 is like Marilyn Monroe - regardless of your personal attitude, you look into it

Shaver phone in a candy bar case - SLVR L7

And, like HTC, Motorola became hostage to super-successful metal phones, missed the smartphone market (MPX 200 and 220 were few, and Symbian and Windows Mobile ruled the market) and fell into untimely experiments with some of its own variations of Linux (hello, Microsoft- Nokia). making or deciphering human DNA is another matter. Therefore, the search engine tried not to meddle in the internal affairs of Motorola: engineers were given funding to produce new models, mobile phones received latest version Android and updated in a timely manner (its own shirt is closer to the body). In 2013, the company rolled out a very successful budget phone, the Moto G, and introduced the “Moto Maker tuning studio,” where you could order a smartphone with a unique design for a modest amount. Finally, Motorola smartphones formed into a solid line, and the crown of life under the wing of Google was the sophisticated Nexus 6 - perhaps the only smartphone in the development of which the search giant actively participated.

But Motorola did not show explosive growth under the wing of Google, and Android phone manufacturers began to look askance at Google, waiting for it to start “pushing” smartphones of its own design onto the market and turn into the only manufacturer of mobile phones with a “green robot”, like Apple from your iOS.

Google quickly got tired of such gossip and excitement and, instead of “pulling Motorola up by the ears,” it poured out patents from its subsidiary and put it up for sale. Abroad helped: Lenovo, which in the same way several years ago grabbed the computer business of IBM, bought out the famous smartphone manufacturer and is now creating its recent history.

Of course, future smartphones called “Lenovo Moto” will be an eyesore for fans of the brand. But in the same way, in the past, everyone was outraged by the Lenovo ThinkPad, and even earlier by Sony-Ericsson, Fujitsu-Siemens, BenQ-Siemens. And nothing - we got used to it. The main thing is that smartphones are of high quality and have a twist.

The company's model range stretches into four positions: the waterproof budget Moto G, the middle class represented by the Moto X Play, the stylish sub-flagship Moto X Style and the very best Moto X Force with the coolest characteristics and an unbreakable screen. Smartphones are no longer new on the global market, but the company will present something new at the end of February.

First impressions of smartphones

The corporation's leaders promise close cooperation between American and Chinese engineers in the future, but the new products presented in Russia have no relationship with modern Lenovo smartphones. And this is good, because several very diverse “trends” have already accumulated under the wing of the Chinese company. Read at least about another “daughter” of Lenovo - ZUK.

Shattersheild Indestructible Display Design

However, Lenovo did not promise to knock the buyer off their feet with exorbitant characteristics for the ruble spent. Moto's feature is a lightweight, no-frills "factory" Android. Only small convenient touches have been added to it: just shake the smartphone to activate the flashlight, and X Style and older models support gesture control of the smartphone above screen. You can switch music tracks, find out the time and check notifications even with your palms in grease and a mixer in hand, or with a piece of grilled chicken in your hands. All smartphones, except Moto G, have fast charging, and the energy consumption itself, according to company representatives, is quite moderate for Moto.

The main feature of Moto X Force is its shock-resistant screen, which is even excessive in its indestructibility for domestic use. The design allows you to repair a 5.4-inch screen with little expense, simply replacing the glass, and not the entire “sandwich” with the matrix.

Plans for tomorrow

Despite the fact that for some time Google waved Motorola's patents in Microsoft's face, Moto has a good relationship with Redmods - sales of Lenovo computers with Windows included are having an impact. Company representatives are silent regarding Motorola smartphones on Windows, but promise steps towards Microsoft in the near future.

Moto smartphones will not compete with the VIBE line, because Lenovo will always create simpler mobile phones, and Moto will give the “chic” to them.

Presentation of Motorola smartphones in Moscow

What does Motorola mean to us?

In ancient times

We won’t take bread away from Wikipedia, so today we’ll do without savoring the company’s prehistoric inventions. Just know that Motorola started out producing batteries and car radios (hence the “motor” in the name), then took off due to high-quality radios for soldiers during World War II, and in the post-war period switched its attention to cellular communications. In the years when the mobile divisions of Samsung and Apple were not yet in the project, Motorola released the first cell phone, and later the world's first flip phone. In general, with many clown brands of the modern era, which progress only in processor cores and megapixels, the legendary “engine” has little in common.

In the 21st century

When the era of cellular communications “for the elite” in Russia ended, mobile phones finally became widespread. We have known Motorola since such times.

Motorola T190 is an honored hero for the spread of mobile communications in Russia

Nokia immediately acquired an image similar to the Apple iPhone - solid, prestigious, expensive. Innovative models cost a pretty penny, while mass-produced models were seriously inferior in bells and whistles to their competitors. And the approach “why do you need so many settings? Do you have nothing to do except remake the phone for yourself?” was also painfully similar to the modern songs of Cupertino.

The great and tough budget C-series. From indestructible long-lived phones to multimedia devices with a camera and the Internet at low cost

And Motorola? If HTC and Lenovo had a daughter, this is what she would look like. Very strong budget models of the C-series, sometimes with design and firmware mistakes, like the “Chinese”, scandalously beautiful image representatives (the V70 rotator alone caused a stir, and the RAZR V3 “clamshell” became a sex symbol among mobile phones) in the best Taiwanese traditions and a huge number of experimental models that are unlike anything else, like those of these two brands combined.

Motorola RAZR V2 is like Marilyn Monroe - regardless of your personal attitude, you look into it

Shaver phone in a candy bar case - SLVR L7

And, like HTC, Motorola became hostage to super-successful metal phones, missed the smartphone market (MPX 200 and 220 were few, and Symbian and Windows Mobile ruled the market) and fell into untimely experiments with some of its own variations of Linux (hello, Microsoft- Nokia). making or deciphering human DNA is another matter. Therefore, the search engine tried not to meddle in the internal affairs of Motorola: engineers were given funding to release new models, mobile phones received the latest version of Android and were updated in a timely manner (their shirt is closer to the body). In 2013, the company rolled out a very successful budget phone, the Moto G, and introduced the “Moto Maker tuning studio,” where you could order a smartphone with a unique design for a modest amount. Finally, Motorola smartphones formed into a solid line, and the crown of life under the wing of Google was the sophisticated Nexus 6 - perhaps the only smartphone in the development of which the search giant actively participated.

At that time, it was the largest deal in the history of the Chinese company. Then CEO Lenovo Yang Yuanqing has promised to make the Motorola brand a global leader in the smartphone market. However, a miracle did not happen, and now the once legendary manufacturer Motorola is unable to compete with A-brands and is even forced to fight for survival on average price segment. In this article we will tell you how Lenovo promised to revive Motorola, but in fact tried to expand its influence using the former popularity of the American brand.

The most expensive and ambitious acquisition

Lenovo's purchase of Motorola Mobility in October 2014 came as a surprise to both analysts, who had not imagined it, and to ordinary users. Even more surprising was the fact that, it would seem, not the top Chinese company managed to pull off two major transactions almost simultaneously - the acquisition of the server business from IBM for $2.3 billion and the purchase of the mobile division of Motorola for $2.91 billion. After the deal was closed in At Motorola's headquarters in Chicago, Lenovo's CEO said that together the two companies become the world's third-largest smartphone manufacturer by number of smartphones produced. And Lenovo immediately reveals its Napoleonic plans - global dominance in the smartphone market.

In the purchase of Motorola, Yang Yuanqing saw a chance to repeat perhaps the most successful deal in its history, which Lenovo made ten years ago. It was a $1.25 billion acquisition of IBM's manufacturing division. personal computers and turning a then unprofitable business into the world's largest PC manufacturer. Then, many reputable players in the computer industry said that the Chinese company did not have enough capabilities and experience to change the situation in the PC market. However, after some time, investors still recognized that Lenovo acted very competently. CEO Yang Yuanqing moved to North Carolina (USA) at that time to better understand IBM's business and improve his English. Lenovo retained most of IBM's top managers. This decision allowed the company to eventually become the world's largest PC manufacturer, surpassing competitors HP and Dell.

Initially, Lenovo's strategy towards Motorola was reminiscent of its actions with IBM. But unlike the latter, which eventually dissolved into Lenovo, the Chinese company decided to act more carefully with the American brand. Lenovo did not deny the fact that they were clearly losing to the authority of Motorola, so it was decided to leave everything as it is in its place. The fears of motorcycle fans were not confirmed - the Motorola Mobility division remained untouched, in fact, like the nameplates on its future devices.

Return to China

Yang Yuanqing promised to make Motorola profitable within six quarters and assured employees that he had no plans to move the business to China. At the same time, he insisted on Motorola's return to the Chinese market. Back then it was all very simple: preserve the Lenovo and Motorola brands, the former continues to develop budget devices, while the latter competes with Apple and Samsung in the segment of expensive smartphones. As a result, everyone is happy, and management has already mentally captured the lion's share of the market mobile devices.

The official announcement was made in January 2015. Lenovo did not spend much on advertising or marketing, relying on fans of the American brand nostalgic for its former glory. In addition, Lenovo generally decided to sell Motorola devices in China via the Internet, following the example of how another popular Chinese manufacturer, Xiaomi, did it.

According to the financial results of 2014, the management of Motorola's mobile division was concerned that the dynamics of smartphone sales was falling in its main markets - the USA and Brazil, which accounted for 10.6 million devices. Sales figures in China also didn't look the best. According to analytics company IDC, Lenovo sold only 200 thousand Motorola devices in 2015, compared to 65 million from Xiaomi.

Having failed with sales, Lenovo made a very strange decision, in the opinion of many of its employees. In May 2015, she launched another mobile brand called . Dozens of Lenovo employees were reassigned to the production of ZUK smartphones. Thus, the company's management wanted to challenge Xiaomi by creating competition in the domestic market.

The tension is rising

Meanwhile, Motorola is unhappy with the investments Lenovo is making. In the first half of 2015, the Chinese spent $21.6 million on motorcycle advertising in the United States, while Samsung, by comparison, invested almost $188 million in advertising. Yang Yuanqing appointed Lenovo PC executive director, who was is interested in the new American flagship with the world's first unbreakable screen going on sale in China. Motorola President Rick Osterloh was categorically against this, since the smartphone was designed specifically for Western markets. As a result, Motorola engineers had to tweak the hardware and software phone accordingly.

Sales of the Moto X Force in China also failed. After failing to make significant progress in either the US or China markets, Lenovo unveiled a plan in August 2015 to cut $1.35 billion in costs annually and eliminate 3,200 jobs at the company. Motorola's smartphone development department, which was headquartered in Chicago and employed nearly 100 people, was also disbanded. US jobs have moved to China. The cuts helped Lenovo temporarily return Motorola to profitability in the last quarter of 2015. In March 2016, he moved to Google, thereby launching a wave of mass layoffs.

Uncertainty and first losses

2016 was marked by a number of high-profile headlines in the global media for Lenovo. Here and there online publications wrote that the Chinese company was laying off Motorola employees, or even in favor of Motorola. In fact, just two years after the acquisition of Motorola, Lenovo, at least in the US alone, cut 2 thousand jobs. Sales of smartphones decreased significantly; Motorola dropped from third to eighth place in the list of global phone manufacturers. In May 2016, Lenovo reported losses for the first time since 2009. CEO Yang Yuanqing partly blamed the unexpected costs of restructuring Motorola after its acquisition. Interviews with dozens of current and former employees of Lenovo and Motorola suggest that the Chinese manufacturer made a number of strategic mistakes, one of which was the insufficient integration of the developments, technologies and experience of one company into another. In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Lenovo CEO said:

“We successfully transformed Lenovo into a global company, but we underestimated the cultural differences and business models of both companies.”

Another reason for the failure was that Lenovo had no idea how to succeed with a new brand in its own market. Yang Yuanqing insisted on selling Motorola devices in China, but it was already dominated by its own brand of phones. In addition, the Chinese market has quickly become saturated with new players. Motorola simply drowned in it. Despite the fact that the situation in the US was radically different, and for Motorola the American market is domestic, here Lenovo also ran into problems associated with huge advertising costs. Subsequently, the company was forced to reduce them. As a result, Motorola began to gradually lose its position and was behind even some Chinese manufacturers that entered the US market.

The Lenovo situation shows potential problems for Chinese companies who take a big risk by entering a foreign market. Incited by their own government, Chinese manufacturers spent a record $226.4 billion on overseas acquisitions in 2016.

Troubleshooting and possible restart

Now Lenovo management is reconsidering its actions and believes that the company's smartphone business is ready to become successful. In 2016, advertising and marketing expenses for Motorola were increased by 30%. The company is betting on flagship smartphones lines due to increased demand for them around the world.

At the end of the third quarter of 2016, Lenovo's share of the smartphone market in China was less than 2%. Three years ago this figure was 6 times higher and amounted to approximately 12%. Motorola dropped to sixth position in the ranking of global manufacturers in the United States. Actually, Lenovo managed to rise two positions and is now in sixth place. However, analysts are unsure whether she will be able to hold her place.

The mobile industry has many cases of legendary brands gone down in history. The situation with Motorola is somewhat reminiscent of the story of , which at one time missed the transition from traditional push-button mobile phones to smartphones and lost its leading position in the market. The decline of Motorola began back in 2007-2008, and in 2011 the company was bought by Google for a record $12.5 billion. By and large, the search giant was not interested in Motorola smartphones; it needed the deal because of the huge patent portfolio of the American manufacturer, which included 25 thousand patents and applications. By the way, almost all of them remained with Google after the sale of Motorola to Lenovo.

Motorola Moto M - Reviews

Moto Z is a flagship; Moto G4, Moto G4 Play and Moto G4 Plus - budget options; Moto M is somewhere in between. Like other mid-range Android smartphones, the Moto M is different good characteristics, great design and affordable price. We conducted a test to find out more about it.

Externally, Motorola Moto M does not stand out among other smartphones. The build quality is good and feels good to hold in your hand. The body is made of metal, it is slightly larger than the Moto Z Play Droid, but looks more stylish thanks to its minimalist and streamlined design.

Lenovo Moto M is relatively compact for a 5.5-inch model - no larger than a G4 Moto or OnePlus 3/3T. At 7.85mm thick, it's not ultra-thin, but it still fits comfortably in the hand. Its weight is 163 grams, i.e. Lighter than the average 5.5-inch smartphone.

There are no navigation buttons on the front panel, just the Moto logo at the bottom. On the back, instead of the brand, there is a round fingerprint scanner. The minimalism of the Motorola Moto M is appropriate and looks good.

The phone is resistant to minor splashes, but is unlikely to survive submersion in water.

At the bottom there is a USB Type-C connector, a microphone and a speaker. There is also a 3.5 mm audio jack, but it is located at the top of the smartphone.

The volume rocker and power button are responsive and click nicely. The button is covered with a textured pattern.

The 5.5-inch IPS LCD display has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The image could be sharper, but for most users this should be enough.

The color temperature is 8452 K, which is higher than the standard 6500 K - which means all colors are shifted to the “cold” side of the spectrum, and white color is blue. This problem often occurs on budget devices.

There are two display modes - Normal and Vivid. Even in Normal, greens, yellows and reds become oversaturated. If you switch to Vivid mode, all colors will be too bright and inaccurate.

The gamma and contrast of the display are fine. The screen brightness is adjustable to make it easy to use both on a clear day and on a dark night.

Interface and functionality

Lenovo Moto M is powered by Android Marshmallow. The interface is almost no different from that on Google Nexus. Most of the pre-installed applications are standard Google ones.

Little added custom applications from Moto, such as File Manager and Device Help. The latter is a system monitor with which you can learn about all the functions.

The interface is fast and responsive, but a bit dated. Latest version Android - Nougat, which is still up to operating system Moto M is not updated.

The fingerprint scanner on the back is fast and error-free, but it doesn't have any other features.

Processor and memory

8-core MediaTek processor Helio P15 clocked at 2.2 GHz and 4 GB random access memory ensure the performance of the Motorola Moto M. Some models have a less powerful 8-core MediaTek Helio P10 with a frequency of 2 GHz.

In everything except simple tasks, Moto M demonstrates modest performance; under load, the body heats up noticeably. In graphics-intensive games, the frame rate fluctuates.

The standard version of Lenovo Moto M comes with 32 GB of internal memory, but you can order 64 GB. There is a slot for MicroSD memory cards.

Communications and connections

Moto M allows you to connect to the 4G LTE network: FDD (band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20) and LTE (band 38, 40, 41). There are 2 SIM card slots, but MicroSD takes up one of them. Supported: Bluetooth 4.1; dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac; GPS; A-GPS; GLONASS; BeiDou.

To charge and pair with a computer you will need USB cable Type-C.

The 16-megapixel sensor on the back of the Moto M is in line with the price range of the smartphone. The camera app is not the standard one from Google, but with the Moto interface. The controls are intuitive. There are features such as manual control, Instagram filters and several specific shooting modes. HDR is supported, but must be manually turned on and off.

The image quality when shooting is average. If you hold your smartphone steady and the lighting is good, your photos will come out with a decent amount of detail. Otherwise, small details will turn out fuzzy, blurry, or completely absent. Sometimes photos have problems with highlights and shadows.

The colors are close to real life, without unnecessary saturation or increased sharpness. The white balance in the Lenovo Moto M is fine, autofocus is fast.

8-MP front-camera Motorola Moto M is also quite good. I would like better image quality, but it's fine for selfies. There is an "Ultra HD" mode, which in theory should make pictures more detailed, but I didn't notice any improvement. In Panorama mode, the image is “stitched” correctly, but is not detailed enough.

Video shooting in Full HD (1080p) occurs at a frequency of 30 frames per second, and the quality is acceptable. The camera focuses and adjusts exposure relatively quickly. Due to the lack of image stabilization, the video may turn out shaky if you don't hold the camera steady.

Multimedia

The Moto M has a single bottom-mounted speaker that is quite loud and produces clear, deep sound. Thanks to the 3.5 mm audio jack at the top of the smartphone, you can connect regular headphones.

There is even an FM radio, which is usually missing on modern gadgets.

Call quality

The call quality is fine. The sound during calls is not the best, but acceptable for both the Moto M owner and the interlocutor.

Battery in Motorola Moto M

The 3,050 mAh battery easily lasts a whole day if you use the phone moderately. With a heavier load it will discharge faster.

In a standard battery test with special script, which emulated the real everyday use with a brightness of 200 nits, Lenovo smartphone Moto M lasted 7 hours and 8 minutes - excellent result. But it can be better.

Bottom line

With all that said, the Motorola Moto M is good smartphone with good build quality and design, durable battery, intuitive and simple interface. Disadvantages include poor performance, inaccurate display colors, and camera problems.

Moto M is slightly more expensive than its competitors: basic version with 32 GB it costs from $239 (14,000 rubles), and with 64 GB it costs about $268 (15,600 rubles). It's still affordable prices, but some smartphones are cheaper and the quality is no worse.

For example, the $199.99 Moto G4 has about the same performance and features, but without a fingerprint scanner. Or Honor 6X for $249 (RUB 14,500) with a fingerprint scanner, dual camera and higher productivity. Both are better value for money than the Lenovo Moto M.

Advantages

Stylish design and good quality assemblies
Android interface without unnecessary changes
32 GB memory as standard
Decent speaker
Good battery life

Flaws

Mediocre performance
Display problems
Image quality could be better

New Lenovo Moto M smartphone – video

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Motorola Moto M – Review of a quality smartphone with a reasonable price. Appearance and ease of use

A little history

Disappointment

Prerequisites

South Korean factor

Benefits

Bottom line

First impressions of smartphones

Plans for tomorrow

What does Motorola mean to us?

In ancient times

In the 21st century

First impressions of smartphones

Plans for tomorrow

What does Motorola mean to us?

In ancient times

In the 21st century

The most expensive and ambitious acquisition

Return to China

The tension is rising

Uncertainty and first losses

Troubleshooting and possible restart

Motorola Moto M - Reviews

Interface and functionality

Processor and memory

Communications and connections

Multimedia

Call quality

Battery in Motorola Moto M

Bottom line

Advantages

Flaws

New Lenovo Moto M smartphone – video

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