They say a Phoenix never really dies – It just keeps coming back from its own ashes. This is the same thing that happened with Motorola. A few years ago, the critics and experts deemed Motorola a dead investment. The final verdict at the time was to take over the company for a cut price and then shelf it forever. What the experts didn’t expect was the resurrection of one of the most iconic handset brands of all time.
For those who are not too deep into the tech world, the story of Motorola is simple to understand. The essence is as follows – Motorola saw handset sales dwindling, but were keep alive thanks to the other telecommunication services they offered. They brought down their handsets to a low, developing phones exclusively for US Service provider Verizon, under the ‘Droid’ banner. Google then took over Motorola, and the two together brought about one of the largest smartphone revolutions ever seen. Today, even though Motorola now belongs to the Lenovo group, they have stuck close to their roots, which is why their devices are now in their rightful place in the smartphone food chain – The Top Rung.
Motorola today boasts a considerably wide range of smartphone devices, but the one they probably hold a soft corner for, is their mid range monster, the Moto G. When Motorola decided to enter the fray back in 2013, it was with this device that they started their proceedings. Sure, the media scoffed at the thought of Motorola re-entering the market with a budget device, what they didn’t anticipate again, was the kind of popularity it would end up getting. Simply put, the Moto G became a resounding hit world wide, so much so that it single handedly brought Motorola back on the map in multiple countries, including ones like UK and India. Motorola then went on to make two siblings for the Moto G, namely the Moto E and the Moto X, and while all three have had their successes, its the mid range Moto G that is the more popular choice even today, which is why, Motorola has come forward with the Third generation of their Mr. Popular device, hoping to keep their claim to the smartphone throne alive.
I managed to get access to the Moto G 3rd Gen before the mad rush of online sales began, and so, in this article, I will take you through the unboxing of the device, while giving you a brief look at what you can expect from it as well. So, without further ado, lets get started –
One look at the package of the Moto G, and I instantly realised one very important thing – this device had been taken a bit more seriously than its 2nd Generation predecessor. Sure, the 2nd Generation Moto G is a good device ( I own one of them, so personal experience speaking here ), but when I received the device a few months back, it didn’t seem like I had purchased a premium Mid ranger at all. You may call me picky here, but trust me when I tell you, the packaging of the device is something you see before you see the device itself, so it goes a long way in creating a lasting first impression in your mind. This is the very same ideology that Apple has been using for years – Give the customers a beautiful packaging, and they will love the device even before they handle it.
So, coming back to the Moto G 3rd Gen. We have a visibly bigger package, with the image of the device displayed on the Front, surrounded by some nice geometric art decoration, and the Motorola Branding and the Moto G printed alongside it. The sides if the box are empty, save for the purple graphics extending towards the left. On the rear, we have Motorola’s description of the Moto G 3rd Gen. along with its critical features.
The inside of the packaging has two levels – the upper level to hold the device, while the lower level serves as the container for the accessories that come bundled along with this device, including the documents. Now, before we get into the finer details, its good note that the entire packing has been made using Recyclable material, thus making it environment friendly. With that out of the way, lets continue.
Starting from the lower level, we have a generous amount of goods that have been bundled inside the box. Every Moto G 3rd Gen. device will come bundled with the standard micro USB charging cable that also serves as the data transfer cable in most cases. We have the charging adapter with dual USB support, similar to the one that has been bundled with the 2nd Gen. Moto X. We also get the standard pair of headphones. Along with these accessories, we also get the User manual in multiple languages, along with a small fold booklet explaining the new features in the Moto G 3rd Gen, very useful for those who like to go by the papers.
Now, to the main object of attraction – the device. On the top level, all alone, rests the Moto G 3rd Gen. One look at it and you will fall in love. Yes, dimension wise , it is meatier than the Moto G 2nd Gen., but we will leave that comparison to the Review article that will come up soon. For now, all you need to know is that the new Moto G 3rd Gen has got a visible design overhaul, making it stand out from the rest of the lot of Mid range devices which, to be honest, resemble rectangular blocks of plastic. I will not go into a lot of detail about this device in this article, as it will collide with what I have in store for the full on review. However, I will tell you a bit about how the device has been built this time around. The base material used is plastic , but a lot more durable looking than the previous generations of the Moto G. The back panel as well as the overall look has been given a fresh overhaul, so you no longer have the chunky looking Moto badge, but rather, a more sophisticated looking branding. The back panel has also been given a textured finish, facilitating an enhanced grip. The front has been given the Gorilla Glass 3 treatment, which means the device will be able to resist those nagging scratches and dents. You can always go for the extra bit of protection via screen guards and flip covers , but that is totally left to the individual.
The main USP of this device however, is the IPX7 certification, which means the device is water proof upto 1 metre and for a maximum time of 30 minutes. Now, that does not mean you dive straight into the pool with this device in your pocket, but essentially, if something like that does happen, or if the device suffers an accidental fall into some water, it will be able to take it without problems. The only condition is that the back panel must be correctly fit in order for the water proofing to hold good.
Another selling point for the Moto G 3rd Gen is the 13 MP rear camera and 5MP front camera setup that has been given. Now, on paper, Motorola claims that the sensors in this device is the same as the camera sensors on the Moto X 2nd Gen, but whether or not that is true, and exactly how good the camera is will be answered in the review article.
All in all, the Moto G 3rd Gen. Looks like a device that promises to deliver more punch than what you have paid for. Will it? Stay tuned for the full on review article and find out for yourself.
