The latest 5G development comes from Motorola, which recently announced what can be considered the first 5G smartphone. The Moto Z3 is official as of Thursday and will be compatible with a 5G enabling MotoMod, which will be available in early 2019.
The device and its mod are Verizon exclusives, with the carrier making strides to have its network running 5G by the end of 2018. Verizon is working to deploy 5G in Sacramento and Los Angeles, California, and Houston, Texas, ahead of the 5G MotoMod release.
The Moto Z3 5G MotoMod also includes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X50 5G modem to enable the upcoming data transfer standard. Motorola claims the mod will give the Moto Z3 download speeds ten times faster than current standards. Motorola also promises no lag time for high-performance apps, heightened WiFi hotspot bandwidth, and additional power from the 2,000mAh battery inside the mod. Pricing and exact release details are currently not available.
The Motorola Moto Z3 will be available starting August 16, selling for $480 or $20 a month for 24 months on a payment plan. Customers can save up to $300 when trading in an old device.
The device’s specs include a 6-inch Full HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, 4G of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, a 12-megapixel dual camera set up, and a 3,000mAh battery.
Design wise, the Moto Z3 is very similar to the Moto z3 Play, which released in June. The biggest difference between the devices is the Snapdragon 636 chip in the Moto z3 Play. Qualcomm’s high-end 800-series chip will help enable 5G on the Moto Z3.
