In September, Motorola will turn 90. And it remains hip. In fact, it’s a wonder how the company has forged ahead — despite its mobile division being sold a couple of times in recent years — to create a lasting impression among the youth. At the heart of its success are the Moto G phones, the latest of which are the G6 and G6 Play. t2 met Thomas Milner, head of product marketing, in Delhi, to get a feel of the new phones and to learn what separates the Lenovo-owned smartphone maker from its competition.
Moto G6: At a glance
Processor: Snapdragon 450 with a 1.8 GHz octa-core CPU and 600 MHz Adreno 506 GPU
Memory: 3GB/4GB
Storage: 32GB/64GB; expandable micro SD card support up to 128GB
Display: 5.7-inch IPS LCD, 1080 full HD+, 18:9 aspect ratio
Battery: 3,000 mAh
Charging: TurboPower charger included, USB-C connector
Rear camera: 12MP and 5MP dual rear cameras; f/1.8 aperture
Front camera: 16MP
Price: Moto G6 (Indigo Black) starts at Rs 13,999 and Moto G6 Play (Indigo Black and Fine Gold) at Rs 11,999
The popularity of the Moto G series cuts across user categories — college students to junior and mid-level employees. Who do you think is your target audience?
It’s for people who want a solid mobile experience. These are people who understand the value of a phone. What these phones offer is a great mobile experience without having to spend a fortune.
You could have gone with a more powerful processor than Snapdragon 450 on the G6….
It is not just about the specs but what’s the right value we can offer consumers. Like I said, it’s about optimising the entire experience. It’s about how well the consumer can experience the processor. If there’s only a negligible difference from a high-end processor, then we can invest more dollars in other areas, like better imaging software and a better design experience.
The devices are sweetly priced. Do you think of a price and work backwards or do you keep certain features in mind?
A bit of both. We obviously know the market and we know what consumers are willing to pay for a device. Then we look at what’s the right experience we can deliver at that price. Moto G has done extremely well here. What is difficult is putting forward the idea that a phone is more than its parts.
Motorola has done a brilliant job in Brazil; it’s the top-selling unlocked phone brand in the US and it’s popular in India. How are your consumers different in Latin America and in India?
Our Brazil team has done a phenomenal job in marketing it. The Brazilian consumer is not as spec-focused as in some countries. They ask: “How does the phone fit me? How does the phone work for me?” The same goes for North America. And I think that’s a difference between consumers from Latin America and from India (where specs play an important role). I can buy this phone with all these specs integrated, like 25MP camera, which a consumer may not need but they don’t know it. At the end of the day, it’s about educating the consumer about the overall mobile experience.
How much is artificial intelligence a part of the camera?
We have our own camera app and we also partner closely with Google. We will have Google Lens integration in a few days. There is a lot of buzz around AI — is it machine learning or programme related? If-this-then-that scenario. We, in fact, launched object-scanning, text-recognition, landmark-recognition before Google Lens was launched. But once Google comes out with something and brings it to its software, we integrate. This helps us to focus on other important technologies.
Are there new Actions (gestures to make daily tasks quick and easy) on the G6?
There is one new Action, the ability to take a screenshot by placing three fingers on the screen. Little things like this make life easier. My wife had no idea about how to take screenshots but found this one so easy.
What is your favourite feature on the G6?
Smart Colour is my favourite feature. Getting cool pop art effect out of pictures excites me.
... and the competition
Redmi Note 5 Pro: Great performance with Snapdragon 636. Rs 14,999
Samsung J6: The company’s brilliant Infinity Screen makes a difference to the budget phone. Rs 13,990
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1: The phone’s battery has enough juice to last you almost two days. Rs 10,999 upwards
Honor 7X: A phone with a sturdy built and top features. Rs 12,999
