Yup, I'm here today to talk to you about Motorola again. And I know exactly what you're going to say - what could have possibly happened between my last two editorials focused on this brand and now to warrant another 800-word analysis of the good, the bad, and the ugly things Samsung and Apple's rising rival is doing to rise further?
The answer, believe it or not, is quite lengthy, including the names of not one, not two, and not three but four different handsets unveiled in the last seven days alone. In order of their recent public appearances, you've got the Moto G67 Power, Moto G (2026), Moto G Play (2026), and Moto G57 Power.
For an Android power user, none of those names is likely to sound particularly exciting (which is a little ironic given that two of them actually have the word "Power" in them), but for "normal" folks like me who can appreciate a solid mid-ranger with respectable specs and affordable pricing, this avalanche of new products is like Christmas in November. Unfortunately, just like every Christmas has ugly sweaters and messy family reunions, the aforementioned Moto G quartet has its share of very obvious and annoying flaws.
Why is the US getting the most mediocre new devices... again?
I hope you don't expect me to answer that rhetorical question, because I've been baffled by Motorola's US product release strategy for many years now, and I can't say I'm surprised to see the Moto G (2026) and Moto G Play (2026) carry on the puzzling legacy of their forerunners.
Just as the Moto G (2025) is nothing special, with a sub-par "HD+" screen in tow, an unremarkable 5,000mAh battery under the hood, and a decent but not exactly irresistible $199.99 price tag attached to its name, the Moto G (2026) fails to blow my mind with its unchanged display resolution, slightly larger 5,200mAh cell, and unchanged price point.
Can you do better at two Benjamins stateside? Probably not, but I know for a fact that Motorola could have done better and thus make it a lot easier for cash-strapped smartphone buyers to snub the likes of Samsung's Galaxy A16 5G, and presumably, the Galaxy A17 5G before long.
The $169.99 Moto G Play (2026) is naturally even worse, including in terms of bang for your buck, with a single rear-facing camera and a disappointing 64 gigs of internal storage space paired with a mediocre 4GB RAM count.
And now let's see what the Moto G57 Power offers at a recommended price of €279 in Europe. 7,000mAh battery - check. Military-grade durability - you got it. 256GB storage and 8GB RAM at no extra cost - check and check.