Usually, you can’t have your gadget cake and eat it.
If you have a nice phone, odds are that it’s not going to survive when you inevitably drop it. Of course, you could stick it in a bulky case and ruin the entire look and feel. Or, you could pick up this instead…
The Moto Z2 Force is a combination of last year’s ultra-thin Moto Z and the shatter-proof Moto Z force – which, by the way – never made it to the Middle East. This new model looks similar to the old one, but it’s slightly chunkier thanks to a dual-lens camera and slightly bigger battery.
Still, the phone is ridiculously thin. It’s just 6.1 millimetres thick, and also super lightweight. For some people, that makes this large phone ideal. But for others, it might be too lightweight for comfort. Still, it’s made of hardy aluminium and packs that all-important ShatterShield screen – so it won’t break if you drop it.
Elsewhere, there is a very pronounced camera bump on the back. That’s home to not one, but two twelve megapixel cameras. One is dedicated to monochrome shots, meaning it can take true black and white photos without using a filter. Neither camera has optical zoom though, nor there’s no optical image stabilisation either.
This phone’s relative size only becomes an issue when you talk battery life. It packs a relatively small battery, which can just about tease an entire day of heavy use out of the Moto Z2. But that’s where the Moto Z mods come in to play.
The biggest selling point to the Z2 models are Motorola’s mods. These modular accessories give the smartphone superpowers, of sorts. These snap on to the back of the phone using magnets, and provide a host of extra options including 360-degree photos and video, a videogame joypad or additional battery.
Each snaps on and off relatively easily, and most importantly, seamlessly. Snap on the 360-degree camera, for example, and the phone automatically adds the additional features and menus to the smartphone’s camera app.
The only downside to these modifications is the additional price. They vary, but you’re going to be looking at an extra few hundred dirhams per mod – which may ultimately break the bank for features that come natively in other smartphones.
Ultimately, if you are looking for a smartphone that isn’t going to smash the moment you drop it – despite being incredibly thin – then this is the smartphone for you.
The modular elements are a tad useful, although we think people will get the most use out of the Moto Turbo Power battery pack.
