Motorola is on a roll this year, and while fans of the company are increasingly angrier at the smartphone manufacturer because of its support system since Lenovo took over, the company is still going forward with new launches. The Droid Turbo 2 is the next big thing and thanks to the huge amounts of hype around the device, it has already been leaked quite a number of times, so that we now know just about everything there is to know about the next Verizon-exclusive Droid smartphone. The Droid Turbo 2 release date is set for October 27 when Verizon and Motorola will be holding a massive Droid launch event that will not only see the official Droid Turbo 2 launch, but also the addition of the Droid Maxx to this year’s mid-range smartphone portfolio from Motorola.
The Droid Turbo 2 is one of the most anticipated Motorola smartphones of the year, but it will still have to compete with widely popular and appreciated devices from its parent company, such as the Nexus 6 from last year, the Moto X Play. Moto X Style, Moto X Pure as well as with flagship smartphones from even bigger companies like Samsung and Apple. The Droid Turbo 2 will most likely give these options a run for the money, seeing as the leaks about the device do make us wonder if we’re reading about a futuristic industrial communication device or a regular smartphone. The former might be the case.
Right now, Android fans are angry at Motorola. That’s because while the company had excellent customer support for its smartphones, alongside the fastest updates on the planet, ever since the Lenovo takeover was finalized last year, support has gone to hell. One reason for that are the massive layoffs at the company, which lead to small teams having to deal with a volume of work that is increasingly more difficult to keep up with. Hopefully, things within the company get stabilized and Lenovo will keep Motorola as a company that can provide excellent support.
The Droid Turbo 2 will be launched as a Verizon-exclusive device, but an international version called the Moto X Force will also be made available to those who don’t like Verizon’s services. Since it’s a Motorola device, we thought it would be nice to pit it against one of the most highly-regarded smartphones from the company, the Moto X Pure. The Moto X Pure is everything a stock-Android fan would want without buying a Nexus device. Stock Android with a few Motorola enhancements and excellent performance. Can the Droid Turbo 2 end up being better than that?
The Motorola Droid Turbo 2 is set for release in a week or so, but we already know most of its specs and a few elements about its design. While you should take this information with a grain of salt, it’s pretty plausible and reliable, seeing as various certification documents, internal memos, Verizon documentation and flyers as well as benchmark scores stand behind it. While the real Droid Turbo 2 might still end up being a bit different, most of these specs will most likely be part of its hardware setup.
As such, the Droid Turbo 2 display is said to be a slightly larger 5.4-inch IPS panel with a QuadHD resolution of 1440*2560. That’s a slightly bigger screen than its predecessor. Besides increasing the display size, Motorola will also make the screen out of a shatterproof glass that will offer the Droid Turbo 2 increased durability, similar to the LG G Flex 2. Moreover, according to Verizon documentation obtained by Droid Life, the Droid Turbo 2 will be part of the Moto Maker program, which means users will be able to cusomize the design of their smartphones with different finishes.
The documentation also shows off a bit of the Droid Turbo 2 design, which is similar to the Moto X Pure design. With the button in the middle of the back panel, probably hiding a fingerprint sensor and the small accents around the smartphone, the Droid Turbo 2 seems to look much nicer. Since Verizon colors will only be option, we expect more people to be interested in the handset. Whether different build materials will also be configurable is still under a big question mark. Although we expect to see kevlar and silicone finishes, we’re not sure if the handset will be taking the same approach as last year.
Under the hood, the Droid Turbo 2 will feature specs like a Snapdragon 810 CPU, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB and 64 GB internal storage with a microSD card slot also available. The camera setup of the phone will be especially impressive, as the 20 MP Sony sensor on the rear should feature dual-tone flash and optical image stabilization. The wrist flick will also be a supported gesture, and it will allow users to take snapshots or rather activate the camera with a flick of the wrist. The front camera won’t be as impressive, but it will still be a rather good one measuring 5 MP and sporting a wide-angle lens.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow is going to be the operating system on board the Droid Turbo 2. Although sources claim Lollipop will be the OS of the handset, the release schedule for the phone suggests otherwise. First certification appearances of the Droid Turbo 2 took place this Summer, so the smartphone has been waiting for a launch for a few months now. Most likely, Motorola is waiting until they’re done with Android 6.0 Marshmallow to launch the Droid Turbo 2 with it on board. The October 27 release date corroborates that claim, seeing as Motorola is already in possession of the source code and has probably already tweaked it for release with the handset.
One of the main features of the Droid Turbo 2 will be battery life, as rumors suggest we should expect at least two days of regular use out of the smartphone, based on its 4000 mAh battery, 100 mAh larger than in last year’s model. Motorola has outfitted the handset with 4G LTE and there has also been talk of wireless charging being supported. Quick Charge 2.0 is pretty much part of the deal thanks to Qualcomm’s chipset, but wireless charging is still somewhat of an uncertainty. The fingerprint sensor and button placement also qualify for this category, seeing as there’s little information about them. The good news is that the Droid Turbo 2 will most likely sport dual front-facing stereo speakers, similar to HTC’s BoomSound speakers, and those would be a very much appreciated feature.
Although none of these features are officially confirmed and are definitely subject to change, the Motorola Droid Turbo 2 is ready to be released. While we don’t know if the Moto X Force international version of the phone will also be launched on October 27, we certainly hope it doesn’t get too delayed. Rumor is that Motorola is hosting another event in India to launch new phones, which might see the launch of the international version as well as the launch of the international version of the Droid Maxx 2, which will also be launched with the Droid Turbo 2. While the Droid Turbo 2 seems like an interesting pick, let’s see how it measures up to the already popular Moto X Pure.
One of the main differences between the two will be software. Although the Droid Turbo 2 has less skinning than other smartphones, it will still sport Verizon bloat, which is a bummer. That gives a bonus point to the Moto X Pure and its stock-Android software, soon to be updated to Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The Moto X Pure is also a more mainstream smartphone that doesn’t come with durability features but still offers extended customization through the Moto Maker platform.
The Moto X Pure Editions is essentially the Moto X Style, but without bloatware and skinning. As such, it sports just about the same hardware features and design. Although not as durable as the Motorola Droid Turbo 2, the Moto X Pure offers a streamlined ergonomic design that is customizable and similar to last year’s model. Design changes are minimal, but the handset is considerably larger than last year’s Moto X. The Moto X Pure comes with a 5.7-inch QuadHD panel, sporting IP58 water-repellant coating. The display is stunning and the extra Moto features that are included are also pretty neat to make use of.
Under the hood, the Moto X Pure could be very similar to the Droid Turbo 2, if the latter’s specs prove to be accurate. The already popular handset comes with a Snapdragon 808 processor, 3 GB RAM, 16, 32 and 64 GB storage options and a microSD card slot for expansion. The camera setup is impressive with a 21 MP sensor complete with dual-tone flash and phase detection autofocus. That might give the Droid Turbo 2 camera a run for its money, although it might become the better camera smartphone thanks to the optical image stabilization that is said to be on board. The front camera of the Moto X Pure is most likely the same 5 MP sensor, but with an added flash up front which comes in handy more than one would think at first.
The battery life of the Moto X Pure isn’t spectacular, but it does manage to get through a day and a half of regular usage with its 3000 mAh battery unit. The Droid Turbo 2 might be the winner in the battery life department, considering its slightly better processor, bigger battery and smaller display. The Moto X Pure doesn’t feature wireless charging, but it does come with fast charging. If wireless charging is on board the Droid Turbo 2, it might take the lead in the autonomy department.
The price of the Moto X Pure starts at about $400 unlocked, of course, which is a very impressive price point for a flagship smartphone that can easily compete with the Nexus 5X, Galaxy S6 and other mainstream flagship devices launched this year. The Droid Turbo 2 price is said to be around $650, but Verizon will be offering finance plans and exchange programs that might bring that price down to the equivalent of the Moto X Pure.
Even if the Motorola Droid Turbo 2 comes in at a more affordable price, it might not have the positive impact the Moto X Pure does. Although the durability features will most certainly be appealing to some, getting in bed with Verizon might not sit well with them. Ultimately, I believe the Moto X Force is what everyone is waiting for and that might have a shot at dethroning the crowd-favorite Moto X Pure. We’ll just have to wait and see on October 27, when every detail will be revealed.
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