Moto Z3 Play revealed by Motorola: Still modding

This morning we've come to understand Motorola and Lenovo's true dedication to their modular smartphone accessory system. It was a good sign seeing the Moto Z2, the second generation for the MotoMod system. Here in 2018, seeing the Moto Z3 Play is confirmation enough to buy in to the system – several more accessories deep.

The Moto Z3 Play will have a 6.01-inch display up front with super AMOLED technology. This display will be 2160 x 1080 pixels Full HD+, with an aspect ratio of 18:9 and a screen-to-body ration of 79%. This device connects with USB-C and has no headphone jack. Dimensions are 76.5 x 156.5 x 6.75mm, and this device has a weight of 156g. It's very thin and very light, but made with metal and glass – so it's no slouch.

Up front and around back are 2.5D glass panels. Around the edges is a 6000 series polished aluminum frame. Water protection on this device is rated p2i, which means the following: "Advanced nano-coating technology creates a water repellent barrier to help protect against moderate exposure to water such as accidental spills, splashes or light rain. Not designed to be submersed in water, or exposed to pressurized water, or other liquids; Not waterproof."

Inside is NFC, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU, and Bluetooth 5.0. This device has 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi, and works with TurboPower charging technology. This phone has 4 far-field microphones on it and one "front-port loud speaker."

The camera setup on the back is as follows: 12 MP, f1.7, 1.4um + 5 MP depth, Dual Autofocus Pixel (pDAF), Color Correlated Temperature (CCT) dual LED flash, Zero Shutter Lag (ZSL). That's two lenses in a setup very similar to last year's – just a bit different. The backside camera can capture up to 4K Ultra HD video at 30fps. Up front is another camera: 8 MP, f2.0, 1.12um, wide-angle 84° lens, with screen flash.

The Motorola-made Moto Z Play Gen 3, or Moto Z3 Play, will be available in-store at U.S. Cellular and Sprint in the USA. Users will also be able to find the device "universally unlocked" at retail locations like Best Buy, Walmart, Target, Fry's, and B&H Photo. There'll be an Amazon Prime Exclusive Phone version available on Amazon online.

The Moto Z3 Play will be made available in a bundle with a battery Moto Mod for $499 USD. It'll come (at first) in one color: DEEP INDIGO. There may be other options available in the near future – but for now, that's what's up! ALSO: Launch date thus far is simply "this summer."

NOTE: We've reviewed past Moto Z devices and we'll be reviewing this Moto Z3 Play, as well. Stay tuned for our in-depth look at how this device works and how well it's working!