The Moto Z series is probably the best attempt on a modular device right now. You can add new functions by simply snapping on a Moto Mod and you don’t need to restart the phone. At the moment, they have released four Moto Mods which includes a speaker, a pico projector, a camera with 10X zoom and a power pack. Of course, the possibility is endless and Lenovo has made Moto Mods open with their Development Kit.
To spur development of new accessories, they have collaborated with Indiegogo to bring new Moto Mods to life.
From now until 31 January 2017, Lenovo wants you to share your best Moto Mods idea and you’ll stand a chance to win a MDK (Moto Mods Development Kit) and a Moto Z. On top of that, they are also inviting developers to participate in their Moto Mod Hackathons that’s happening in New York and San Francisco. Lenovo wants more parties to be involved and they have set aside US$1 million of funds to turn great Mod ideas into reality.
The Moto Mods Development Kit allows you to build your own Moto Mod prototype and you could connect it to an existing Rasperry Pi HATs. There are also personality cards with various features and sensors that you can plug into the Reference Moto Mod.
Moto Mods are a key differentiator for the Moto Z series and Lenovo says they will continue to support them in their future flagships. For Malaysia, the Moto Z flagship and its mid-range Moto Z Play was recently launched at RM2,699 and RM1,799 respectively.
The True Zoom Mod costs RM1,299 while the Insta-Share projector costs RM1,399. Meanwhile the JBL SoundBooster speaker is priced at RM599 while the offGRID Power Pack costs RM499. Since the ultra-thin Moto Z lacks a headphone jack, a thicker powerpack with a 3.5mm port would make a nice addition to the series. If you haven’t seen it yet, below is a recap on the new Moto Z series.
