IFA 2017 | Motorola intros the Moto X4 smartphone

A few months ago, we heard about the Moto X4 for the first time. Back then, it was supposed to arrive at the end of July with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor under the hood. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Now, this mid-range smartphone is finally ready to hit the market. The problem is that it features a slower processor, namely the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630.

The new Motorola Moto X4 has an anodized aluminum frame and is rated IP68 for protection from water and dust. Although it features USB Type-C connectivity, it also keeps the 3.5 mm audio jack alive. Depending on the region, the Moto X4 comes with 3 GB or 4 GB RAM and 32 GB or 64 GB internal storage. All variants come with microSD support up to 2 TB.

The 5.2-inch IPS multitouch display has 1,920 x 1,080 pixels and uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The front camera provides 16 MP, while the main camera setup uses a 12 MP + 8 MP solution. The main camera's capabilities include 2160p/30fps and 1080p/60 fps video shooting. The selfie shooter comes with an adaptive low light mode and a new feature known as Panoramic Selfie.

The new Motorola Moto X4 runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box and is powered by a 3,000 mAh non-removable battery. The two color options available are Sterling Blue and Super Black. Various European markets will get it this month starting at EUR€399 (about US$474). According to the official press release, other markets should get it "later this fall," the US included. 

Some of the first Moto X4-related comments we've seen online include terms like "hideous" or "abomination" and claim that Motorola made a terrible mistake by changing the formula that turned previous Moto X smartphones like the Moto X (2014) into successful devices. We will find out in a few months if the sales figures confirm the validity of these opinions or not.