Moto Z Play Droid review: A mid-range modular phone with a headphone jack

The Moto Z and Moto Z Force are two of Lenovo/Motorola’s finest smartphones and its Moto Mods are the best shot at making modular phones a reality (at least until Google’s Project Ara launches next year). 

Joining the Z family is the new Moto Z Play Droid, an Android device with mid-range specs, a long-lasting battery and one feature the Z and Z Force don’t have: a headphone jack. 

Works with all Moto Mods 

A Verizon-exclusive in the U.S., the Z Play Droid eschews the Z and Z Force’s rigid metal design for a glass sandwich (a booming trend in the Android world).  

It still has the same magnetic pin system protruding out of the backside for interfacing with Moto Mods. It’s fully compatible with all existing Moto Mods, like the expensive portable projector, external speaker, battery pack and the new Hasselblad True Zoom camera attachment. 

IMAGE: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE

IMAGE: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE

In my opinion, the metal pins clash with the glass back. I much prefer the cohesive coldness of the exposed pins with the striped metal on the Z and Z Force. It’s not the ugliest design by any means (I like the the glass back look). It’s just not as sleek as its siblings. 

The massive camera hump is still an eyesore, but like I said when I reviewed the Z and Z Force, it’s easily mitigated by throwing on a Moto Shell Case (sold separately) to make the entire backside flush. 

The middle sibling 

The screen’s the same 5.5 inches, but with a lower full HD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution as opposed to a sharper Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) resolution. It’s plenty sharp with 403 pixels per inch (ppi) and you won’t find many faults looking at it, but if you’re planning on using it with VR headsets like Google Cardboard or the Homido V2, you’re going to get a subpar viewing experience. 

The fingerprint sensor works but it's no home button.

IMAGE: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE

Below the screen is the same squircle-shaped fingerprint sensor like on the Z and Z Force and G4 and G4 Plus. It’s super responsive and long-pressing it to lock the screen is still handy. The only downside is it’s still not a home button. Pressing it expecting it to bring you back to the homescreen is a lost cause. The fingerprint sensor is also useful for buying things with Android Pay. 

The Z Play Droid’s no powerhouse with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and 3GB of RAM. While it’s not in the same league as the beefier Z and Z Force, it’s good enough to play Pokémon Go and take all the Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook you throw at it. It’s not like most people are using their phones to build rocket ships for NASA or anything. 

As always, Lenovo’s kept Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow mostly stock with a few of its own Motorola twists such as the quick camera launch (double twist gesture) and quick flashlight (double chop gesture). There’s also Moto Display, Actions and Voice, which provide a more contextually-aware phone experience. 

So much bloatware.

IMAGE: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE

Excessive bloatware is still an issue. Most of them are from Verizon and third-party apps you’ll want to either immediately remove or disable. Bloatware is the cost when phone makers sign a deal with the carriers and they care more about their own partnership interests than pleasing customers. You know, the people who are supposed to pay money for these things. 

Pull out the nano SIM card tray and you’ll also a find a microSD card slot to expand the 32GB of internal storage up to a theoretical 2TB (256GB cards are the largest currently available and they’re kinda pricey). 

The Z Force Droid is equipped with a 16-megapixel camera on the back with dual-LED flash, laser autofocus and phase detection autofocus. The front camera is a 5-megapixel shooter with an LED flash.

IMAGE: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE

The cameras have always a weak point on Motorola smartphones and while the Z Force Droid takes good photos, they pale in comparison to what Samsung’s Galaxy S7, S7 Edge and Note7 are capable of. 

For video, the rear camera can shoot 4K video at up to 30 frames per second (fps) and slow-motion video at 720p resolution at 120 fps. 

As I mentioned earlier, battery life is pretty good on the Z Play Droid. Motorola claims it’s good for up to 50 hours on a charge with mixed usage. As a somewhat heavy user, I got around 40 hours on a charge, but as always, if you manage your phone settings well, you can squeeze more battery life from a single charge. Besides, the Z Play Droid supports quick charging with the included Turbo Charger which gives you up to 10 hours of battery life with 15 minutes of topping off via the reversible USB-C port. 

A modest modular phone 

IMAGE: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE

The success of modular phones depends on two things: tons of (hopefully affordable) modules that really make investing in the modular system worth it and lots of phone options to choose from.

Adding the Z Play Droid gives Lenovo and customers three choices to pick from. If the Moto Z’s battery is too thin and the Moto Z Force’s battery is too thick and both phones' lack of a headphone jack isn’t kosher to you, then maybe the $408 (full cost, payable in monthly installments) Z Play Droid is the one for you. 

The only thing high-end about the Z Play Droid might be its metal and glass design, but that’s okay because it’s not intended to compete with the S7 and iPhone 6S. It’s the modular phone for the masses who have a tighter budget ... if you’re on Verizon or plan to switch to it. (There will be an unlocked verison of the Z Play Droid available in October for $450.)

Moto Z Play Droid

The Good

Works with all Moto Mods • Long battery life • Includes a headphone jack • Water-repellent

The Bad

Weaker performance • So much Verizon bloatware • Average cameras • Fingerprint sensor still doesn’t work like a home button

The Bottom Line

The Moto Z Play Droid is a decent addition to the Moto Z modular family, but it isn’t a groundbreaking device.

Still pining for the 3.5mm headphone jack? Intel is here to comfort you

Upcoming smartphones might not have a 3.5mm headphone jack. It all still hangs on a rumor that Apple's iPhone will shun all connectors but its proprietary Lightning jack (some Android models out this year already did it). Still, this is a harsh reality for many consumers who likely aren't crazy about buying a dongle just to connect their headphones to a phone. 

But there might be a silver lining. And Intel, at its annual IDF show, is doing its best to persuade the public that USB Type-C is a better alternative to the 3.5mm connector. 

Cnet has the scoop from Intel architects Brad Saunders and Rahman Ismail, who had described a new USB audio standard that will hopefully come with a future iteration of USB Type-C. The details from the presentation can be found here. 

First, the obvious: A 3.5mm headphone jack and the necessary circuitry take space inside a phone — space which could be used for other things like a bigger speaker. The circuitry could also cause interference with the already crammed electronic guts of a phone. 

IMAGE: INTEL

More importantly, the 3.5mm headphone jack is an analog connector, meaning it can transfer sound but is otherwise quite dumb. In contrast, a USB Type-C connector can deliver preprocessed sound (so you could get noise cancellation or virtual surround even on regular headphones). It can also control how much power it sends (by disabling the microphone when it's not needed, for example). On the other hand, it can charge your noise-cancelling headphones while you're listening to music. 

The drawbacks, of course, are still there. You won't be able to charge your phone and listen to music at the same time (except with a special dongle). You'll also need a dongle to connect your old headphones with new phones. And you'll likely have to say "dongle" a lot. But the tradeoff might just be worth it. 

The updated USB Type-C specification will also include the ability to transfer video, as well as an authentication standard that should prevent connecting rogue or tampered-with devices from wreaking havoc on your system. 

Note that in the world of phones, all of this only pertains to Android devices, which manufacturers have largely committed to the USB Type-C standard. Samsung's new Galaxy Note 7 uses it, as do LG's G5 and Huawei's P9. But Apple will likely stick with its Lightning connector on the iPhone, which is also a digital connector that offers a variety of advantages over an analog jack. That said, Apple does use the USB Type-C connector on its latest MacBook.

Intel says the specification for the new standard should arrive later this quarter. 

Source says Apple may be releasing its own wireless earbuds soon

Today in the ever-disappointing iPhone 7 missing headphone jack saga: Forbes is reporting that Apple has developed a custom Bluetooth radio chip for wireless earbuds. 

This might be exciting because Apple is making them and there's a chance they'll actually have decent battery life, unlike most bluetooth headphones. 

It's important to note, however, that Forbes never names the source or a release date. We also don't know how the headphones would work to preserve battery life, or what else actually makes them special. And even this anonymous source is reporting that the headphones have been delayed in the past due to performance issues. 

If Apple can't develop its own headphones, the company may use a third-party supplier like Broadcom, which they used for other wireless technologies. The developers working on the headphones are technically external recruits from an Oakland-based semiconductor startup called Passif. Apple in 2013 acquired the company, which describes its mission as making “switch-based wireless transceivers with low power consumption and a small footprint.”

In other words, they may or may not actually come out alongside the iPhone 7 in September. But pressure is high to do so, now that Samsung just announced its own Bluetooth earbuds, GearIconX.

But Apple sets high standards for itself. It seems we'll either get some stellar headphones or nothing at all. 

“The way it works at Apple is if it doesn’t work 100%, it gets cut,” Forbes' anonymous source said.

Source says Apple may be releasing its own wireless earbuds soon

Today in the ever-disappointing iPhone 7 missing headphone jack saga: Forbes is reporting that Apple has developed a custom Bluetooth radio chip for wireless earbuds.

This might be exciting because Apple is making them and there's a chance they'll actually have decent battery life, unlike most bluetooth headphones. 

It's important to note, however, that Forbes never names the source or a release date. We also don't know how the headphones would work to preserve battery life, or what else actually makes them special. And even this anonymous source is reporting that the headphones have been delayed in the past due to performance issues.  

If Apple can't develop its own headphones, the company may use a third-party supplier like Broadcom, which they used for other wireless technologies. The developers working on the headphones are technically external recruits from an Oakland-based semiconductor startup called Passif. Apple in 2013 acquired the company, which describes its mission as making “switch-based wireless transceivers with low power consumption and a small footprint.”

In other words, they may or may not actually come out alongside the iPhone 7 in September. But pressure is high to do so, now that Samsung just announced its own Bluetooth earbuds, GearIconX.

But Apple sets high standards for itself. It seems we'll either get some stellar headphones or nothing at all. 

“The way it works at Apple is if it doesn’t work 100%, it gets cut,” Forbes' anonymous source said.

Phones without headphone jacks are here... and they're annoying AF

"Wah wah wah. Get over it Ray."

That's the response I expect to hear from all the apologists who think that smartphones without headphone jacks are NBD.

I'll agree to disagree. The headphone jack and loss of it on the devices we use the most is a very big deal. A massive deal. A deal of epic proportions that will have ramifications on not just phones but the entire consumer electronics world.

NBD my butt.

The 3.5mm headphone jack as we've known it for the last 50 years is on the chopping block. Apple is widely expected to ditch the established audio port on this year's new iPhones, paving way for Lightning port-compatible earbuds and headphones.

In the Android camp, phones like Lenovo's Moto Z and Moto Z Force and China's LeEco have already scrapped the 3.5mm headphone jack; to listen to music on the company's three latest phones, users need to plug in USB Type-C headphones, go wireless, or use a dongle.

Oh, great! Another damn dongle to buy, attach and detach and eventually lose.

"Who wouldn't want a dozen dongles?" 😏

The Moto Z comes with a USB Type-C-to-3.5mm headphone jack dongle.

IMAGE: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE

I'm all for letting go of old technologies to push forward, but what is happening is actually going to make things worse.

The headphone jack has worked for 50 years and it can work for another 50 more because it's universal.

Headphones I plug into my iPhone work in an Android phone, in a BlackBerry, in my computer, in my PS4 controller, in my tablet, in any speaker with audio-out, and so on.

I can walk into any electronics store and pick up a pair of headphones and not have to worry about compatibility with any of my devices. I know it'll work.

But that's going to get all f*cked up soon. 

The soon-to-be Lightning headphones for Apple's iOS devices will not work with Android devices that will use USB Type-C headphones and vice versa. And neither of these will work with any of your other devices unless they have a USB Type-C port.

How is that consumer friendly? 

Sure, I could get a pair of Bluetooth headphones. But have you ever used them before?

Unless you pick up a pair of Bang & Olfusens or high-end Bose or Bowers & Wilkins or Parrot Ziks, the vast majority of Bluetooth headphones sound terrible and have unreliable, unpredictable connectivity. Not to mention you have to charge them up. I hate charging up accessories.

To be fair, some Bluetooth headphones also offer a wired input, but guess what? They only work with the 3.5mm headphone jack. Tough luck, buddy!

As Mashable's Product Analyst, I test and review gadgets for a living. I test Apple devices, Android devices, Microsoft devices — all kinds of stuff. I also own many devices made by different companies.

What it'll be like to use Lightning-based headphones with an Android phone with USB-C and no headphone jack #hell pic.twitter.com/8dCWysGfdm

— Raymond Wong (@raywongy) July 21, 2016

With a universal headphone jack, I never have to worry whether or not the crappy pack-in iPhone EarPods I have will work with the Android phone I'm reviewing or not. I also never have to worry if I'll be able to plug my headphones into a friend's phone to listen to some new song. Same applies for when I want to use my earbuds and headphones with another person's device."Just use a dongle and shut up already! Man you're a baby."

And there lies the real issue. I will need different dongles — a Lightning-to-headphone-jack and a USB-Type-C-to-headphone-jack to be prepared because I do carry both iPhone and Android phone on me daily.

Dongles also get lost. The easy thing to do is get a dongle for all of your headphones and leave it there. But if you're switching between devices, you're going to end up removing the dongle, like I did, and lose it somehow. And you're asking me to buy dongles for each pair of several pairs of headphones? Get outta here!

In fact, I lost the included dongle that came with the Moto Z by accident days after I started using it. 

I knew it would happen: I lost my Moto Z's headphone jack dongle. Can't use my backup earbuds bc corner deli doesn't sell dongles 😑

— Raymond Wong (@raywongy) July 18, 2016

I know transition periods are painful. It was hard moving from Apple's 30-pin connector on the iPod and iPhone 4S (and older) to Lightning. I had to buy new docks and new cables. I'm sure Apple and all the accessory makers really raked in the dough then and they're going to do so again when people have to buy new Lightning headphones.

It's one thing to transition from one Apple proprietary port to another Apple proprietary port. But it's a seismic shift to switch from a universal standard used in so many devices to a proprietary Apple one. 

This breaking of interoperability is a net lose for everyone for years to come.

All of this says nothing about the fact it's impossible to charge these jack-less phones with battery packs and listen to music at the same time with wired headphones.

Maybe I'll look back at this one day when the headphone jack is long gone and laugh at how wrong I was, but I just don't see this being a smooth transition, not with two different port standards vying for your dollar.

At the very least since Lightning is an Apple-only port, Apple should switch to USB Type-C on its iOS devices.

USB Type-C was designed to be an industry standard. If Apple gets behind USB Type-C for its iPhones and iPads (it's already there on the 12-inch MacBook and is likely going to make its way to new MacBook Pros later this year), the switch will be easier since USB Type-C will be everywhere.

Intel recently joined in favor of killing the aged audio port, too, and replacing it with USB Type-C — not just specifically for smartphones, but for all devices from computers to tablets.

As if it wasn't already an Apple vs. everyone else world, this "removing the headphone jack" change is only going to divide the camps up even more.

Replacing the headphone jack reminds me of the video format wars fought throughout the years (i.e. VHS vs. Betamax, VCD vs. DVD and Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD). 

In every one of those battles, only one emerged victorious to become the physical media format.

The logical bet is on wireless. Bluetooth headphones have improved tremendously in sound, battery life and connectivity within the last five years and will get even better by the end of the decade.

In the meantime, it means dealing with incompatibility issues. Or use dongles. Oh. God. Dongles. There's nothing worse than being pushed back to move forward.