Motorola's modular phone may be getting ready for an encore. The Lenovo-owned phone maker is reportedly developing a new version of the smartphone called the Moto Z2 Force. And it might be available in more places than last year's Moto Z models.
Serial leaker Evan Blass tweeted this week that Lenovo is planning to release the Moto Z2 Force at multiple carriers, rather than make the device a Verizon exclusive as the Moto Z Force and Moto Z Droid were. While it's unclear how many carriers would sell the new phone, Blass says that T-Mobile will offer it alongside Verizon. Sprint is also rumored as a potential carrier. And since AT&T likely won't want to be left behind, look for the device to possibly pop up there, as well.
For its part, Motorola hasn't revealed what its plans are for the Moto Z2 Force, and the company hasn't even confirmed it's working on the device. But several rumors have cropped up of late suggesting some big updates are coming.
Surprisingly, Motorola beat Apple to the punch last year when it ditched the headphone jack in the Moto Z Force. However, leaked images published this week by Android Authority suggest that port is making a comeback.
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Android Authority, along with OnLeaks, published renderings of what they described as the Moto Z2 Force design. The device appears to come with a rounded and thin design like its predecessor. There's also a massive bump on the back, featuring two rear lenses, which would match the camera you'd find in the iPhone 7 Plus.
Additionally, the Moto Z2 Force will be a high-end handset, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835. That's the same processor that just debuted in Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8+.
Although the Moto Z2 Force will try to compete with the Galaxy S8 or LG G6, it won't come with a similar design, according to reports. Instead, Motorola is planning a traditional flat screen with big bezels at the top and bottom. So, no curved screen or a display that will entirely cover the face here. The display is expected to measure 5.5 inches.
Instead of physical home button under the display, Moto Z2 Force renderings suggest the company is planning a sensor that you'll use to unlock the device with your fingerprint or go back to your home page. Volume buttons will sit on the side.
The new Z2 Force will retain Motorola's modular design, where you can swap in various add-ons to the phone. At Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Motorola stressed that it plans to introduce new Moto Mods every quarter. That includes a mod that adds Alexa integration to the Moto Z lineup, with Motorola promising deep integration with more of its smartphones.
The addition of the headphone jack has apparently not caused any problem with redesigning the Moto Z2 Force to be thinner than its predecessor. According to Android Authority's sources, the Z2 Force will come in at 6mm thick (8.5mm with the camera). Last year's model was 7mm thick.
One other tidbit: if you get the Moto Z2 Force on Sprint, you'll get support for Category 16 download speeds that will be really, really fast.
