Moto E 2015 vs Moto E 2014

Motorola took the market by storm after lying dormant for ages with the Moto E. The budget smartphone broke the myth that low cost smartphones cannot have superior specs. The phone came with a screen size of 4.7 inches, Android KitKat 4.0, RAM of 1GB and quad core processor. The handset became phenomenally successful and spawned two other models, the Moto E and Moto X. The Moto E was a low cost phone which did not have a front camera. However, it had a RAM of 1GB and Android KitKat and 5MP primary camera.

The Moto G and Moto X flagship models from Motorola have seen their second generations being launched in the market. How could the Moto E stay behind?

The speculations about a new Moto E model came into light when the price of the Moto E 2014 was slashed online. The company has launched the second generation of the Moto E without much fanfare. Given the fact that the handset is supposed to be for developing nations, it is expected that the handset shall be made available in India soon. What makes the handset a second generation one? It has several key improvements in specs and supports 4G LTE now. Some of the added features of the phone include:

Design

The Moto E is a little bigger than its predecessor although the same thickness is maintained in this handset. The phone has a slight curve to its design as well. When it comes to portability, it appears as if the phone has been made a little heavier. The previous Moto E had a weight of 142 grams but the new model weighs 145 grams. However, a slight addition of 3 grams shall not matter much to a user.

When it comes to designs, Motorola has made some subtle additions and tried to make use of the same kind of aesthetics that have been seen in higher end Moto X and Moto G devices. The Moto E used to be enabled with twin metal bars- below and above the display unit of the phone. The new handset does not have the metal bar down below. The colour palette of the handset has been expanded and new covers called bands have been introduced in the phone. They are available in six different colours including turquoise, golden yellow, raspberry, blue, red and purple. The new handset also has 5 grip shells which come in charcoal, golden yellow, raspberry, blue and turquoise.

Display

The second generation Moto E has a slight alteration in the display unit. The size of the phone has been increased to 4.5 inches from 4.3 inches which makes it comparable to the Moto G’s size. However, the resolution of the phone continues to disappoint as there has been no change at all. The display is a quad HD one with a resolution of only 960X540 pixels. This means the display of the Moto E 2014 is a better one as more pixels were squeezed into the smaller display unit. The older Moto E had pixels density of 265 ppi which is more compared to the one in the new model, 245 ppi. However, such a minor change won’t be noticeable under regular circumstances.

Operating System

While the Motorola handsets are continuing with their Android Lollipop soak tests for Moto E 2014, the new handset shall be powered by Android Lollipop. It means you can have all the latest features from Google in this budget handset. The company has also added features such as Moto Display for updates and notifications.

Camera

One of the biggest problems with the Moto E 2014 was the absence of a front facing camera which disappointed selfie enthusiasts. However, with the latest Moto E, the issue has been fixed. A mere VGA camera has been placed in front which is still better than having no camera. The firm has also kept the 5MP rear camera but the fixed focus camera has been converted into an autofocus one.

The firm has also toyed a little with the gestures available on the handset. If you turn your wrist twice, the camera shall be launched in the Moto E quickly. This was not there in the previous model of the Moto E and is quite a novelty.

Storage

The limited storage was often a hindrance to Moto E users. However, the storage capacity has now been doubled to 8GB in the latest model. A 16GB model has also been launched in the market. You can expand the storage space of the phone up to 32GB using a MicroSD card.

Processor

The phone has been enabled with a quad core processor, which is better than the dual core one which was there in the first generation Moto E. The second generation Moto E has a Qualcomm 410 Snapdragon processor which clocks a speed of 1.2 GHz. The phone is a big improvement upon the Qualcomm Snapdragon’s 200 CPU which was there in the first generation Moto E. The RAM of 1GB has been retained in the phone. A 3G version has been launched with the Moto E which shall have a processor of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 type with 32 bits and speed of 1.2 GHz. The Adreno GPU 302 processor clocked a speed of 400MHz.

Battery

The Moto E second generation shall be powered by a 2390 mAh battery which is a big move from the 1920mAh battery that is there in the Moto E’s 2014 model. This battery would last you through the day with moderate usage.

Final Word

The Motorola Moto E shall be launched in fifty countries. The first model shall be launched in the US. The 3G unlocked versions shall cost around $119.99 which translates to Rs.7430/-. This means the price would be a little higher than what was predicted for India. The 4G LTE version shall cost $149.99 which is around Rs 9288. It is yet to be cleared up if the 4G version shall be made available in the country.