Exclusive: Moto's new entry-level phones, Moto C and Moto C Plus revealed

Motorola has enjoyed a lot of success at the lower end of the smartphone market, initially with the Moto G and then with the Moto E. This year we’ll be getting an even cheaper entry level product line with the all new C series. The first two devices in that range will be the Moto C and Moto C Plus, and we have renders and 360 videos of both in collaboration with OnLeaks.

First up the specs, which have already been leaked. Both Moto C models will be sold in gold, red, black and silver color options and both will run Android Nougat out of the box. They’re both packing 5-inch displays, but the Moto C squeezes in 854 x 480 pixels while the C Plus goes with 1,280 x 720 pixels.

They’re both using MediaTek chipsets, but this is where things get a little confusing. There’s a 3G and a 4G version of the Moto C (the red one in our renders), which will use a 32-bit quad-core SoC clocked at 1.3 GHz for the former and a 64-bit quad-core chipset clocked at 1.1 GHz for the latter. The Moto C Plus runs a 64-bit chipset clocked at 1.3 GHz.

All three devices support microSD card expansion, but the Moto C comes in both an 8 GB and 16 GB version while the Moto C Plus only comes with 16 GB. The Moto C has 1 GB of RAM, and the Moto C Plus has either 1 GB or 2 GB, depending on market. The Moto C measures 143.9 x 72 x 10mm and the Moto C Plus comes in at 145.5 x 73.5 x 9.1mm (10.2mm with camera bump).

On the camera front, all three have a 2 MP sensor with a front-facing flash, but the Moto C has a 5 MP sensor on the back while the Moto C Plus steps that up to 8 MP (the 3G Moto C has fixed focus and the 4G version has auto-focus). The Moto C has a 2,350 mAh battery and the Moto C Plus packs a 4,000 mAh battery.

On to the renders though. They show two very similar looking phones, although the Moto C’s camera sits flush with the back of the device while the Moto C Plus has a very minor camera bump. Both models have rear-mounted speaker with a headphone jack and micro-USB port up top.

As with the Moto E4 Plus we recently shared, both Moto C models have removable back panels, making Moto Mod accessorizing possible. Interestingly, only the Moto C has a textured power button in these renders but it’s possible that’s just an oversight.

We don’t have pricing, but considering the relationship to the already-budget Moto E4, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Moto C debut with a sub-$100 price tag. Barring any unforeseen calamities, we wouldn’t be surprised if these became Motorola’s new best-selling phones in the years to come.