Motorola One Action announced: Is it the GoPro of the smartphone world?

Looking to capture your hardcore inner-city stunts or outdoor adventures? Say hello to the Motorola One Action, the latest entry in Motorola’s One line of Android One smartphones.

Officially announced today, the Motorola One Action gets its name from the 16MP (f/2.2, 117 degree field of view, pixel-binning) ultra-wide sensor on the rear. Thanks to the narrow frame of the One Action and the camera’s wide field of view, you can record videos vertically and play them back in landscape mode. Unfortunately, you can’t use this ultra-wide angle sensor to take still pictures.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a camera solely devoted to video recording on a smartphone. Sharp’s dual camera-toting Aquos R2 and Aquos R3 serve up an ultra-wide rear video camera too, although these phones are capable of simultaneously capturing video with one rear camera while taking photos with the other rear camera. There’s no word if Motorola has implemented a similar feature on the One Action.

A 12MP f/1.8 primary camera and 5MP depth sensor join the 16MP video camera sensor on the back. Unlike the 16MP sensor, you can also take pictures with the 12MP sensor. Otherwise, the 5MP sensor is there for portrait shots and bokeh effects.

Also read: Motorola One Vision review: Challenging perceptions

Elsewhere, the One Action features a 6.3-inch Full HD+ (2,520 x 1,080) IPS display with a 21:9 aspect ratio. The narrow aspect ratio lends itself well to movie-watching and makes the phone more comfortable to hold. However, YouTube videos feature larger black bars on the sides as a result of the taller form factor. The phone also serves up a punch-hole cutout for the 12MP selfie camera.

The One Action also features a headphone jack, an IPX2 rating for some water protection, the same Samsung Exynos 9609 processor found in the Motorola One Vision, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of expandable storage, and a 3,500mAh battery with support for 10-watt fast wired charging.

Because this is an Android One smartphone, expect a clean build of Android 9 Pie, monthly security updates, and updates to Android Q and R. However, the Android One branding only applies to the international version. The U.S. version will come with Motorola’s take on Android, with the company promising at least two major updates.

The Motorola One Action is available starting today in Brazil, Mexico, and several European countries for €249 (~$276). The phone will launch in the U.S. and Canada in early October, though Motorola didn’t provide pricing for the two regions. Motorola’s latest device will be available in Denim Blue, Pearl White, and Aqua Teal.