Why it matters to you
Lenovo’s original Moto Z was a big hit last year, and the next iteration could see some security improvements, including an iris scanner.
Lenovo is already preparing the launch of the 2017 Moto Z, following in the footsteps of last year’s flagship Moto phone. Rumors have started circulating about the device and what it will look like, and it looks like while the phone may not be a massive upgrade over last year’s it will have some interesting new features to offer.
We even have some information about the specs of the phone, and that the device may include heightened security in the form of an iris scanner.
More: Motorola’s new fully wireless earbuds are its most affordable yet
Here’s everything we know about the 2017 Moto Z so far.
Security
Lenovo could be looking to make its Motorola smartphones a little more secure. The company found quite a lot of success with the Moto Z, and it will reportedly keep the design of the phone for its next iteration. There might however, be a small change to the phone — an iris scanner.
According to a report from Tech Droider, Lenovo has filed a patent for the use of an iris scanner on the second generation of the Moto Z. Interestingly enough, it looks like the patent will use a front-facing fingerprint scanner that will also double as an iris scanner, meaning that there’s no need for extra hardware elsewhere on the front of the phone.
Lenovo won’t be the first to include an iris scanner on its phones. Samsung included an iris scanner on the much-loved but short-lived Galaxy Note 7, and it’s likely that the same tech will show up on the Galaxy S8 too.
Specs
We also have a first look at what might be the specs on the phone in the form of a listing on Geekbench, which was spotted by Android Pure. A device with the code name Motorola XT1650 has been listed on Geekbench with the Snapdragon 835 as well as 4GB of RAM. The phone achieved a single-core score of 1930 and a respectable multicore score of 6207.
Still, if the specs are accurate, some may be a little disappointed. While 4GB of RAM certainly isn’t bad, but most flagship smartphones this year are expected to push on to 6GB of RAM.
We’ll keep this article updated as we learn more about the upcoming Lenovo Moto Z.