Motorola's newest phone is only OK today, but it'll get great in 2019 when super-fast 5G networks launch

moto z3 thumb 2x1

Motorola

Motorola announced on Thursday its new Moto Z3 smartphone, plus an optional attachment that will give the phone connectivity to Verizon's 5G network.

On its own, the Moto Z3 is a fairly typical high-end smartphone. It's not the most flashy, or the highest-powered, but it's incredibly thin. And Motorola is also selling it for the pretty great price of $460, exclusively on Verizon. 

The real magic will come in early 2019 when Motorola's 5G Moto Mod will be released. In essence, the Moto Mod will make the Moto Z3 smartphone, as well as previous Moto Z phones that support Moto Mods, the first smartphones to support higher-speed 5G networks. 

It'll be interesting to finally see the speeds and benefits of 5G when the mod is released. However, you could argue that it's a premature release, as 5G networks in the US are only available in a few cities at the moment. For Verizon, specifically, there are only four cities that will get 5G coverage by the end of the year. 

Either way, the Moto Z3 and the 5G Moto Mod will give us a taste of the future of smartphones. Check it out:

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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