Moto G Play for 2023 highlights $170 16MP triple camera system

Motorola’s upcoming $170 Moto G Play for 2023 will focus on photography, with a 16-megapixel triple-sensor camera system.

The latest version of the Moto G Play, unveiled on Thursday and slated for release on January 12, also touts a 6.5-inch widescreen display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and 90Hz refresh rate.

The budget phone has a few clear omissions to arrive at the price, namely that it doesn’t have 5G support and will come with 3GB of memory and 32GB of inbuilt storage, which is expandable with a microSD card. These specs are typical of the price range and put it on par with the 4G-only version of the $190 Samsung Galaxy A13.

Apart from the 16-megapixel main camera, the Moto G Play will come with a 2-megapixel macro sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. A 5-megapixel front camera completes the front. The phone also includes a 5,000 mAh battery which Motorola says should keep the phone running for three days, as well as a headphone jack. The package includes a 10W charger.

The Moto G Play will also receive a major software update and three years of security updates, which is the same as other phones in Motorola’s G phone lineup.

I wish these cheaper phones got at least one more software update, but the three years of security updates should protect the phone from vulnerabilities for the expected duration of its use.

The phone will be available unlocked or from US Cellular. It is also slated for eventual Metro release by T-Mobile, Dish, Spectrum Mobile, Xfinity Mobile, Consumer Cellular, and Optimum Mobile.