Moto Z, Moto Z Force: Motorola Launches Its First Modular Phones

In an effort to put a new twist on smartphones, Lenovo previewed the newest models in its Moto line, which it bought from Google two years ago.

The Moto Z and Moto Z Force, which are Motorola's first modular smartphones, will let people snap on additional equipment called "Mods" to the back of the phones.

The initial Mods include a speaker to amplify music, a projector for displaying photos and video from the phone and a power pack that provides 22 hours of additional battery.

Made from military aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel, the new Moto Z measures 5.2mm thin and features a 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display. It packs a Qualcomm SnapdragonTM 820 processor, 4GB of RAM and 32 GB or 64 GB of storage inside.

You can get more space for pictures, videos and apps by adding a microSD card up to 2 TB.

The new Moto Z has a 13 megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization and laser autofocus, and a front-facing 5 megapixel camera with a wide-angle lens. It is claimed to offer up to 30 hours of battery.

Encased in an all-metal body, the new Moto Z Force, on the other hand, features the second generation of Moto ShatterShield technology, guaranteeing the display won't crack or shatter in case of a drop.

Packed with the same great features as the Moto Z, the Force ups the game with up to 40 hours of battery life. Also, the Moto Z Force includes a 21 megapixel rear camera, featuring optical image-stabilisation, phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and laser autofocus.

According to the company, "Moto Z is the world's thinnest premium smartphone and the Moto Z Force brings the added benefits of Moto Shattershield – guaranteeing the display will not to crack or shatter."

The phones will go on sale in the US through Verizon this summer before a global release in the fall.

The Moto Z will be available worldwide beginning in September along with Moto Mods.

The new phones are coming out as phone sales are slowing. People have been holding off on upgrades, partly because they haven't gotten excited about the types of technological advances hitting the market during the past few years.