Xfinity Mobile
Motorola Upgrades its razr Foldables Across the Board
Motorola has revealed its new razr and razr+ foldable phones for 2024. While the price points are unchanged at $700 and $1,000, both models get important upgrades. The most obvious and important is that the cheaper model now has the same large (3.6-inch) OLED touch display on the outside as last year's plus model, offering extensive functionality while closed. Both models also get the same new and improved main camera with 50 megapixel resolution and OIS, and much better waterproofing (IPx8 to withstand full immersion). Both also share a new hinge design that's 30% smaller while offering better reliability, stability, dust resistance, and "crease" resistance. Both have Gorilla Glass Victus protecting the outer display and a similar 6000-series aluminum frame. Both have a 6.9-inch flexible main display inside with FHD+ resolution, and HDR10+. Other features in common include Google Gemini AI pre-installed, 256 GB of storage, 15-watt wireless charging, Bluetooth 5.4, and a 32 megapixel internal camera.
- The razr (2024) has a 3.6-inch outer touch display and both displays have 120 Hz refresh. It's powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300X chip and 8 GB of RAM. The battery is 4,200 mAh and it fast-charges at up to 30 watts. The second camera remains a 13-megapixel wide-angle one. Wi-Fi is version 6E. Color options include grey, sand, and orange. (Grey will be most common in the US.) The back is a smooth "vegan suede" texture.
- The razr+ (2024) has an even larger 4-inch outer display and both displays have up to 165 Hz refresh. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip and 12 GB of RAM. Both the RAM and storage are faster than on the base model (LPDDR5x and UFS 4.0). The battery is 4,000 mAh (larger than last year), it fast-charges at up to 45 watts, and the wireless charging is two-way. The second camera is a 2x telephoto instead of wide-angle, with 50 megapixel resolution but no OIS. Wi-Fi 7 is supported. Color options include blue, green, peach, and pink. (Blue will be most common in the US, with a vertical "racing stripe" of smoother texture in the "vegan leather".)
Motorola Gives its Stylus Phone a Spec Bump
Motorola has revealed the 2024 edition of its moto g stylus 5G, a model that typically sits near the upper end of its moto g series of affordable phones. The new model addresses most shortcomings of last year's model, adding wireless charging and boosting the wide-angle camera resolution from 8 megapixel to a more-useful 13 megapixel. The selfie camera also gets a boost, from 16 megapixel to 32, and RAM gets a nice bump to a generous 8 GB. Wired charging is also faster at up to 30 watts instead of 20. Other specs remain similar, including the large AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh, pop-out stylus, Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, and 5,000 mAh battery. There's also NFC, expandable storage, and a headset jack. The body is water repellent with an IP52 rating, slightly thinner than last year's model, and has a "vegan leather" finish on the back. Motorola will sell it unlocked for $400 starting May 30th. It will also be offered by AT&T, Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket, Boost, Consumer Cellular, US Cellular, Spectrum, Xfinity Mobile, Google Fi, Optimum Mobile, Straight Talk, Total by Verizon, and Visible.
Comcast Launches "Now" Prepaid Mobile
Comcast is launching "Now Mobile", a new prepaid mobile phone service to compliment its existing Xfinity Mobile postpaid service. Like Xfinity Mobile, Now Mobile is only available to customers of Comcast home internet service (either Xfinity Internet or the new Now Internet). Now is "the only prepaid wireless option that seamlessly connects customers to more than 23 million Xfinity hotspots." Now Mobile offers one plan: unlimited 5G data, talk and text for $25/line/month, taxes and fees included. As a prepaid service, there is no contract and no credit check. Several $5 add-ons plans are available, including one for Canada and Mexico service, and another for mobile hotspot (at 3G speeds). Now will offer its own lineup of cell phones, or customers can use their own existing phone (if compatible). The service is rolling out starting in Hartford-New Haven, Houston, and Miami, "with a full-scale national launch across all Comcast service areas expected in the coming weeks."
Xfinity Mobile Lowers, Simplifies Pricing
Xfinity Mobile has completely revamped its Unlimited plans, with the replacement plans both offering more and costing less. Two plans replace three. The new base-level plan is simply called "Unlimited" and runs $40/month for one line or as little as $25/line/month for multiple lines. It includes 30 GB of "Premium" 5G data each month and free roaming in Mexico & Canada. It replaces the old "Unlimited Intro" plan, which included neither of those features, and was typically $5/month more expensive (depending on number of lines). The new "Unlimited Plus" plan replaces both the old "Unlimited Plus" and "Unlimited Premium". It offers everything that the top-end Unlimited Premium plan offered, for less than the old mid-range Unlimited Plus. This new Unlimited Plus includes 50 GB of "Premium" 5G data, 15 GB of full-speed mobile hotspot, HD video, and free roaming in Mexico & Canada. It costs an additional $10/line/month compared to the standard "Unlimited" plan. (The old premium plans cost $55–65/month for one line, while this new plan costs $50/month.) Prices exclude taxes and "applicable fees". As always, Xfinity Mobile is only available to customers of Xfinity home internet.
Motorola Brings More Affordable 5G Phones to its 2024 Lineup
Motorola has announced the 2024 editions of the moto g 5G and moto g power 5G, priced at $200 and $300, respectively (MSRP, unlocked). Both phones offer 5G, a vegan leather finish on the back, 120 Hz display refresh, 50 megapixel main camera, 5,000 mAh battery, 128 GB storage (expandable), NFC, fingerprint reader (on the side), and a headset jack. For the moto g 5G, NFC is a key addition compared to last year's version. For the extra $100, upgrades on the moto g power 5G (compared to the moto g 5G) include a sharper display (FHD+ instead of HD+), double the RAM (8 GB instead of 4), better front camera (16 megapixel instead of 8), an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera (instead of 2-megapixel macro), faster charging (30-watt instead of 18), and wireless charging. Compared to last year's moto g power 5G, improvements include more RAM, the wide-angle camera, NFC, wireless charging, and faster wired charging. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile will all offer both phones. The moto g 5G (2024) will come to T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile first, on March 21st. Boost, Consumer Cellular, Cricket, TracFone, US Cellular, Xfinity, Google Fi, Optimum, Cox, Straight Talk, Total by Verizon, Simple Mobile, Walmart Family Mobile, and Visible will also offer it. The moto g power 5G (2024) will launch with Cricket on March 22nd, and later with Metro, US Cellular, Straight Talk, Total by Verizon, Walmart Family Mobile, and Visible as well. Motorola's g series for 2024 also includes the already-announced, 4G-only moto g play (2024), which retails for $150.
Moto Gives its Affordable g play More Value
Motorola is launching a new version of its affordable moto g play phone for 2024. Last year's model was popular with carriers; this year's model appears to be just as popular, with AT&T, Verizon, Cricket, Consumer Cellular, U.S. Cellular, Xfinity Mobile, and more already announcing plans to offer the phone. The new model has more memory and storage (4 / 64 GB), steps up to a 50 megapixel main camera, better front camera, and add stereo speakers. It also switches from a MediaTek processor to a Snapdragon 680. Other specs are similar, including a 6.5-inch HD+ display with 90 Hz refresh, 5,000 mAh battery, fast charging, fingerprint reader, expandable storage, and a headset jack. The moto g play (2024) will launch unlocked for $150 on February 8th, "with subsequent availability at Consumer Cellular, Verizon, Xfinity Mobile, Visible, Cricket, AT&T, UScellular, and Cox Mobile, and on Straight Talk, Walmart Family Mobile, Total by Verizon, and Simple Mobile."
Motorola's new razr Foldable is Just $600
Motorola has announced launch details for its new razr (2023). Not to be confused with the higher-end razr+ that launched earlier this year, the new razr is a more affordable model. In fact, it is, by a wide margin, the most affordable foldable phone to reach the US to date. Motorola will sell it unlocked for $600 for a limited time, with a full retail price of $700. This new model keeps many of the high-end features of the pricier razr+, such as basically the same 6.9-inch flexible main display, 8 GB of RAM, a dedicated 13 megapixel wide-angle camera, wireless charging, and Wi-Fi 6E. Other features include a 64 megapixel main camera and a relatively large battery (4,200 mAh) for a flip-style foldable. The most obvious difference is the smaller outer display. But Motorola has added something new: Motorola Unplugged, a software feature that lets you take "digital breaks" where you choose just a few essential apps that will remain available while everything else disappears. Both AT&T and T-Mobile will offer this new razr, along with Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket, Xfinity Mobile, US Cellular, Boost, and Consumer Cellular. Motorola and most carriers will offer it starting October 19th.
T-Mobile Buying Low-Band Spectrum from Comcast, as Comcast Launches its own 5G Network
T-Mobile has reached an agreement to lease and then purchase radio spectrum licenses from Comcast worth $3.3 billion. The licenses are for 10 MHz of bandwidth around 600 MHz (band 71). T-Mobile already uses band 71 to provide blanket coverage. As one of the lowest frequencies in use for cellular networks, 600 MHz reaches long distances and well into buildings, with tradeoff of not providing the best high-speed data rates. This additional spectrum should help T-Mobile improve the baseline capacity of its network in areas where higher-frequency bands don't reach, improving network coverage and reliability. Comcast is preparing to launch its own 5G network starting this month in Philadelphia. The company has been testing its own 5G network in both the 600 MHz and CBRS (band 48) bands. Performance in the unlicensed band 48 has "exceeded our expectations", leading to the conclusion that Comcast is "unlikely to need the 600 MHz spectrum licenses that we currently hold to support our wireless customers." But the spectrum is valuable, especially to T-Mobile. Comcast has offered Xfinity Mobile wireless service to its home internet customers for several years using the Verizon network. Launching its own network in select markets will reduce traffic from Xfinity Mobile customers on the Verizon network, and presumably save money for Comcast. Verizon also uses band 48, so most of Xfinity's lineup of (Verizon-compatible) phones already support band 48, while not all support band 71.
2023's moto g stylus 5G is Smaller
Motorola has launched the 2023 edition of its moto g stylus 5G, a mid-range phone that offers a few extras for $400 (or less through some carriers). This year's model is more compact, with a 6.6 inch display instead of 6.8". It also updates the processor to the newer Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip and adds stereo speakers. Other specs and features remain the same, (and a major upgrade over this year's 4G model). That includes the integrated stylus, 120 Hz display, 5,000 mAh battery, 50 megapixel main camera, combined wide/macro camera, NFC, memory card slot, headset jack, and fingerprint reader. The phone has excellent support for all major (sub-6) frequency bands used in the US. It comes with either 4 or 6 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of storage,. It appears to be very popular with carriers. Cricket will sell it starting this Friday, June 2nd. It will also be offered by AT&T, T-Mobile, Metro, Consumer Cellular, US Cellular, Boost, Google Fi, Xfinity, Optimum, and Spectrum.
Motorola's New Affordable 5G Phone Offers a Little More
Motorola has announced the moto g power 5G, a $300 5G phone with specs and features that put it somewhere between "entry level" and "mid-range". It has a 6.5-inch full-HD+ display with 120 Hz refresh, a 50 megapixel main camera, and a 16 megapixel front camera. It's powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 930 chip paired with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of built-in storage (expandable). The 5,000 mAh battery can be charged quickly at up to 15 watts. (A 10W fast charger is included.) The phone also has a fingerprint reader, headset jack, and stereo speakers. The phone will be available from Metro by T-Mobile, Spectrum Mobile, and Xfinity Mobile in the coming months (pricing and launch dates determined by carriers). The unlocked version goes on sale April 13th for $300, available from Best Buy, Amazon.com, and Motorola.com.
The New Moto G Play Offers 90 Hz Display for $170
Motorola today announced the new moto g play (2023). This update to the 2021 model has 90 Hz display refresh and a 16 megapixel camera (compared to 13 megapixel on the model it replaces). Other features of this affordable 4G phone are similar, including a 5,000 mAh battery, 10-watt fast charging, fingerprint reader on the back, and a headset jack. It's powered by a MediaTek Helio G37 chipset paired with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage (expandable via memory card). Extra cameras include a 2 megapixel macro camera and depth camera. The front camera is 5 megapixel. The unlocked moto g play (2023) goes on sale December 12th for $170. Later, it will come to Metro, Dish, Xfinity, US Cellular, Consumer Cellular, Spectrum, and Optimum.
Charter Launches Spectrum One Mobile Bundle
Charter has launched a new home internet + mobile service bundle with low introductory pricing. As with Comcast's Xfinity Mobile service, the mobile offering is exclusive to customers who also subscribe to the company's home internet service. For a base rate of $85/month — but just $50/month for new customers in the first year — Spectrum One includes unlimited 5G mobile service (but reduced data speeds after 20 GB), 300 Mbps home internet, and an advanced Wi-Fi 6 router. There are no added taxes and fees. Separately, Comcast announced that its competing Xfinity Mobile service has surpassed five million customers.
Xfinity Mobile Improves its Family Plan Discounts
Xfinity Mobile, the MVNO exclusively for Comcast Xfinity home internet customers, has changed its multi-line discounts to provide greater value, but with an unusual structure. The base rate for one line remains the same $45/month. However the new multi-line discount drops the rate to just $30/month/line for a family plan of two, three, or four lines. Previously, the rate dropped progressively with each additional line, a common scheme among US carriers. With this change, two- and three-line plans are now significantly cheaper, while four-lines plans remain the same. Also, additional lines (beyond four) are now just $20/month/line.
Verizon Launches Mobile+Home Bundle Discount
Verizon has launched a new "Mobile+Home Discount" for customers who use the any of company's home internet services and also have a "premium" 5G Unlimited mobile service plan with Verizon. The $25/month discount brings the cost of a basic 300 Mbps FiOS plan down to just $25/month (with AutoPay). The discount applies to both FiOS connections as well as Verizon's fixed wireless options (4G or 5G). The discount should help Verizon better compete with Comcast, which offers Xfinity Mobile service (with special pricing) exclusively to Xfinity Internet customers.
Motorola Adds 5G to its 2022 Mid-Range Lineup
Motorola has announced two new mid-range phones with 5G. Both are essentially 5G upgrades of existing 4G models already announced for 2022. Both will come to a wide range of US carriers, including AT&T, Cricket, Boost, US Cellular, and Xfinity Mobile. Both have a 50 megapixel main camera, 5,000 mAh battery, 10-watt fast charging, fast-refresh display, water resistance, fingerprint reader, expandable storage, and a headset jack.
- The moto g stylus 5G (2022) has a three key upgrades compared to both last year's model and this year's 4G model: a 120 Hz display (a first for the g series in the US), a Snapdragon 695 chip, and NFC. The LCD display measures 6.8 inches with FHD+ resolution. The phone also has an 8 megapixel wide/macro camera and 16 megapixel front camera. Naturally, it has a built-in stylus. While the base version has 4 GB RAM and 128 GB storage, versions will also be available with 6 or 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage. Verizon will also offer a version with mmWave 5G. Motorola will sell it unlocked for $500 starting April 28th. Carriers are expected to sell it for less, at dates to be announced. It will come in two colors: seafoam green and steel blue.
- The moto g 5G is essentially a 5G version of the moto g power (2022). Like that model, it has a 6.5-inch LCD display with HD+ resolution and 90 Hz refresh. The selfie camera does get a bump up to 13 megapixel. Extra rear cameras are a depth camera and 2 megapixel macro camera. It's powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 chip paired with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage. An unlocked version will also be available with 6 GB RAM and 256 GB storage. Motorola will sell it unlocked for $400 starting May 19th. Carriers are expected to sell it for less, at dates to be announced.
Motorola's Affordable New moto g power has 90 Hz Screen
Motorola has announced a new moto g power, just ten months after announcing the last one. The new moto g power (2022) has two key upgrades over the old 2021 model: a display with 90 Hz refresh, and a 50 megapixel main camera. It specs are otherwise comparable to the 2021 model, including a huge 5,000 mAh battery, fast charging, 6.5-inch HD+ display, 4 GB RAM, and 64 GB storage (expandable). The new model is powered by a MediaTek Helio G37 chip. The phone also has a rear fingerprint reader, headset jack, FM radio, dual-band Wi-Fi, and IPx2 water resistance. The phone launch soon with Metro by T-Mobile and Republic Wireless, followed by Verizon, Boost, Xfinity, AT&T, Cricket, US Cellular, and Google Fi. It will also be available unlocked for $200, or $250 for a version with 128 GB built-in storage.
Motorola's New Budget Phone is Already Very Popular
Motorola today announced the moto g pure, the company's latest entry-level phone. The phone will be sold by essentially every carrier in the US, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, Metro, Boost, US Cellular, and Xfinity. Verizon will be the first to offer it, for $150 starting October 14th. Other carriers will offer the phone "in the coming months". Motorola will sell the phone unlocked for $160, with pre-orders starting October 14th. The phone will come in two variants: one for AT&T, Cricket, and Verizon — with support for AT&T's unique bands 14 and 30 — and the other for all other carriers, supporting T-Mobile's network and overseas 4G networks. Both variants will be powered by a MediaTek Helio G25 chip. The phone's features include a fingerprint reader on the back, basic water resistance, headset jack, and dual-band Wi-Fi. The HD+ display measures 6.5 inches. The 13 megapixel main camera is joined by a depth camera for portrait shots and a 5 megapixel front camera. Motorola claims two days of battery life from the 4,000 mAh battery. It has 3 GB RAM and 32 GB of storage, which is expandable with a memory card. It comes with Android 11 and Motorola promises one major OS upgrade plus two years of security updates (at least quarterly).
Motorola Adds 5G to the Moto G Stylus
Motorola today announced the moto g stylus 5G, a version of this year's moto g stylus with 5G and a larger battery, for $400. The new 5G model has excellent support for all 5G and 4G networks in the US, (except mmWave 5G.) The battery has been bumped up from 4,000 mAh to a whopping 5,000 mAh. The 5G model has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 chipset instead the Snapdragon 678 in the 4G model. Although the 480 is a 4-series chip, it's newer than the 678 and offers similar performance. The 48 megapixel main camera offers access to the full 48 megapixel resolution, and the fingerprint reader is located on the back instead of the side. Other specs and features are similar to the 4G model, including a huge 6.8-inch full-HD display, wide camera, macro camera, 16 megapixel selfie camera, fast charging, memory card slot, and headset jack. The software is Android 11 with a nearly stock Google interface. Added stylus-oriented software includes the Moto Note app, Coloring Book app, and a customizable shortcut bar that appears when the stylus is removed. The stylus itself has been redesigned to be easier to remove and replace, and has a new feature that can help you find the stylus if you lose it. New features in the camera app include Spot Color for video and Dual Capture, which combines video from the front and rear cameras. The moto g stylus 5G will come in Cosmic Emerald. AT&T, Cricket, T-Mobile, Metro, Boost, Xfinity, and Spectrum will offer a version with 4 GB RAM and 128 GB storage (launch timing and pricing TBA), while the unlocked version sold by Motorola (plus B&H, Best Buy, and Amazon) will up that to 6 GB RAM / 256 GB storage. The unlocked version goes on sale for $400 on June 14th.
Xfinity Mobile Adds Discounts for Family Plans
Xfinity Mobile, the Comcast MVNO for Xfinity home internet customers, today introduced discounts for accounts with multiple lines. The discounts are greater for more lines, similar to what many other US carriers offer. While a single line of unlimited data remains $45/month, two lines are now $40 each, while four lines are just $30/line. Three lines are $33.33/line, to make the monthly total an even $100. Other aspects of Xfinity's mobile plan are unchanged. Xfinity Mobile runs on Verizon's 4G / 5G network.
Motorola Unveils Full Affordable Lineup for 2021
Motorola today unveiled a full lineup of four new affordable phones, including three g-series models ranging from $169 – $299 and one 5G model for $399. All four feature large batteries (4,000 – 5,000 mAh) and large displays (6.5 – 6.8 inches). All four also include a fingerprint reader, multiple cameras, headset jack, memory card slot, USB-C connector, and a "water-repellant design" that protects against accidental spills, splashes, sweat, or light rain. They ship with Android 10 and Motorola promises one full OS version update plus two years of security updates. Moto's latest camera app supports AI scene detection and optimization, Google Lens, portrait mode, RAW format, Active Photos, Auto Smile Capture, Gesture Selfie, time-lapse, and slow-motion on all models. All four also support gestures such as Lift to unlock, Flip for DND (Do Not Disturb), Pick up to silence, and Fast flashlight, where a quick double-chop motion turns the flashlight on or off. All four phones will be available unlocked as well as from many US carriers.
- moto g play (2021): The most affordable at $170, this phone has a 6.5-inch HD display with notch, huge 5,000 mAh battery, Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 chipset, 3 GB RAM, and 32 GB built-in storage. Its primary 13 megapixel camera is assisted by a depth camera for portrait mode, and the front camera is 5 megapixel. It also has 10W fast charging. The new moto g play will be offered in the coming months by AT&T, Cricket, Boost Mobile, Consumer Cellular, Google Fi, Metro by T-Mobile, T-Mobile, Republic Wireless, Verizon, and Xfinity Mobile.
- moto g power (2021): Upgrades compared to the g play include: Snapdragon 662 chipset, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, up to 15W fast charging, "48 megapixel" main camera that outputs 12-megapixel photos using pixel binning, 2-megapixel macro camera, and an 8-megapixel front camera. The upgraded main camera enables a Night Vision mode and better low-light performance in general. The camera app also gains Cinemagraph mode, Group Selfie, and Spot Color for video. The fingerprint reader moves to the side and the display is slightly larger at 6.6 inches, with a corner hole-punch design. This new moto g power will sell for $250, although Best Buy will sell a variant with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage for $200. It will also come to Boost Mobile, Cricket, Consumer Cellular, Google Fi, Republic Wireless, US Cellular, Verizon, and Xfinity Mobile in the coming months.
- moto g stylus (2021): This model adds a stylus that stows in the bottom-right of the phone. It comes with two special apps: Moto Note and Coloring Book. The stylus also offers system-wide shortcuts and works with third-party apps. This is the only model of the four to come with a smaller 4,000 mAh battery, which Motorola says was necessary to make room for the stylus. It has several spec upgrades compared to the g power, including a larger 6.8-inch display with full-HD resolution, Snapdragon 678 chipset, 128 GB storage, 8-megapixel wide-angle camera, 16 megapixel selfie camera, and 4K video capture. It will sell for $300 unlocked. Boost Mobile, Cricket, Consumer Cellular, and Republic Wireless will also offer it in the coming months.
- Motorola one 5G ace: Combines the best of the g power and g stylus specs (minus the stylus) while adding 5G (sub-6 GHz only) thanks to its Snapdragon 750G chipset. Other upgrades include 6 GB RAM, NFC, and an official IP rating for water resistance: IP54 for the T-Mobile version and IP52 for other versions. The display measures 6.7 inches with a centered hole-punch design, and the fingerprint reader is located on the back. It will run $400 unlocked. AT&T, Consumer Cellular, Google Fi, Metro by T-Mobile, T-Mobile, Republic Wireless, Verizon, and Xfinity Mobile will also offer it in the coming months.
Galaxy Note20 Series Focuses on Video, Note-Taking
Samsung today revealed its latest Galaxy Note phones: the Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy Note20 Ultra. On the software side, the new Note phones include an overhauled Samsung Notes app with free cloud sync, PDF annotation, nested folder structure, personalized handwriting neaten-ing, sound recordings time-synced with your own notes, and sync with both OneNote and Outlook. The S Pen supports five new gestures, allowing general Android navigation using only the S Pen as a remote control. The Note20 series also includes advanced video features such as 8K video capture, multi-track audio including remote mics (USB or Bluetooth), manual controls, variable-speed zoom, and the ability to use the extra mics in the new Galaxy Buds Live earbuds to better cancel out background noise. Updated Link to Windows integration now lets you access your mobile apps directly from your Windows 10 PC. The Note20 series also features 120 Hz display refresh, brighter screens, Snapdragon 865+ processor, 25W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, 5G (including mmWave in most versions), and IP68 water resistance. The standard Note20 has a more rounded design, flat 6.7-inch FHD+ display, 4,300 mAh battery, 8 GB RAM, and 128 GB storage. The Note20 Ultra has a more sharp-cornered design, 6.9-inch QHD+ display with curved sides and the new Gorilla Glass Victus, 4,500 mAh battery, 12 GB RAM, 128 or 512 GB storage, and a memory card slot. The Ultra also adds UWB for precise relative positioning, similar to a feature introduced in the iPhone 11. At launch, the Note20 Ultra will support UWB for Point To Share file-sharing and digital key applications, with more uses planned. On the camera side, the two models take different approaches to implementing zoom, much like the S20 series. The standard model has a 12 megapixel standard camera, plus a 64 megapixel camera for 8K video and up to 3x real zoom. The Ultra model has a 108 megapixel main camera for 8K video and 1–4x zoom, plus a 5x optical tele camera (12 megapixel). Samsung's "Space Zoom" adds 10x digital zoom, for total zoom of 30x on the Note20 and 50x on the Ultra. Both models also have a 12 megapixel wide camera and 10 megapixel selfie camera with auto-focus. The standard model will come in Mystic Bronze, Mystic Green, and Mystic Gray, while the Ultra will come in Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, and Mystic White. Select colors have a "haze" effect matte finish that resists fingerprints. Pre-orders start August 6th, will full availability on the 21st. The Note20 Ultra will start at $1300, while the standard Note20 will start at $1000. Most US carriers will offer the Note20 series, including Verizon and Xfinity Mobile. The phones will also be available unlocked. All pre-orders include a credit to spend with Samsung on accessories, etc.: $100 for the Note20 and $150 for the Ultra. The credit can be used for an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Bundle, which includes a Bluetooth game controller and 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with cloud gaming.
Samsung's Most Affordable 5G Phone Hits US This Month
T-Mobile, Metro, and Verizon will all launch the Samsung Galaxy A51 5G this month, starting with T-Mobile on August 7th. The A51 5G is just $500, making it the most affordable 5G phone offered by US carriers to date. Verizon's model, which adds mmWave 5G, will run $550, according to a Verizon spokesperson. The A51 5G was announced in April. Compared to the 4G A51, the A51 5G adds not only 5G, but also a larger battery and more RAM. AT&T, Verizon, and Xfinity already offer the 4G version. Other specs include a 6.5-inch OLED display, four rear cameras, 32-megapixel front camera, fast charging, NFC, and a memory card slot.
New Moto e is a Big Upgrade Over Last Year's Model
Motorola is refreshing its entry-level lineup with a new Moto e for 2020 and a new model at the low end of its (mid-range) g series. The Moto e (2020) and Moto g fast will both be available unlocked and with Boost, and the Moto e will be available with several other US carriers as well.
- Moto e (2020): This year's Moto e delivers several major upgrades over last year's e6. It has a larger display (6.2-inch vs. 5.5-inch) thanks to a modern notch design. It also has a larger battery: 3,550 mAh vs. 3,000 mAh, and it steps up to a 600-series Snapdragon processor (the 632) compared to last year's 400-series chip. It also offers 32 GB of storage — double last year's amount — and adds both a depth camera and a fingerprint reader. Keeping things affordable, its front camera is 5 megapixel, it has 2 GB of RAM, and it uses a micro-USB charging connector. It does, however, have water-repellent coating, 3.5mm headset jack, and a memory card slot. It will be available unlocked for $150, and later sold by Verizon Prepaid, T-Mobile, Metro, US Cellular, and Xfinity Mobile. There are two variants with different network support: The version for Verizon supports fewer LTE bands, but, oddly, full support for AT&T's LTE network is only found on Verizon's version.
- Moto g fast: The $200 Moto g fast is a more-affordable cousin to the recently-announced Moto g power (2020) and Moto g stylus. Like those models, it has a 6.4-inch display with a corner hole punch design, Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor, water resistance, a fingerprint reader, and triple rear cameras (including wide and macro). Making it more affordable is the HD+ display resolution, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage, and an 8 megapixel selfie camera. It has the same 4,000 mAh battery as the Moto g stylus and the same 16 megapixel main camera as the Moto g power. Other features include USB-C, fast charging, 3.5mm audio jack, and a memory card slot. So far, Boost is the only US carrier that has announced plans to carry the Moto g fast.
Xfinity Mobile Launches 5G Service
Comcast's Xfinity Mobile has launched "new" service plans that include mmWave 5G data at no extra cost. The new plans are mostly identical to the company's old plans, except the cheapest plan — offering just 1 GB of shared cellular data — is now $15/month instead of $12/month. Other plans remain unchanged, including 3 GB of shared data for $30/month, 10 GB for $60/month, or unlimited data for $45/month/line. Xfinity Mobile currently offers two 5G phones: the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra. New customers will automatically receive the new plans. Existing customers must opt in to a new plan to access 5G. Xfinity Mobile is available to existing Xfinity Internet customers. Xfinity Mobile uses the Verizon network, now including mmWave 5G in parts of 34 major US cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis, Spokane, St. Paul, and Washington, D.C.
Across US Telecom: Late Fees Waived, No Disconnects
At the request of the FCC Chairman, essentially all US internet and telephone providers have pledged to waive all late fees, and not disconnect any service due to inability to pay bills, for the next 60 days. This includes Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular, and Comcast. The Pledge is designed to help people economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and everyone needing additional connectivity as they work and study from home. Companies agreeing to the FCC's pledge are also committed to opening up to everyone their wi-fi networks that were previously reserved for paying customers. On top of the pledge, both T-Mobile and Sprint are temporarily giving unlimited data to all customers on metered data plans, as well as 20 GB of mobile hotspot data.
New Moto g Series Lets You Choose: Stylus or Jumbo Battery
Motorola has unveiled two new g-series phones for 2020: the Moto g Stylus and Moto g Power. The two phones are very similar, except the g Stylus has a built-in stylus pen and higher-end main camera, while the g Power has a larger battery. Both phones have a 6.4-inch full-HD+ display with a "hole punch" in the corner for the 16-megapixel selfie camera. Both are powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chip paired with 4 GB of RAM and running Android 10. Both have a water-repellent design, stereo speakers, dual-band Wi-Fi, fingerprint reader, memory card slot, USB-C, 10W fast charging, 3.5mm headphone jack, and FM radio. Both have excellent support for all US 4G networks — including bands 13, 14, 25, 26, 29, 30, 41, 66, and 71 — with LTE Cat. 13 speeds. Motorola also has a new feature that limits interruptions while gaming. The few differences between the phones are:
- Moto g Stylus: Has a built-in stylus pen designed to help you edit photos, jot down notes, sketch artwork, copy and paste text, and mark up screenshots. Removing the stylus while the phone is idle will automatically start the new Moto Note app, which lets you take quick notes without unlocking the phone. It has a 4,000 mAh battery and 128 GB of storage. The main camera has a 48-megapixel sensor and f/1.7 aperture, with laser auto-focus. It also has a 2-megapixel macro camera and 16-megapixel "action" camera that takes ultra-wide video in landscape orientation while holding the phone vertically. The Moto g Stylus will be available unlocked "this spring" for $300, and subsequently at Verizon, Metro, and Republic.
- Moto g Power: Has an extra-large 5,000 mAh battery that Motorola claims can power the phone for three days. It also has three rear cameras, but the main camera is 16 megapixel (f/1.7) and the wide-angle camera is 8-megapixel with standard orientation. Like the g Stylus, it has a 2-megapixel macro camera that can focus on objects just 2cm from the lens. It has 64 GB of storage. The Moto g Power will be available unlocked "this spring" for $250, and subsequently at Verizon, Xfinity Mobile, US Cellular, Consumer Cellular, and Republic.
Xfinity Mobile Offering $250 Off iPhone 11 series
Comcast's Xfinity Mobile is offering $250 back when new customers switch from another carrier and purchase a new iPhone. Customers must keep their account for 90 days, after which they will receive the $250 as a prepaid card within a month.
Xfinity Mobile Adds Cheaper Data Plans, HD Pass for Unlimited
Comcast today launched new plan options for its Xfinity Mobile service. When choosing a monthly data allotment by the GB, customers can now select a 3 GB option that's $30 (previously $36) or a 10 GB option for $60 (previously $120). As before, the first GB is $12, and any overage is automatically charged at $12/GB. With Xfinity's by-the-GB plans, data rates are reduced after 20 GB or during times of congestion, although video streams in HD (720p) and personal hotspot features operate at full LTE speeds. The company also introduced a new "HD Pass" for its unlimited plans that costs $20/month and lets those customers access HD video as well full data speeds during times of network congestion. The company removed HD streaming from its unlimited plans over a year ago and promised an HD add-on plan by the end of 2018. Xfinity also lets customers with family plans mix and match plan types and change them at any time. For example, one line can be unlimited while two other lines share one 10 GB bucket of data.
Xfiinity Mobile Revises Unlimited Plan to Limit Video and Hotspot
Comcast's Xfinity Mobile has changed the terms of its Unlimited Plan to limit video resolution to 480p (non-HD), and throttle personal hotspot speeds to "3G speeds" (600 Kbps). The company plans to offer an option for higher video resolution for an extra fee, but not until "later this year". Video resolution limits are not uncommon with unlimited data plans. T-Mobile pioneered the practice. Comcast claims the changes are necessary in order to maintain the current plan prices. Xfinity Mobile operates as an MVNO using the Verizon network.
Xfinity Rolls Out BYOD Program for Select iPhones
Xfinity Mobile today said customers can now use their old iPhones on its service. The company introduced a bring-your-own-device program for select, unlocked iPhones. Xfinity Internet subscribers can bring their unlocked iPhone to an Xfinity Mobile store to have it activated on the mobile network. Xfinity says incompatible devices may be traded in for a gift card that can help defray the cost of upgrading to a new device. Xfinity Mobile, run by Comcast, will be able to accept BYOD phones from more manufacturers later this year. Xfinity offers two basic plan, by the gigabyte or unlimited. The former costs $12 per 1 GB of data, which is shared across all lines. The latter costs $45 per month per line for up to 20 GB of high-speed service. Xfinity Mobile does not charge per-line access fees. Taxes and fees are included in the pricing. Xfinity operates on Verizon's network, but offloads data traffic to Comcast-owned WiFi hotspots when they are available. Xfinity says it has 18 million such hotspots positioned around the country.
Xfinity Says It's Now Available In All Comcast Markets
Xfinity, Comcast's wireless service, today said it has expanded its availability to every market in which Comcast has a presence. The low-cost service launched in April, but was limited to just a small selection of markets. Now, Comcast customers can take advantage of the wireless offering and tie it to their existing internet and television service. Xfinity has also tweaked its service plans. Moving forward, the company offers unlimited service (up to 20 GB of high-speed LTE 4G) for $45 per line per month. It also sells access for $12 per 1 GB, which can be shared across all the lines in a plan. Xfinity offers all customers unlimited talk and text and a base 100 MB of data to get them started. Taxes and fees are included in the pricing structure. Xfinity operates on Verizon's network, but will offload data traffic to Comcast-owned WiFi hotspots when they are available. Xfinity says it has 18 million such hotspots positioned around the country. Xfinity offers a number of popular phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Apple iPhone 7. Customers can pay full price up front or over time via monthly installments.
LG Intros the X charge, an Xfinity Mobile Exclusive
LG today announced the X charge, a smartphone that puts a priority on battery life. Similar to last year's X power, the X charge has an enormous battery with a capacity of 4,500mAh. LG claims the battery can push the phone through an "entire weekend" on a single charge. The power cell is embedded within the phone, but it supports rapid charging. Other features include a 5.5-inch 720 display, 1.5 GHz octa-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of storage. The main camera has a 13-megapixel sensor and the wide-angle selfie camera has a 5-megapixel sensor and LED flash. LG says the X charge also includes Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi, and LTE 4G. The phone runs Android 7 Nougat with LG's software features, such as Gesture Shot. The LG X charge reaches Xfinity Mobile stores on June 30. The phone costs $180, or $7.50 per month. Xfinity Mobile is owned and operated by Comcast and runs on Verizon's network.
Comcast Details Mobile Phone Service as Xfinity Mobile
Comcast today revealed details of its forthcoming Xfinity Mobile phone service. The company will use Verizon's 4G LTE network for the service, using an existing MVNO agreement. The service will also automatically, seamlessly leverage 16 million Xfinity wi-fi hotspots for free data, capacity, and coverage. The service will initially be available only to customers who use at least one other Comcast Xfinity product, but will be billed separately. Comcast's main goal is customer loyalty. Plans include unlimited data, ranging from $45 to $65 per line, depending on the Xfinity home services the customer uses. Unlimited LTE data is throttled to slower speeds after 20 GB. For metered data, customers can create their own plan at $12/GB of LTE data. Texting and voice are unlimited. A new mobile app will let users monitor usage and change data plans on the fly. Customers can switch from metered to unlimited at any time via the app, even in the middle of a billing period, and the change will be retroactive without penalty. Customer service will be available via text messaging. The company will offer a range of phones, including the Apple iPhone 7, Samsung Galaxy S8, and LG X Power. Phones will be available for full price or on an installment plan. The company is launching a large trial of Xfinity Mobile today, open to all Comcast employees. It will launch for consumers in the coming weeks.
