Second gen Moto E: 4G, custom bands and all for £109

Besides the awesome Moto G family, Motorola last year introduced an even cheaper entry-level model, the Moto E. And today comes the even faster and more impressive successor.

Powered by Snapdragon 200 and with just 4GB of storage (but thankfully also with a card slot so you had some chance of storing photos, music or video), the Moto E wasn’t quite as exciting as the Moto G, but it still had a decent 540×960 pixel display, good battery life and a surprisingly snappy performance.

While we wait for news of the Moto G 2nd Generation with 4G (which is already announced in some foreign markets, but as yet not here or elsewhere in Europe), Motorola surprised everyone today by launching the Moto E 2nd Generation, with 4G support.

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t a huge surprise given a number of leaks that came out yesterday, but it is still a surprise to hear that a phone due to retail for just £109 when it goes on sale tomorrow (26th February) will get 4G before the more expensive Moto G.

Other new features include the ability to customise the phone with interchangeable bands and grips. Start out with either a black or white ‘base’ and then choose a Motorola band with colours like turquoise or raspberry. Grip shells can be added for additional protection.

The Moto E 2nd Gen comes with Android Lollipop installed from the off, and still has a a suite of useful apps as present on earlier models, such as the highly useful Migrate app that lets you pull in data from your old outgoing device when you first switch it on.

The phone is now powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, 8GB of internal storage (plus memory card slot), with a 5-megapixel camera, bigger 4.5-inch 540×960 pixel display, and a 2,390mAh battery to keep it going for at least a full day. Motorola refers to a day as from an early start in the morning to a night out in town, which is quite reassuring.

The Moto E 2nd Gen goes on sale from tomorrow via the Motorola website, Carphone Warehouse, Tesco, Amazon, Argos and Virgin Mobile.

• Find out more at the dedicated Moto E 2nd Gen site.

Press Release

Choose to start your mobile journey with the new Moto E

London UK, 25 February 2015: We’re big on firsts at Motorola. Whether that’s your first job, your first phone or your first status post. We live in a world where access to new experiences and information are at our fingertips and that’s exactly what we want to give more people more access to. There are millions of people that haven’t yet joined the smartphone revolution because they either haven’t found the right product or they don’t want to spend hundreds of hard earned pounds to start the journey.

That’s why last year we launched Moto E, a new class of smartphone tailored for those looking for a great mobile experience at a price that wouldn’t break the bank. Now, we’re taking Moto E a step further. We’re introducing the next generation, packed with more features and functionality to give people around the world even greater access to life’s possibilities – without a hefty price tag. Because we believe access to the mobile internet should be a choice, not a privilege.

Meet the new Moto E. The new Moto E helps you connect to the world like never before. Now available with 4G LTE speed¹, a 4.5-inch qHD display, front-facing camera, the latest Android™ software (Lollipop) and even more customisation options. And, for the first time, we’re bringing personalised software experiences that we introduced with Moto X to our most affordable device. The new Moto E packs a bigger smartphone punch for a fraction of the average smartphone cost.

Meet the New Moto E:

Start connecting at 4G LTE / 4G speed¹

We took an already great smartphone and paired it with the best 4G network in the world. Start browsing the web, streaming music, playing games and watching videos all at 4G LTE speeds. The new Moto E will also be available in a 3G version.

Do more, faster, with a quad-core processor

The new Moto E features a powerful Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ processor with a 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and advanced graphics. Start switching back and forth between your favourite apps without slowing down. Or listen to music and surf the web at the same time – without missing a beat.

Keep going with an all-day battery

With a 2390 mAh battery, the new Moto E is designed to last a full day². Dash to school or work in the morning. Meet up with family or friends. Then head out for the evening. All without worrying about stopping to recharge.

Take more shots with two cameras

The new Moto E comes with a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a second camera in front, making it perfect for selfies or video calls with family and friends. With two twists of the wrist, you can launch the camera with Motorola’s Quick Capture feature. Want to take a selfie? Just twist your wrist again to switch to the front-facing camera. All without touching the screen.

Start with the latest Android™ OS, Lollipop

The new Moto E runs Android™ Lollipop, the latest version of the world’s most popular mobile operating system.

Let the fun begin… just add colour

Give your phone a splash of colour with interchangeable Motorola Bands and Grip Shells³. Start with a black or white phone and then choose from six Motorola Bands like turquoise or raspberry, or attach a colourful Grip Shell for added protection from scrapes and spills.

Make it easy with Moto software experiences

With the new Moto E, you get premium Moto experiences like Moto Display for notifications and updates without interruptions and Moto Migrate to quickly and easily transfer contacts, photos and videos to your new phone.

The new Moto E will be coming to more than 50 countries and is available in the UK starting 26th February from £109.00 at motorola.co.uk, Carphone Warehouse, Tesco Retail, Tesco Mobile, Amazon, Argos and Virgin Mobile.

¹4G LTE not available in all regions. Please check with your local Motorola representative for availability.

²All battery life claims are approximate and based on an average mixed use profile that includes both usage and standby time. Actual battery performance will vary and depends on many factors including signal strength, network configuration, age of battery, operating temperature, features selected, device settings, and voice, data, and other application usage patterns

³Motorola Bands and Grip Shells sold separately.