Motorola Rolls Out Affordable Moto E Android Lollipop-Powered Value Phone

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That’s is the case with the second generation Moto E, which was announced this morning by Motorola. Leading up to the launch of the new smartphone, a product listing on Best Buy’s website suggested that the device would carry a price tag of $99. However, reality hit us today, and the actual retail price is a more understandable $149.

However, all is not lost because Motorola has made some significant improvements to the second generation Moto E, with the headlining feature being the addition of LTE connectivity. Motorola also boosted processing performance, moving from a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 to a quad-core Snapdragon 410. Storage has been doubled from a measly 4GB to a still restrictive 8GB (although you can expand upon the internal storage with a microSD slot), and the screen has grown ever so slightly from 4.3-inches to 4.5-inches while retaining the 540x960 resolution.

Motorola has also improved upon the one big downside of the original Moto E: its horrible rear camera. The second generation Moto E comes with an all-new 5MP rear camera with autofocus and a VGA front-facing camera. While the upgraded hardware is much appreciated, we’ll need to see the real life photos captured from the camera before we start patting Motorola on the back.

The Moto E will be available in two basic colors: black or white. However, you can add a personal touch to the phone with optional, colorful bands that wrap about the perimeter of the device. It’s a nice touch, and one that is sure to drive Jony Ive batty once he hears word of it.

The $149 Moto E is available for purchase today in roughly 40 countries around the globe.