The Stock Lollipop Experience
Motorola was given a unique position in the Android phone space when the Mobility division was purchased by Google in 2011, and more recently when devices like the Moto G were released with stock Android I took notice. In the past the Nexus line had provided the most cost-effective method of running the newest, unaltered versions of Android, as a phone like the Nexus 4 and or 5 could be purchased for $299-$349 unlocked from Google’s Play store. I have personally developed an affinity for stock Android after experimenting with many mobile devices over the last few years, but I find that beyond personal preference the stock version can also provide a faster, cleaner experience. There are certainly advantages to some of the changes brought by various OEMs to their Android UI, but it’s also nice to have a consistent experience between all of one’s devices regardless of vendor. This is one aspect of Windows Phone that I really like, as (even before the Microsoft acquisition of Nokia’s Devices and Services division) these don’t suffer from the fragmentation that can easily occur when device makers and operators control the OS experience.
Beyond Google's Nexus the other stock Android option had been the so-called "Google Play Edition" smartphones, which were premium phones that sold for the full unsubsidized price of the device – often over $600. And when the Nexus 6 launched with a subsidized operator model and a $649 price tag (needless to say a disappointing development), I was surprised to see Motorola offering their Moto G with stock Lollipop for under $200 unlocked. Like previous Google Play offerings the Moto G and this new Moto E ship with the latest version of Android and have a reputation for quick OTA updates, much like the Nexus model. The 2015 Moto E ships with 5.0.2 Lollipop out of the box, and the 2014 Moto G now runs 5.0.2 via OTA update as well.
This Moto E arrived from Motorola’s web store with Android 5.0.2 installed, impressive considering my unlocked Moto X, also purchased directly from Motorola, still runs 5.0 (with my AT&T Nexus 6 stuck on 5.0.1 without tricking the phone into an OTA to 5.1, which I of course have done). Version number aside the Moto E does provide what is essentially a stock version of Lollipop, but there are several Motorola services running by default. One of these services in particular is quite visible, as "Moto Screen" replaces the default Ambient Display feature in Lollipop. The fact that Android 5 has this feature built in makes Moto Screen redundant, though simply enabling Ambient Display in system settings automatically disables the Moto version. Having Moto Screen enabled out of the box is a mistake in my opinion, and it frustratingly also replaces the unlock mechanism in Lollipop, returning to the orb on the screen from Kit Kat – only this version allows only a downward gesture to unlock the phone. It’s a simple matter to replace the default Moto camera as well, and I disabled this after downloading the official Google Camera app from the Play store.
While most of the additions to Android from Motorola are there to support various Moto services, which are completely unnecessary given the stock Lollipop featureset, these can be disabled by spending a few minutes in Settings. Ultimately the Moto E can provide a stock Android experience, even though it's based on a custom image. It is still remarkable to get this close to what I’ve come to expect from a Nexus device for $149, and this is far closer than you can get from other budget phones without installing a custom image. Using the Moto E is ultimately all about the hardware, as the other aspects of the device are all about Android. Motorola has no skinning or UX changes (other than the annoying Moto Screen mentioned above) to hamper the stock experience, and I for one much prefer this.
Next we'll look at the camera and briefly address call quality before wrapping things up.
Slight typo on page
Slight typo on page 2
Essentially 540×960 offers the usable space of a sharper 1080×1920 panel, but with only half of the pixels the scaling looks at best soft on the Moto E
It’s a quarter of the pixels, half in each direction.
These budget phones look pretty decent, honestly. If Verizon would let me bring my own phone at a discount (which I don’t think they do currently) I’d buy my own phone and use it at the lower price. As it is, I decided to get one of those fancy flagships on Edge, which does give the per-line discount. Paying more than I’d like, but where I live Sprint and T-Mobile aren’t great. 🙁
Thanks – fixed the typo. I
Thanks – fixed the typo. I wish everyone had the option to BYOD, and while Verizon has such a good reputation for coverage the lack of device freedom is why I stick with AT&T.
I’m pretty sure verizon
I’m pretty sure verizon knocks the line fee down to $15 if you are not under a 2-year contract. I think they change that fairly recently.
I’m done with subsidized
I’m done with subsidized phones, we have 2 OnePlus One’s and a Moto G in this house.
Have 2 moto e 2 nd gens and 3
Have 2 moto e 2 nd gens and 3 HTC 510’s on Cricket. $100 month no contract. No plan to ever be gouged by Verizon again. Love it.
Just installed CM12.1
Just installed CM12.1 (Android 5.1) on my Galaxy S3 last night. It’s like getting a new phone!
Who cares, that has nothing
Who cares, that has nothing to do with the article or what anyone is talking about.
You LL want the motog first
You LL want the motog first gen without LTE ,gpe!1280x720p is the sweet spot for smartphone,size can change but the rest as to be 1280x720p .hspa+is also a sweet spot.LTE is a battery hog.the Asus zen2 has all a user need (the 1280x720p version,hopefully the max combo can be outfitted with a 1280x720p.sadly I don’t think zen 2 is gpe !tho Intel does promise update close to same time as android.if true?(usually Intel deliver on their promise)zen 2 will be best bang for $ for a while
I’ve used a SIM-only deal
I’ve used a SIM-only deal here in the UK, for years, with a preSmartphone Nokia, an HTC Desire and now the impressive Moto G
Cannot see the point of essentially leasing or hiring a phone, unless u just HAVE to have the latest flash kit. I pay c£9 (c$13) for 1000 mins ago of calls, unltd texts and a gig of data, plus cellphone companies here are will always haggle to keep u as a customer. Buy the Moto model that appeals – or even cheaper, buy one in India – the rupee is worth £.01 – a UK penny!
Thanks for the review. This
Thanks for the review. This will be in the short list of phones I will consider when and if I finally break down and get my first smartphone.
I currently own a first gen
I currently own a first gen moto G but a model with LTE(I suppose that model only launched in certain parts of the world like the EU). I like the smaller screen better than the new G, it has a higher resolution screen than the new E and an SD card slot. Still waiting for my Lollipop upgrade though…
I got one in the US, so it’s
I got one in the US, so it’s not just an international version. I’m quite happy with it. I got it for the uSD slot not the LTE. I do with they would hurry up with 5.1, though. You did hear the news that they were skipping 5.0.2 and going right to 5.1, right? Downside: it’ll take even longer to get here. But, better late and right than early and broken.