5 ways in which the new Moto G (2nd Gen) betters the original

New Delhi: In less than a year of its initial launch, Motorola has upgraded its hot-selling Moto G smartphone. The Moto G was first unveiled in November 2013 and came to the Indian market in February this year. This quicker-than-usual switch to the 2nd generation has raised some questions in the minds of existing Moto G owners and also those who are planning a purchase. We answer the most important one: How better is the Moto G (2nd gen) over the original.

1. Larger screen: The new Moto G looks almost the same as the old one, but has a slightly bigger screen. The new model has a display larger than the old model by 0.5 inches but with the same screen resolution. The 5-inch 720p display on the new Moto G produces good colours and has satisfactory viewing angles. The larger screen with the same screen resolution means a lower pixel density, but practically, there is little difference for a naked eye to notice.

2. Improved cameras: The Moto G (2nd generation) comes with enhanced cameras. The megapixel count on the new Moto G has been upped from 5 megapixel to 8 megapixel for the primary camera, and 1.3 to 2 megapixel for the front camera. I remember telling people in review of the original Moto G earlier this year that the front camera is okay only for video calling, but not for selfies. But now Motorola has filled that gap with the new model.

3. Additional storage: A significant improvement in the second-gen Moto G is that it offers expandable storage. The addition of a microSD card slot in the second-gen Moto G indicates that Motorola took the feedback seriously. The original Moto G was criticised for not offering additional storage. The company recommends to use a microSD card of not more than 32GB.

4. Dual speakers: Unlike the old Moto G that came with a speaker grill at the back, the new Moto G has dual speakers at the front that produce fairly loud sound in a normal room environment. However, in a noisy atmosphere, it may not sound as powerful. But with earphones plugged in, the phone produces excellent audio results.

5. Cheaper: Motorola in its new Moto G has upped the specs on many fronts, but what it has not increased is its price - in fact, the phone gets slightly cheaper. The new and improved Moto G (16GB) comes at a price of Rs 12,999, which is Rs 1000 cheaper than its predecessor. (The company has not yet launched the 8GB varaint of the new Moto G.)