Meet Motorola’s new flagship, the modular Moto Z [Update]

Today, Motorola took the wraps off its 2016 flagship, the Moto Z. These phones (there are two of them) are markedly different from past Moto flagships, which is appropriate since the Moto Z represents Motorola's transition from "A Google Company" to Lenovo subsidiary. The actual deal closed over a year ago, but product pipelines mean only now are we seeing Lenovo's full influence.

The Moto Z is a metal phone the company is calling "the world's thinnest premium smartphone." It has a 5.5-inch, 1440p AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 820, 4GB of RAM, and 32 or 64GB of storage with a MicroSD slot. For cameras, there's a 13MP rear sensor with OIS and laser autofocus and a 5MP front camera with a wide angle lens. Other extras include a fingerprint sensor, "water-repellant coating," and a front flash.

Lenovorola hasn't said how big the battery on the Moto Z is, only that it will get "30 hours" of battery life.

There's also the Moto Z Force, which has the "second generation of Moto ShatterShield." Instead of a Gorilla Glass cover, ShatterShield uses an "unbreakable" plastic screen cover. It won't shatter, but it's also prone to scratches and on the debut device, the Verizon Droid Turbo 2, it felt very cheap.

The Moto Z Force is a little thicker than the regular Z, and it includes a larger 3500mAh battery. The phone also has a higher megapixel (21MP) camera sensor.

Update: We've got a real spec sheet now. The Moto Z has a 2600 mAh battery, USB Type-C, and no headphone jack (!). The "world's thinnest premium phone" is 153.3 mm × 75.3 mm × 5.19 mm (6.04 in × 2.96 in × 0.2 in)—we're guessing that doesn't include the camera hump. The Z Force is a bit bigger all around: 155.9 mm × 75.8 mm × 6.99 mm (6.14 in × 2.98 in × 0.28 in).

Both devices are compatible with the new "MotoMods" modular accessory system. These are all magnetic "backpack" attachments that connect to the 16 pogo pins on the back, adding more functionality to the device. There was a speaker module from JBL, a projector module, a battery module, and various back panels in wood and leather. The feature is a lot like the LG G5, but the upside with the Moto Z is that you don't have to take the battery out to swap modules.

As for availability, Motorola has a deal with Verizon, so "Droid" versions of both of these phones is expected to launch in the US this summer. An unlocked Moto Z will also make an appearance in the US. In the UK, Europe, and globally, the Moto Z will launch in September. There's no pricing and no complete spec list yet.