New Moto G7 Case Leaks Shows A Very 2018-ish Smartphone, Destined For 2019 Release

- December 31, 2018

Motorola is expected to release the Moto G7 in April of 2019, but leaks are already piling up for the new device. There have been numerous leaks already about the Moto G7, and now there is a new one from a case maker that essentially confirms everything we've already seen. The image, above, shows that the Moto G7 is going to sport water-droplet notch on the front, with somewhat thick bezels, but it is also going to have USB-C for charging and a headphone jack. It also shows a dual-camera setup on the back with dual-LED flash as well. There's nothing really new here, which isn't surprising, since we are still about four months from release of the Moto G7 at this point.

Case Makers Usually Work off of a Rendered Image

Case makers are usually given the dimensions of the phone months ahead of its release. This is so that when the phone is released, there are a number of cases available already for the phone. So that those buying it can keep their phone protected from day one. This isn't new, and isn't something that is going to stop anytime soon. But case makers are rarely given actual renders of the phone from the manufacturer - in this case, Motorola. Typically, they are given the dimensions and often times they will get a leaked image from somewhere and put it inside the case for their listings. As some cases do go up for pre-order before the phone is announced. In fact, Spigen is pretty notorious for doing just that. So when you see cases for unreleased smartphones like the one here, you'd better take it with a grain of salt. While the dimensions are likely accurate, the design of the phone may not be, and we won't know for sure until Motorola announces it in April (or whenever it is announced).

Thick Bezels Isn't Surprising On A Mid-Range Smartphone

Readers are likely going to be going in on Motorola for giving the Moto G7 a notch along with some thicker bezels. But one has to remember that this is indeed a mid-range device from Motorola. This is not a high-end smartphone, that is going to cost over $500. In fact, this will likely cost less than $300. And for a sub-$300 smartphone, this is a pretty good design. It is a totally different market, so we do have to treat it as such. Motorola knows this market really well, and it knows how to sell its G-series smartphones in many emerging markets. And customers want a phone with more screen, but without adding a larger frame, and that's what the Moto G7 is aiming to do here with that notch. It is a water-droplet notch, so it's not as large as some others out there, which is good to see.

Moto G7 will be the latest in Motorola's Best-Selling Lineup

The Moto G-series is Motorola's best-selling series of phones, ever. Not just in the smartphone world, but even dating back to the flip phones. The RAZR was the old top-seller, but the first few generations of the Moto G-series outsold it by quite a bit. This was because Motorola was releasing a smartphone that was under $300, with some flagship level specs and features. Sure it wasn't as flagship as a Galaxy S or Galaxy Note from Samsung. But it had all of the necessities, allowing users to get a pretty good device without paying a ton. This was done in a market where sub-$300 smartphones were essentially garbage and no one should buy them. Now it's the complete opposite, with many competitors coming into the space as well, and it has also forced smartphone makers to raise the prices on their flagship "premium" smartphones. The Moto G-series hasn't been as popular in recent years, due to the competition from companies like OnePlus, Honor, Huawei, LG and others. But it is still a very popular device for those that are looking for a phone that can do everything they want without spending a ton.

An April 2019 Release

The rumor mill is pointing to an April 2019 release for the Moto G7. Which could mean that the device is announced at Mobile World Congress in early March and then goes on sale in April. Or it could mean that it is being announced in April. If that is the case, it will likely be announced at an event in either Brazil or India. Those are two of Motorola's biggest markets right now, largely because they are emerging markets. So a cheaper smartphone like the Moto G7 is going to sell better than something like the Moto Z4 next year. Of course this is all rumor right now, there's nothing official just yet, so we'll have to take it all with a grain of salt.