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LineageOS is one of the most popular custom ROMs available, with somewhere around two million active installations. It typically takes a while for the project to update to newer versions of Android, since development is largely done by maintainers in their spare time. Six months after the public release of Android 9 Pie, it looks like LineageOS is about ready to make the jump — but not before dropping older devices.
Android 8.0 Oreo first arrived on the Brazil Moto Z Play in March of this year, then it started to roll out in the United States two months later. Motorola usually releases the kernel source code for each update around the time it is released, but for whatever reason, the Oreo code hasn't been available until now.
The original Moto Z Play was released in 2016, and originally shipped with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. An update to Android 7.0 started rolling out in March 2017, and a 7.1.1 update came in June. The unlocked US model received 8.0 Oreo in May of this year, but only now is the Verizon model (also known as Moto Z DROID Edition) being updated.
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Android 8.0 Oreo is finally rolling out to unlocked Moto Z handsets with model number XT1650-03 in the United States. The release weighs in at just over 1.4GB and includes Android security patches up to March 1. It comes almost two months after Oreo started reaching Moto Z owners in Brazil.
Team Win Recovery Project, which you probably know as TWRP, is the most popular custom recovery around. The open-source project makes it easy to flash custom software, including custom ROMs, on compatible phones and tablets. Since our last update a couple weeks ago, TWRP has added support for a handful of other devices, including the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 and Moto E4 Plus.
Lenovo-owned Motorola isn't always that fast when it comes to updating the OS of its older phones. It took a critical post from us late last year to get the company to honor its promise of releasing an 8.0 Oreo update for the Moto G4, for example. The Moto Mod-compatible Z Play from 2016 received Android 7.1.1 Nougat last summer, and now it's finally getting Oreo.
Smartphones are getting more and more expensive, but flagships from a year or two ago are still good devices - I should know, my main phone is still a 2016 Google Pixel. If you've been looking for an inexpensive phone, or even a secondary/backup device, today might be your lucky day. Daily Steals currently has several refurbished Motorola phones on sale at steep discounts, when you use our exclusive coupon codes.
Projector phones always seemed like an idea that made more sense in science fiction than in present reality, which is probably why the Galaxy Beam failed to gain much traction. Such as it is, the benefit of the Moto Mod design allows anyone with a compatible phone to add on a countless number of peculiar peripherals... one at a time. Now, at Verizon, you can get a free Insta-Share Projector Moto Mod for free when you purchase any other Moto Mod. At $300 off, it's quite the bargain.
B&H is running a massive year-end sale right now, fittingly named the 'Mega Deal Zone.' We already covered some of the offerings here, but there are also seven Motorola phones on sale. That includes the Moto G5S Plus, Moto G4, and last year's Moto Z Play.
Motorola has struggled to come up with compelling Moto Mod accessories, and its latest attempt is a partnership with Polaroid. The new Insta-Share Printer Moto Mod plugs into your Moto Z device so you can print your snapshots instantly on 2x3-inch adhesive sheets. Does that sound vaguely fun? Well, you'll pay $200 for the privilege.The Moto Z camera gains a few new capabilities with this mod attached. You can take Polaroid photos with filters and borders, then print them immediately. However, the prints come out in front of the camera, so that's going to slow you down. You can also print older shots or grab images from Facebook, Instagram and Google Photos. The photos are small, but they're also stickers. I mean, who doesn't like stickers?[EMBED_YT]https://youtu.be/O23ISH8Fd0w[/EMBED_YT]The Insta-Share Printer uses the ZINK inkless paper system from Polaroid's other mobile printers. In fact, this Mod is really just one of Polaroid's existing printers that sticks to the back of your phone. It's twice as expensive, though. The paper is spendy, too. A 20-pack of ZINK paper is $9 on Amazon.The Insta-Share Printer Moto Mod goes on sale at Verizon this week. It'll be exclusive there for a while, but the printer will launch elsewhere at a later date. Motorola is taking pre-orders and will ship them at the end of the month.Source: Motorola
Motorola isn't the best at updating its devices these days. Custom ROMs can often be helpful for devices without speedy official updates, but the lack of a recent kernel source code can make ROMs less stable/functional. Thankfully Motorola has released the kernel code for the original Moto Z Play's Android 7.1.1 update.
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- Motorola has published a blog post confirming all the devices above, along with the as of yet unreleased Moto X4. We also forgot about the Moto Z Play Droid - whoops. We've added both to the list above.
Back in the days when the Moto X could be used with one hand and Moto Maker was a cool new thing, Motorola was one of the best manufacturers with software updates. Since their skin is so minimal, anything else would be disappointing. But Motorola is not what it once was, and it's fallen behind in terms of software support. The Lenovo-owned company has just released its update roadmap for Android 8.0 Oreo.
[Deal Alert] Get a Moto Z Play with a free $50 gift card and more for just $349.99 ($100 off) at B&H
Last year's Moto Z Play was one of the most universally-loved smartphones out there. Why, you may ask, would a phone with a Snapdragon 625 and fairly average specifications overall get such a following? Well, its battery life was nothing short of incredible, with many users getting double digits of screen-on-time. Now, you can grab a Z Play on the cheap from B&H, and get some free stuff thrown in as well.
The Moto Z Play may be getting a tad old at this point, but it's a good phone even by today's standards. From all accounts, it does everything that most smartphone users want it to do while striking firmly in the mid-range price spectrum. B&H has the Z Play for $349.99, a total savings of $100. Plus, there's no tax collected outside of New Jersey and New York.
Motorola started sending out the Android 7.1.1 update to Moto Z Play devices in the US last month, and now it's also doing the same in Brazil, for that device plus the regular Moto Z model. After carrying out soak tests in the region, the final builds are starting to slowly make their way to users of both phones.
Six new Moto Mod concepts announced, including DSLR lens, DirecTV, and "Moto 360 Camera" attachments
Back in 2016, Motorola committed to releasing twelve Moto Mods per year - a rather ambitious amount. However, it appears that the Lenovo-owned company hasn't forgotten about that promise, as it revealed six new Moto Mod concepts a few days ago at an event in Ghana. Moto has shown off Moto Mod concepts in the past (alongside production Moto Mods), but these are new.
Verizon isn't known for having the best prices so much as it is for great coverage, but that doesn't mean it can't offer up some good deals once in a while. Big Red currently has the Pixel and Pixel XL for just $15 and 20 per month, respectively, and it's throwing a free Google Home in. There are also some other nice deals available, such as the Moto Z Play Droid for $5/month and the LG Stylo 2 V for free.
Now that Android O is on the horizon, it seems like many phone manufacturers have opted to completely ignore Android 7.1. A few devices have been updated, such as the OnePlus 3/3T and Nextbit Robin, but not many. Now it seems the Moto Z Play has become Motorola's first phone (in the US, at least) to get Android 7.1.