Motorola's International Success vs. US Market Disappointment

Moto G67 Power, Moto G (2026), Moto G Play (2026), and Moto G57 Power.

For an Android power user, none of those names is likely to sound particularly exciting (which is a little ironic given that two of them actually have the word "Power" in them), but for "normal" folks like me who can appreciate a solid mid-ranger with respectable specs and affordable pricing, this avalanche of new products is like Christmas in November. Unfortunately, just like every Christmas has ugly sweaters and messy family reunions, the aforementioned Moto G quartet has its share of very obvious and annoying flaws.

I hope you don't expect me to answer that rhetorical question, because I've been baffled by Motorola's US product release strategy for many years now, and I can't say I'm surprised to see the Moto G (2026) and Moto G Play (2026) carry on the puzzling legacy of their forerunners.

Just as the Moto G (2025) is nothing special, with a sub-par "HD+" screen in tow, an unremarkable 5,000mAh battery under the hood, and a decent but not exactly irresistible $199.99 price tag attached to its name, the Moto G (2026) fails to blow my mind with its unchanged display resolution, slightly larger 5,200mAh cell, and unchanged price point.

Can you do better at two Benjamins stateside? Probably not, but I know for a fact that Motorola could have done better and thus make it a lot easier for cash-strapped smartphone buyers to snub the likes of Samsung's Galaxy A16 5G, and presumably, the Galaxy A17 5G before long.

Look, I know how regional pricing works, so I never realistically expected a phone as good (at least on paper) as the Moto G67 Power to come to the US at under $200.

But I don't think it's unrealistic to expect Motorola to stop crippling its low and mid-end devices in its domestic market, especially after seeing how well the 2025 Razr family is performing against Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7.

The US-specific Razr (2025), Razr Plus (2025), and Razr Ultra (2025) are just as impressive as their international Razr 60 series counterparts, mind you, and surprise, surprise, that's helping the company's foldables sell like hotcakes around the world.

The Moto G (2026) and Moto G Play (2026), meanwhile, are (significantly) worse than the latest international additions to the Moto G portfolio, which makes me pessimistic about the Moto G Power (2026) and Moto G Stylus (2026) as well.

While I know those two US-bound mid-rangers will be better than the newest Moto G and G Play editions, I fear the underwhelming 5,000mAh battery capacity of the Moto G Power (2025) will not be properly upgraded for its 2026 sequel.

It clearly wouldn't make sense to keep that below the 6,500mAh mark after three different Moto G-series phones broke the 7,000mAh barrier in three different regions in the last couple of weeks alone, but here I am, pleading and almost begging Motorola to take the US more seriously and push Samsung into stepping up its own mid-range game soon. That's the only way the currently stagnant (and, frankly, boring) market segment can grow in the near future.