Motorola was able to make the concept of modularity a practical one with Moto Z range. For 2017, the smartphone range is making its return to India. One of the phones in this range is the Moto Z2 Play. It will be the most affordable phone in its family. However, it will also have to contend with a BlackBerry. Yes, for 2017, BlackBerry is bringing another phone to India called KEYone. This phone has a full QWERTY keyboard to make it stand out from the crowd of smartphone slabs we see today. Let’s get them together for a quick Moto Z2 Play vs BlackBerry KEYone comparison to see which one should you buy.
Motorola Moto Z2 Play vs BlackBerry KEYone
Price
| Moto Z2 Price (expected) | Rs 37,000 |
| BlackBerry KEYone Price (expected) | Rs 39,999 |
Both phones are expected to be priced within spitting distance of each other. However, for such price, both phones sport great design. The Motorola Moto Z2 Play has all-metal design with magnetic pins for Moto Mods. The BlackBerry KEYone has a metal frame with plastic back panel and has a full QWERTY keyboard too. So, let’s use other rounds to decide a winner in this Moto Z2 Play vs BlackBerry KEYone comparison.
Also Read: Moto Z2 Play vs OnePlus 3T
Specifications
| Specifications | Motorola Moto Z2 Play | BlackBerry KEYone |
| Processor | 1.8GHz hexa-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 | 2.0GHz octa-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 |
| RAM | 3GB | 4GB |
| Internal Storage | 32GB (expandable up to 2TB) | 32GB (expandable up to 2TB) |
| Display | 5.5-inch Full HD (1920x1080p) resolution, AMOLED, 16:9 aspect ratio | 4.5-inch Full HD (1620x1080p) resolution, LCD, 3:2 aspect ratio |
| OS | Stock Android 7.1 Nougat | Android 7.1 Nougat |
| Primary (rear) Camera | 13-megapixel with flash | 12-megapixel with flash |
| Front Camera | 8-megapixel | 8-megapixel |
| Battery | 3000mAh with Turbo Charging | 3505mAh with Fast Charging |
| Dual SIM | Yes | Yes |
The biggest difference is the battery size. Due to having a full QWERTY keyboard, the BlackBerry KEYone loses a full inch of screen estate. However, it has stock Android 7.0 Nougat with its suite of security apps thrown in. By a very slight margin the Moto Z2 Play wins this round of Moto Z2 Play vs BlackBerry KEYone comparison.
Also Read: All You Need To Know About BlackBerry KEYone
Features
| Motorola Moto Z2 Play | BlackBerry KEYone |
| Moto Mods connectivity | Big battery |
| Water Resistant | Full QWERTY keyboard |
| Big screen | USB 3.0 |
| AMOLED display | 8-megapixel front camera |
| No headphone jack | BlackBerry apps |
| Bluetooth 5.0 | Fingerprint scanner in space bar |
In terms of features, the BlackBerry KEYone sports some unique features. Its fingerprint scanner sits in the spacebar, while it has an edge in battery size. Two big things working in Moto Z2 Play’s favour are water resistance and Moto Mods connectivity. However, either phone caters to different masses with different uses. For an everyday user, Moto Z2 Play will serve better. The BlackBerry KEYone will be the preference of an individual for whom productivity is a big deal. So, no winners in this round of Moto Z2 Play vs BlackBerry KEYone comparison.
Also Read: Moto G5 Plus vs BlackBerry KEYone
Motorola Moto Z2 Play vs BlackBerry KEYone – Conclusion
Do you know what does not work in BlackBerry’s favour? Its signature feature – the QWERTY keyboard. In today’s times, we have been conditioned enough to use our phone’s screen for typing. So, anything new or different, like a physical QWERTY keyboard, poses a big learning curve to us. Do most of us like it? May be yes or may be no. Are we ready to give it a shot? Most of us will say no. This is the reason why the KEYone does not stand to win a comparison. Unlike other slabs (sorry, smartphones) which are jack of all trades, this phone has been created as a master of one task – productivity. Unless our ecosystems make a drastic shift to mobile systems, phones like the KEYone will never be appreciated like they used to be some years ago.
In the end, for this very reason, we have to crown the Moto Z2 Play as the winner of this Moto Z2 Play vs BlackBerry KEYone comparison. However, our word to BlackBerry is that it better keep makes phones such as the KEYone, however small the number of users who appreciate such a phone are. This is the one phone, after Priv and Passport, to break the monotony in the market. This is something worth appreciating by everyone.
Story updated to reflect changes in KEYone’s reported RAM increase to 4GB, Dual SIM capability and price.
