Verizon announces Moto Z Droid Edition and Moto Z Force Droid Edition

The latest Droids out of Verizon come to us in the form of slightly-tweaked Moto Zs.

As Motorola took to the stage to announce its new flagship phone line under the Moto Z name, Verizon got its own slice of the time to talk about its "Droid Edition" versions in the line — the new Moto Z Droid Edition and Moto Z Force Droid Edition. Though the cadence for the release of a Droid version of Motorola's top-end phones has changed over time, we're getting these right at the same time.

The higher end (and more generally appealing) of the two models is the Moto Z Droid Edition, mostly mirroring the specs of the standard Moto Z but with some distinct Verizon branding throughout. So we're looking at a 5.5-inch Quad HD display, powered by a Snapdragon 820 and a 2600 mAh battery in its slim casing. On the camera front, we're looking at a 13MP camera with OIS on the back and a 5MP shooter on the front.

The Moto X Force Droid Edition is more of a spiritual successor to the Droid Maxx 2, built on the same platform as the standard Moto Z but with some changes to make it more ... Forceful. With a 5.5-inch "ShatterShield" shatterproof display, larger 3500 mAh battery and bigger 21MP camera it bumps up the specs, but still offers the same design and features — like USB-C, 32GB of storage, Turbo Charging and a water-repellent coating — as the standard Moto Z Droid Edition for the most part.

Both phones are compatible with Lenovo's new modular swappable backs called Moto Mods, which are optional accessories that clip onto the back of the Moto Z to add extra functions. The first crop of Moto Mods available are a projector system, a big speaker and an extended battery pack. Lenovo says that more Moto Mods are in development as well.

As for availability and pricing, we're not quite to that point yet. Verizon says that both the Moto Z Droid Edition and Moto Z Force Droid Edition will go up for pre-order in July, with a proper release "this summer." You'll be able to get the Moto Z Droid Edition in two colors — black/grey and white/gold — while the Moto Z Force Droid Edition will come in just just black/grey combo.

Press release:

Exclusively from Verizon, an entirely new breed of smartphone: Moto Z Droids with Moto Mods

Moto Mods transform your Moto Z Droid into a theater, stereo and more while the best network makes downloading and streaming a snap

SAN FRANCISCO – Lenovo, today, unveiled the new Moto Z Droid Edition smartphones, available this summer exclusively on Verizon. The Moto Z and the Moto Z Force will lead a lineup of devices compatible with Moto Mods, featuring interchangeable smart backs that snap onto your smartphone, instantly transforming it into a movie projector, boom box, battery powerhouse and more.

"The Moto Z Droids are amazing devices by themselves, but we wanted to work with Motorola to introduce something entirely new that would inspire customers to get excited about smartphones again," said Jeff Dietel, vice president of wireless devices at Verizon. "This groundbreaking new modular system will revolutionize the smartphone landscape and Droid brand for years to come. With Verizon's leadership in wireless and Motorola's leadership in mobile innovation, we're bringing true innovation to the marketplace."

The Moto Z Droid Edition and Moto Z Force Droid Edition will be powered by the Verizon network, ranked number one by Root Metrics for overall network performance across the United States. With these entirely re-imagined smartphones running on the best network in the country, you'll get the most out of your Moto Z, including excellent video performance, smooth streaming, fast social sharing and crystal-clear calls.

The Motorola and Verizon relationship has always revolved around innovation. Starting with the thinnest 4G LTE device, continuing with the first 4G LTE smartphone to offer 48-hours of battery life and, most recently, Moto ShatterShield™ — the first shatterproof smartphone display.* Now, Motorola and Verizon collaborated on a state-of-the-art modular smartphone system that redefines the concept of mobility.

The thinnest premium smartphone and a powerhouse in your pocket

The Moto Z Droid Edition and Moto Z Force Droid Edition work with the Moto Mod system, yet offer distinct design features that can be tailored for your lifestyle. The Moto Z Droid Edition is the thinnest premium smartphone available today, and was designed so you can add powerful capabilities to your phone without adding a ton of bulk to your pocket.

Made from military aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel, this ultra-light, all-metal 5.5" Quad HD smartphone features all-day battery life** (2600 mAh), a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and a turbo charger that gives you up to 8 hours of power in just 15 minutes of charging.*** The new Moto Z Force Droid Edition has innovations you'd expect from a Droid, like a guaranteed shatterproof display and incredibly fast charging speeds. Moto ShatterShield set the standard as the world's first smartphone display guaranteed not to crack or shatter. The new second-generation ShatterShield features narrower edges and a thinner design, yet it's still as strong as ever. The Moto Z Force Droid Edition steps up the battery to 3500 mAh for more than a full day of battery life, bumps up the camera to 21-megapixels and the included TurboPower™ charger offers up to 15 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes of charging.

The Moto Z Droid family will be available from Verizon in two distinct colors. The Moto Z Droid Edition will be offered in black/lunar gray and white/fine gold and the Moto Z Force Droid Edition will be available in black/lunar gray.

Moto Mods

Moto Mods instantly transform your smartphone into an entirely new device, doing what no other phone can do. Like turn it into a portable theater, a wireless speaker or a chic fashion accessory with built-in power and wireless charging capabilities. Moto Mods magnetically snap onto your phone, seamlessly becoming one with it. And they're easy to swap whenever inspiration strikes. Project a TV show to watch with friends. Or blast your favorite playlist at a party.

And that's just the beginning. Motorola is working with leading brands to develop additional Moto Mods for today's Moto Z phones, and Moto Mods developed today***** are designed to work with future generation Moto Z phones. Motorola also announced that it will release a Moto Mod Development Kit (MDK), allowing anyone from small developers to established enterprises to create the next generation of Moto Mods.

Better matters on Verizon

The Verizon network is the perfect complement to the Moto Mod and Moto Z Droid platform. A reliable 4G LTE network ensures that the music and movies streaming to your Moto Mod speaker and projector will be lag and buffer-free, and that you can easily share your stunning photos on Instagram or Flickr.

Both Droids also support Verizon's Advanced Calling. That means when you call another compatible smartphone, you get HD Voice quality that's as clear as talking face-to-face. You can also start a video call right from the calling screen with just a tap.

The Moto Z Force Droid Edition, Moto Z Droid Edition and Moto Mods will be available exclusively on Verizon this summer. You can pre-order these devices beginning next month.