- A leak hints Motorola might resurrect its Defy rugged phone with a modern version.
- It would have modest specs, but a tough case that could survive water and steep drops.
- There’s no word on pricing or availability.
Motorola’s return to the rugged phone market might bank on a familiar name. Leaker Evan Blass has shared images and specs of what’s claimed to be a new version of the Defy — a model Motorola introduced in 2010 as the first water-resistant Android phone.
The new Motorola Defy would have a much more contemporary design, including three rear cameras and a selfie cam tucked into a teardrop notch. However, it would be decidedly tougher than your typical phone. On top of IP68 dust and water resistance (no longer all that rare), it would have a highly shock-resistant body that could survive six-foot drops on to steel thanks to its “structurally reinforced” board. You’d even get a lanyard to reduce the chances of drops.
Read more: The best rugged phones you can buy
This Defy would otherwise be a contemporary Motorola phone — that is, modest specs with a few bright spots. You’d have to live with a 6.5-inch 720p screen, a Snapdragon 662 chip, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of expandable storage. You would get a sizeable 5,000mAh battery, however, and that screen would include Gorilla Glass Victus and support for wet fingers. A 48MP main camera, 2MP macro cam and 2MP depth sensor would sit on the back, while an 8MP selfie camera would sit at the front.
It’s not certain when Motorola would introduce the new Defy or how much it would cost. The abundance of press shots in the leak suggests the company is relatively close, though, and the specs hint at a reasonable price. Whether or not it catches on is another matter. A lot has changed in the Android phone market since the original Defy, and Motorola is no longer the giant it once was.
