Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Tech Advisor reports that Motorola has returned to the US tablet market after 15 years with the Moto Pad 2026, priced at $249.99.
- The budget tablet features an 11-inch 2.5K 90Hz display, MediaTek D6300 5G processor, and 7040mAh battery with quad Dolby speakers.
- This launch signals Motorola’s broader diversification strategy, competing with devices like Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 in the affordable tablet segment.
Motorola has announced a new tablet called the Moto Pad 2026, and it’s a surprisingly momentous launch.
It’s a fairly humble device, fronted by an 11-inch 2.5K LCD with a mere 90Hz refresh rate. There’s 5G connectivity for full online accessibility on the go, accompanied by a 7040mAh battery and 20W charging support.
Quad Dolby speakers bolster its multimedia credentials, but a MediaTek D6300 5G processor tells you we’re firmly in budget tablet territory.
Sure enough, an RRP of $249.99 places the Moto Pad 2026 towards the lower half of the tablet market, making it a contender for younger users and casual media consumers and a rival to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 and Tab A11+.
Motorola
Why the Moto Pad 2026 has us excited – with caveats
While the Moto Pad 2026 won’t be giving the iPad Pro or the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra sleepless nights on the spec front, its existence is rather noteworthy.
Prior to the Moto Pad 2026, Motorola hadn’t launched a tablet in either the US or the UK since 2011. That tablet was the Motorola Xoom 2, aka the Motorola Xyboard, if you’re wondering.
We’ve seen Motorola tablets launched since then, but only in Asian markets.
We should note the caveat here that the Motorola Pad 2026 is a US-only launch at present, having been announced alongside the similarly US-only Motorola G Stylus 2026 – a $499 mid-range smartphone with a stylus.
We have no idea whether we’ll see the tablet (or something similar) here in the UK and Europe. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed that Motorola is intent on re-entering the tablet market in a serious way. For all the affordable Android tablet options that are out there, we’d love to see another one with a clean near-stock UI, which is Motorola’s calling card.
Motorola Edge 70 line-up tipped
In separate Motorola news, noted tipster Evan Blass has been spilling the beans on the company’s plans for its Edge smartphone range.
It’s reportedly due to splurge out on Edge 70 models, with seven models named – including the regular Edge 70 we reviewed last year.
There’s also the recently launched Motorola Signature, but we’re intrigued to note the mention of a Motorola Edge 70 Pro+ and an Edge 70 Fusion+, while the 70 Pro Lite seems something of a contradiction.
These suggest that Motorola could be looking to offer both larger and smaller variants of its various mid-range handsets.
