Next-gen Moto E may have been spotted

Moto E
Is the Moto E getting replaced?

We're fully expecting Motorola to launch a second generation Moto E at some point this year and such a device has already been rumoured.

But it may have just got a little more real, as a handset that could definitely fit the bill has been listed by the FCC and spotted by Phone Arena.

The listing doesn't reveal much, mostly just saying that the Motorola handset, which is so far unnamed other than a '4583' model number, supports Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and Wi-Fi hotspots, but what's more enlightening is what it doesn't support, specifically 4G.

Definitely low end

That instantly marks it out as a lower end device and while some versions of the Moto G don't have 4G either that was quite recently refreshed, so we wouldn't expect a new one yet. That leaves the Moto E.

A dimensions listing of 129.9 x 66.96mm with a diagonal of 136.9mm (or 5.39 inches) also fits with the Moto E theory, as the new model is rumoured to have a 4.5-inch screen and as that 5.39-inch diagonal refers to the body of the handset and not just the screen it sounds about right for housing a 4.5-inch display.

Another FCC titbit is that the phone has a "permanently attached, retractable plastic tab", suggesting that the battery isn't removable.

It's still possible that this is something other than the next Moto E, but if it is then it's likely to be something completely new. For now, our money's on the Moto E.

James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.