Love the S Pen? Motorola might have a new phone for you (Update: name revealed)

Update, January 30 2020 (12:05AM ET): We first got a look at a stylus-toting Motorola smartphone last week, courtesy of prominent leaker Evan Blass. At the time it was suggested that this wasn’t a flagship device.

Now, Blass has clarified that the phone is called the Moto G Stylus, which all but confirms that this isn’t a flagship phone. After all, the Moto G series is the company’s mid-range family, offering phones in the ~$300 and under category.

News of a mid-range, stylus-toting smartphone comes a short while after Samsung launched the S-Pen-equipped Galaxy Note 10 Lite. But Samsung’s device is priced above ~$500 in the likes of India, leaving the door open for cheaper alternatives from LG and now potentially Motorola.

Original article, January 25 2020 (7:58AM ET): Consumers who are looking for a phone with a stylus don’t have many options these days. While they were all the rage back in the days of Windows Phone, on Android your options are limited. If you can’t afford a device with an S Pen like the Galaxy Note 10 or Note 10 Lite, the most recent options are a few odd LG phones from 2018.

Now, a new render from serial tipster Evan Blass seems to add a new stylus-wielding device to the ranks. It shows a Motorola phone with a thin stylus, a small punch-hole camera, and a curved glass screen. Judging by the curve on the head of the stylus, it appears to slot into the bottom of the phone, just like the S Pen.

While he was also quick to point out that this likely isn’t Motorola’s rumored flagship Motorola Edge Plus, it is an interesting device to say the least. While other companies are searching for new gimmicks like folding screens and huge megapixel counts, a stylus feels like a throwback that’s largely been forgotten outside of Samsung’s Note lineup.

Plus, if it lands at an affordable price range like the rest the Motorola One family, it would stand out in an increasingly competitive mid-range space. The Galaxy Note Lite starts at $670, which is a lot to pay if you just want a phone with an integrated stylus without all the extra S Pen features.

As the weeks tick down to MWC 2020, we’ll keep an eye out for more details on this mystery device. What do you think? Are you interested in more options when it comes to phones with a stylus?