Moto Z (2017) allegedly appears in public sporting an oval fingerpint scanner

Has the Moto Z (2017) already been seen in public? During MWC, a picture of the Gamepad Moto Mod was disseminated showing a unknown Moto Z model sporting the accessory. The device carried an oval shaped fingerprint scanner, replacing the box shaped biometric reader currently in use. Of course, it just might have been a placeholder, but the timing suggests that it could be a legitimate image of the next Moto flagship model. That's because the current Moto Z line was first unveiled last June.

As we told you earlier today, Sprint and Motorola recently paired up to show off the carrier's Gigabit Class LTE service. The test was done in the Big Easy during an NBA contest between the New Orleans Pelicans and Toronto Raptors. Sprint's press release noted that the Motorola phone employed was a future flagship powered by the Snapdragon 835 SoC. An integrated Snapdragon X16 LTE modem is inside, supporting the Gigabit LTE technology. 

According to Sprint, the carrier used "three-channel carrier aggregation and 60 MHz of Sprint's 2.5 GHz spectrum in combination __with 4X4 MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) and 256-QAM higher order modulation to achieve incredible Category 16 LTE download data speeds on a TDD network." The Motorola phone used in the testing carried four antennas. And bless Motorola's heart. To make sure that the design wasn't detected, the manufacturer put the phone in a case and taped it up really good.

Sprint says that the heavily disguised handset used in the testing is a "forthcoming flagship." In that case, it would appear that the carrier branded Moto Z (2017) won't be tied down to Verizon next year.

"Only Sprint has enough licensed spectrum to deliver this level of capacity and performance in major markets across the country. Our high-band 2.5 GHz TDD LTE spectrum is uniquely suited for Gigabit Class LTE, and we fully intend to maximize our deep spectrum holdings to provide customers __with more immersive and connected mobile experiences."-Dr. John Saw, CTO, Sprint

As for Sprint, a few updates are required for Gigabit Class service to get started. Three-channel carrier aggregation is already available in over 100 markets. The service will work on devices that support Category 16 and 4x4 MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output). Eventually, Sprint hopes to employ Massive MIMO that in theory, could produce data speeds as fast as 3-6 Gbps.

Moto Z (2017) appears in public?

Heavily disguised Moto Z (2017) is being used to test Sprint's Gigabit Class LTE

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Moto Z (2017) with oval fingerprint scanner is seen at MWC

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Heavily disguised Moto Z (2017) is being used to test Sprint's Gigabit Class LTE

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Moto Z (2017) appears in public?

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Moto Z (2017) appears in public?

1. Moto Z (2017) with oval fingerprint scanner is seen at MWC

2. Heavily disguised Moto Z (2017) is being used to test Sprint's Gigabit Class LTE

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source: Sprint, @DiaMariesbeat via AndroidCentral