Our resident reviewer, Rosie, gives the new Motorola moto g04 phone (with its groundbreaking te ao Māori capability btw!) a try so you know whether it’s worth your hard-earned $$$.

I’m not going to lie to you, when I received Motorola’s latest phone from the new moto g range, as your average Apple user, I was hesitant. I didn’t know what to expect.

So when opening the Moto G04, I was pleasantly surprised by how modern, slim and sleek the phone was for its price. At only $199 RRP, the phone works well and looks aesthetic while doing it.

I remember I used to play with my mum’s Motorola flip phone as a kid and dreaming of one day being old enough to have one for myself. So it felt like a full circle moment, holding the new and improved 2024 version of a Motorola, for myself.

For an entry-level phone, it does everything you need it to– takes good photos, with a 16MP AI-powered camera, face unlocks, impressive battery and quality images. If you were a young one getting your first mobile, this would be a perfect fit.

With a matte, plastic finish, the classic, minimalist design has a camera at the back with a subtle Motorola logo and feels durable and comfortable to hold.

Although it might not be like a higher-end model for pixel density, the camera does the trick for what it’s worth and the display is more than satisfactory for video watching, browsing the web, and social media scrolling.

The battery life would last most people a full day and supports 15W fast charging, which is a pretty impressive feature for this price.

But most of all, this phone has a new te ao Māori capability that is a first of it’s kind.

Offering the Māori language beyond just Māori characters, reo speakers can select te reo right from the initial setup and navigate the phone entirely in Māori.

I am not fluent in te reo whatsoever, however, I am passionate about revitalizing the language. So I had a play around with the feature.

Honestly, I found it quite emotional seeing the notifications pop up and apps labeled in Māori.

Although not every aspect of the phone is translated to Te Reo, it’s really special to see such a beautiful language and taonga on a phone screen like that.

Another cool feature is you can use voice input in Te Reo Māori which makes it even more accessible for reo speakers.

This initiative and capability is a real positive step towards revitalising indigenous languages through more digitally inclusive technology and is huge for Kiwis wanting to incorporate Te Reo Māori into all facets of their lives.

This commitment to cultural interaction, preservation and inclusivity is super impressive.

By integrating Māori cultural content and promoting the use of Te Reo Māori in everyday digital interactions, Motorola is unique in paving the way for using technology to embrace culture.

Overall, the phone works well for budget-conscious consumers looking for a reliable smartphone to do the job.

It may not have all the fancy features of more higher-end, expensive phones, but the Moto G04 provides the essentials.

It is great value for money if you want a dependable smartphone without breaking the bank while also being a part of the mātauranga movement.

The Motorola moto g collection is available at Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, The Warehouse, Noel Leeming, Warehouse Stationary, PB Tech as well as Spark stores and online at spark.co.nz/Motorola.