As Samsung downgrades the S Pen, Motorola’s new phone upgrades the stylus

You don’t need to spend a lot of cash to get a phone with a stylus, as the Motorola Moto G Stylus range offers a bundled stylus at a budget price. We’re just about to get another model, and Motorola has actually announced the Moto G Stylus 2026.

The new Moto G Stylus does indeed offer a stylus in an integrated slot, but it’s now an active pen rather than the purely capacitive solution seen on previous models. The manufacturer claims that the new pen supports tilt and pressure sensitivity. Additionally, Moto says you can expect up to 100 hours of usage and a charging time of 15 minutes. The pen also has a shortcut button for your convenience. This upgraded stylus also comes a year after Samsung downgraded the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s S Pen.

Otherwise, key specifications include 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. There is no information about the processor yet, but the 2025 model is tipped to ship with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset. So don’t be surprised if the new model switches to the more powerful Snapdragon 6 Gen 4.

The Moto G Stylus 2026 features a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED screen (2,712 x 1,220) with up to 5,000 nits of peak brightness. Of course, the peak brightness is largely a gimmick, but it’s still a huge jump compared to its predecessor’s 3,000 nits.

The new phone is powered by a 5,200mAh battery, which is a slight upgrade from the previous model’s 5,000mAh capacity. And once the battery runs out, you can take advantage of 68W wired or 15W wireless charging.

In terms of camera experience, the Moto G Stylus 2026 brings a 50MP main camera (unnamed Sony LYTIA), a 13MP ultrawide shooter, and a 32MP selfie camera. Other notable specifications include an IP68/IP69 rating and a “leather-inspired” design.

Are you looking for an Android tablet that probably won’t break the bank? Then the Moto Pad 2026 might be up your alley. Motorola says this slate offers an 11-inch 90Hz display (2.5K resolution), a budget-level Dimensity 6300 chipset, and a quad-speaker setup.

The new Moto Pad also has a 7,040mAh battery, which Motorola claims enables up to 12 hours of streaming. Motorola says the device recharges “quickly” with 20W wired speeds, but I think the company’s definition of “quick” is pretty loose.

Interested in the Moto G Stylus 2026? There’s some bad news, as the device has a recommended price of $499.99. This means it is $100 more expensive than the Moto G Stylus 2025. We’re guessing that the RAM crisis and other component price increases are at least partially responsible for this increase. This also puts it firmly in Pixel 10a territory.

Otherwise, you can find the new Moto handset at various retail partners starting April 16. These partners include Amazon, AT&T, Best Buy, Google Fi Wireless, Spectrum, Cricket, and more. Motorola says the 128GB model will be bundled with four free Moto Tags at launch, while the 256GB model will include a free pair of Moto Buds Loop earbuds, a Moto Watch, and a Moto Tag.

Like the Moto Pad 2026? It will be available through T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile starting April 30. No word on pricing yet, Moto has said that the carrier partners mentioned above will reveal pricing based on availability.