Motorola's next cheap phone could be a big Samsung Galaxy Note 21 rival

Moto G Stylus 2021
(Image credit: Future)

Stylus phones are rare, and while the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 looked to be the only one yet to launch in 2021 (if it does at all), we could see a surprise from Motorola on the way very soon.

That's because a leaker thinks a 5G-enabled version of the Moto G Stylus (2021) is coming soon. This leaker, called Nils Ahrensmeier, shared some images too, which are below.

Ahrensmeier isn't a prolific leaker, but what their track record lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quantity - plus, these pictures confirm an old point of confusion. Just before the Moto G Stylus (2021) launched, a popular leaker unveiled pictures of the phone which turned out to be inaccurate - but these newer images look identical to those, suggesting the early leak was actually of this 5G phone. 

In the images, we can see a square camera bump, a rear fingerprint sensor and a front-facing camera situated to the top-left of the screen in a cut-out. The camera and fingerprint scanner are both different compared to the non-5G model.

According to Ahrensmeier, this phone will be exclusive to the US - that makes sense, as the standard Moto G Stylus was too. We don't yet have any details of a release date.

If the leaked Moto G Stylus 5G has next-gen connectivity, a stylus and a low price  (as the Moto G branding implies), it could be a strong rival for the Samsung Galaxy Note 21, a phone that'll hit those first two points but possibly lack in the latter.

Saying that, we've heard strong rumors the Samsung S Pen smartphone has been canceled in 2021, so stylus-lovers might have little choice for their next smartphone.

Via XDA Developers

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.