Verizon Moto G5 Plus
The Moto G5 and G5 Plus might launch soon, probably at MWC2017. Pictured:Motorola Moto series smartphones are displayed during a news conference on the annual results of Lenovo in Hong Kong, May 26, 2016. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

Verizon Wireless may soon release its Moto G5 Plus. The smartphone is expected to be showcased at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona on Feb. 26.

The device renders were leaked by phone leaker Evan Blass on his Twitter @evleaks on Tuesday and show a device with a metallic body and round camera module having a lens and dual-LED flash light built-in. The form factor seems quite different from the earlier version of the device — it seems more rounded and compact, somewhat similar to the Google Nexus 5, whereas the Moto G4 had a more edgy form factor and stretched-out display.

The renders also mention the April 3 date, which could possibly be the date the device hits the shelves in the U.S.

Verizon has actually stayed off the Moto G series for the past few generations of the device, so the company offering a new device comes as a surprise.

Here are five expected features of the upcoming device:

  1. A scaled-down display: While the Moto G4 and G4 Plus sported 5.5-inch full HD displays, the company seems to have scaled down display size to 5-inch for the G5 and 5.2-inch for the G5 Plus. This will increase the pixel density in the device displays, resulting in more vibrant screens.
  2. Android Nougat out-of-the-box: The Moto G5 and G5 Plus are expected to come with Android 7.0 – Nougat OS at launch, which could also raise expectations of the devices being eligible for a future Android O upgrade.
  3. Octa-core processor: The Moto G5 Plus is expected to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor having an octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 chipset. Qualcomm’s 600-series processors are generally placed in mid-range devices, while the Moto G series is actually a budget device series, so the device should support optimal performance if not a heavy one. The Snapdragon 625 is also present in the company’s mid-range Moto Z Play device.
  4. Improved camera specs: While the Moto G4 Plus came with a 16-megapixel rear cam, the Moto G5 Plus is expected to come with a 12-megapixel one. This might seem a downgrade in terms of megapixels, but it is actually better in terms of camera performance, since the upcoming device’s camera is expected to incorporate dual-pixel camera technology, which offers better autofocus than regular smartphone cameras.
  5. A Thinner form factor: Compactness seems the theme of the Moto G5 series — the Moto G5 Plus is expected be quite thin at 7.9mm. In comparison, the Moto G4 Plus was 9.8mm thick.

Pricing for the device is not available, although according to reports, it is expected to be cheaper than its predecessor. The device could cost $250 unlocked.