Motorola has officially announced the moto g stylus 2026, the latest entry in its mid-range stylus lineup. The biggest change this year is the step up from a passive pen to a fully active stylus with pressure sensitivity and tilt detection — a first for the series.
The Active Stylus
The new built-in stylus supports tilt and pressure in compatible apps, enabling variable line weight and shading that previous G Stylus models couldn’t pull off. Motorola pairs it with a suite of software tools: Sketch to Image turns rough drawings into polished visuals using AI, Handwriting Calculator solves handwritten equations on the spot, and a quick button press sends highlighted text directly to the Notes app via Quick Clip. Circle to Search with Google is also accessible from the pen button.
The stylus itself is rated for up to 100 hours of standby and nearly four hours of active writing, with a full recharge in 15 minutes. Like the phone, it carries IP68 and IP69 ratings.
Display, Camera, and Performance
The moto g stylus 2026 features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display at 1.5K resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 5,000 nits of peak brightness. It runs on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 with 8GB of RAM — the same chip as last year, though paired with faster LPDDR5X memory and UFS 3.1 storage. RAM Boost extends available memory to up to 24GB total using virtual RAM.
Camera specs include a 50MP main shooter with a Sony LYTIA 700C sensor and optical image stabilization, a 13MP ultrawide with macro support, and a 32MP front camera. All three lenses support 4K video recording. AI camera tools include a Photo Enhancement Engine, Signature Style scene adjustments, Super Zoom, Action Shot, and multi-focal Portrait Mode at 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm.
Battery and Software
A 5,200mAh battery handles up to 44 hours of use according to Motorola, with 68W TurboPower wired charging and 15W wireless charging. The battery is rated for 1,600 charge cycles before dropping below 80% capacity — a longevity spec Motorola is newly highlighting this generation.
The phone ships with Android 16 out of the box, along with Google Gemini built in. Motorola’s Hello UX handles personalization, and Smart Connect enables cross-device file sharing and screen mirroring to PCs, tablets, and TVs. Moto Secure, powered by ThinkShield, manages security and privacy features in one place.
Design and Durability
The G Stylus 2026 uses a leather-inspired back with a twill texture and comes in two Pantone-curated colors: Coal Smoke and Lavender Mist. It holds SGS-certified military-grade toughness alongside IP68 and IP69 water resistance, protecting against drops of nearly five feet, temperatures from -4°F to 140°F, and submersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. The IP69 rating — covering high-pressure water spray — is a step up from the 2025 model’s IP68-only protection.
Specs at a Glance
- Display: 6.7″ AMOLED, 1.5K, 120Hz, 5,000 nits peak
- Processor: Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4nm), LPDDR5X + UFS 3.1
- RAM/Storage: 8GB RAM (up to 24GB with RAM Boost), 128GB or 256GB; microSD up to 1TB
- Cameras: 50MP Sony LYTIA 700C (OIS) + 13MP ultrawide/macro + 32MP front; 4K across all lenses
- Battery: 5,200mAh, 68W wired TurboPower, 15W wireless, 1,600-cycle rated
- Stylus: Active, pressure- and tilt-sensitive, IP68/IP69, 100hr standby, 15-min full charge
- OS: Android 16 with Google Gemini
- Durability: IP68/IP69 (SGS tested), MIL-STD-810H certified
- Colors: Pantone Coal Smoke, Pantone Lavender Mist
- Pricing: Starts at $499.99 (128GB); 256GB model at $599.99
The moto g stylus 2026 goes on sale April 16 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Motorola.com. More details at motorola.com.
