Motorola launches new 5G phones in China

Smartphone brand Motorola has unveiled three new devices – a member of the premium X-series, and two cost-effective 5G smartphones, in China in a bid for a bigger slice of the world's largest smartphone market.

The new devices, unveiled on Thursday night, are part of Motorola's broader push to attract more photo-loving consumers amid the intensified competition and a depressed market.

Priced from 3,399 yuan ($487), Motorola Moto X40 dials up the power with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset from the US chip company Qualcomm. And it has a high refresh rate display.

Another new phone moto G53 is priced from 899 yuan, and it is probably the most cost-effective 5G phone from the company for the foreseeable future to accelerate popularity of 5G.

The Chinese smartphone market has been declining for 18 months, according to research firm Counterpoint. Though the sales volume of China's smartphone market in the third quarter rose 5 percent quarter-on-quarter, it still fell by about 12 percent year-on-year.

But smartphone companies are still ramping up push to boost their research and development prowess to establish a beachhead in the new frontier of foldable smartphones. Motorola has also unveiled foldables to attract consumers.