Motorola is launching the moto g37 series of Android smartphones in Japan. The SIM-free moto g37j goes on sale July 31 at 38,800 yen through the company's own store. The headline feature is a set of four PANTONE-curated colors, each built with a different material and finish. The phone pairs a roughly 6.7-inch 120Hz display with a 5,200mAh battery, and SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile and NTT Docomo will all carry it.
Color moves from afterthought to headline
The pitch here is that you pick the color first and read the spec sheet second. The series concept in Japan is "Iro wo Moto" — roughly, lead with color — and the lineup consists of PANTONE Impenetrable, PANTONE Nautical Blue, PANTONE Capri and PANTONE Fuchsia Red.
These are not simply four coats of paint. Each color uses a different material and finishing process, and the difference even shows up on the scale: Impenetrable comes in at 194g while the other three weigh about 196g. The feel in the hand changes with the color you choose.
Hidefumi Kitahara, president of Motorola's Japanese arm, noted that a phone's color has long been the last thing buyers pick from what is left over, and said the moto g37 reverses that order. His line that the fun of choosing by color should not be something you give up over price sums up why design leads on an entry-level model. Note that the available colors vary by retailer.
A 6.7-inch 120Hz screen and a 5,200mAh battery
The display measures about 6.7 inches at Full HD+ with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. A high-brightness mode raises output based on ambient light, and a Display Color Boost feature targets outdoor legibility, so direct sunlight has been accounted for. Audio comes from stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support.
The battery is rated at 5,200mAh with 20W TurboPower charging. Docomo lists a charge time of about 120 minutes. Capacity is often the first thing trimmed at this price, so holding the line near flagship territory matters.
Memory differs by channel, while the 50-megapixel camera does not
On the back sit a roughly 50-megapixel main camera and a roughly 8-megapixel second sensor, with a roughly 32-megapixel selfie camera on the front. The front camera outresolves the rear secondary sensor, which will suit anyone who shoots themselves often. Processing is handled by MediaTek's Dimensity 6300.
One detail deserves attention: the same moto g37 name ships with different memory depending on where you buy it. The open-market moto g37j has 4GB of memory and 128GB of storage, with AI-driven RAM Boost expanding memory to as much as 12GB. The Docomo version, the moto g37 M-51G, has 8GB of memory and the same 128GB of storage. Storage can be expanded by up to 1TB with a microSD card sold separately. It is worth checking the configuration before you buy.
MIL-spec durability and Osaifu-Keitai
For durability the phone carries IP64-class splash and dust resistance plus MIL-STD-810H compliance, and the display uses Corning Gorilla Glass 7i. Docomo's spec sheet lists water resistance as IPX4 and dust resistance as IP6X, so this is not built for submersion, but everyday rain and dust are covered.
Localization for Japan includes Osaifu-Keitai (FeliCa) support, so transit IC cards and mobile payments carry over intact — no compromise for anyone stepping up from an older entry-level phone. Biometrics cover both fingerprint and face. The body measures about 167 x 77 x 7.9mm and weighs about 194g. The Docomo model adds 5G SA and HPUE, along with docomo Starlink Direct for connecting straight to satellites.
Price, release dates and where to buy
The SIM-free moto g37j costs 38,800 yen including tax at the MOTO STORE price, with preorders having opened July 24 and sales starting July 31. It will be sold through MVNO operators, major electronics retailers nationwide, Motorola's own MOTO STORE and online shops including Amazon.
Carrier versions split by name and timing. SoftBank sells it as the moto g37 starting July 31, with preorders open since July 24. Rakuten Mobile carries the moto g37j. Docomo plans to release the moto g37 M-51G from mid-October 2026, with advance reservations having opened at 10 a.m. on July 24. Prices and release timing may change, so check with individual retailers for details.
Summary
The moto g37 series is an entry-level phone where four PANTONE-curated colors each get their own material and finish. It covers the everyday essentials — a roughly 6.7-inch 120Hz screen, a 5,200mAh battery, a 50-megapixel main camera, the Dimensity 6300 and Osaifu-Keitai support — and the SIM-free moto g37j arrives July 31 at 38,800 yen. SoftBank's version lands the same day and Docomo's from mid-October, with the one caveat worth remembering being that memory splits between 4GB and 8GB depending on the channel.
