Why isn't the Moto G8 series available in the U.S.?

Best answer: Motorola's successors to the Moto G7 lineup are available in the U.S. — they just have different names. The Moto G Stylus and Moto G Power can be thought of as Moto G8 phones by different names, with Motorola just wanting to clean up its branding a bit. However, it actually makes things more confusing when you realize that Motorola is selling a Moto G8, G8 Power, G8 Play, and G8 Plus in other countries.

• Current Moto: Moto G7 ($230 at Amazon)

The Moto G Stylus and Moto G Power fill the shoes of the Moto G8 in the United States

Motorola struck gold with the launch of the original Moto G in 2013, and every year since, the company has launched a new model following a conventional naming scheme. There was the Moto G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, and G7. For 2020, it'd only be natural for Motorola to launch the Moto G8 — right?

As it turns out, that's not what happened. Instead, Motorola is giving us the Moto G Stylus and Moto G Power for our 2020 Moto G phones. They're successors to the Moto G7 lineup and can be thought of as Moto G8 devices, but that's not what Motorola is calling them.

The Moto G Stylus is the most impressive of the duo, with the biggest draw being its included stylus. This is a first for any Motorola Android phone, and it allows you to take handwritten notes, draw, and more. It also has 128GB of internal storage and a 16MP Action Cam that allows you to record landscape video while holding the phone vertically. It's pretty cool!

As for the Moto G Power, its selling point is its 5,000 mAh battery. Motorola says that's enough endurance for up to three days on a single charge, making it an exciting pick for people that aren't always near a power outlet.

The idea behind all of this is to simplify the branding for consumers, but as it turns out, it actually makes things even more confusing when you look and see what Motorola is doing in other parts of the world.

However, Motorola is selling Moto G8-branded phones in other countries

Here's the tricky part. In countries outside of the U.S., there is actually a series of Moto G8 phones that Motorola is selling — the Moto G8, Moto G8 Power, Moto G8 Play, and Moto G8 Plus.

The Moto G8 Power has a lot in common with the Moto G Power, with the biggest difference being that the G8 Power has four rear cameras while the G Power has three. The G8, G8 Play, and G8 Plus are entirely separate devices.

In other words, Motorola has Moto G8 phones available but isn't selling them in the U.S. The G Power and G Stylus are what we have instead, which are successors to the G7 but don't carry G8 branding.

Moto G8 by a different name

Confused? We don't blame you one bit.

We can appreciate Motorola wanting to simplify its branding, but choosing to still sell Moto G8 devices while getting rid of the G8 name in the U.S. feels odd. It's possible the new branding will trickle over to other countries in the coming years, or Motorola may go back to Moto G9 across the board in 2021.

For right now though, here's what you need to know. If you want to buy a Moto G phone, the Moto G7 is the latest available one you can currently buy. Later this Spring, the G7 lineup will be replaced by the Moto G Stylus and Moto G Power. Just remember that and you'll be gravy.