Logo: go, go! Droid Turbo 2’s front-facing carrier branding can be removed…kind of

Motorola has truly pulled out all the stops with this year’s Droid Turbo 2. In addition to featuring several improvements and/or changes over the standard-affair Moto X Pure Edition (Moto X Style) such as an AMOLED display, the phone is fully customizable in Moto Maker and literally has over a thousand possible permutations.

The device itself has a very distinctive look, something made all the more noticable thanks to Verizon’s prominent placement of its infamous checkmark insignia. Thankfully, Pocketnow has found a way to remove it…kind of.

Essentially the “hack” or “mod” of sorts involves tampering with Motorola’s ShatterShield technology. Consisting of both a layer of polycarbonate and a layer of acrylic polymer on the outer-most of the five layers the display consists of, the trick is simply to remove the surface layer itself. Take a look at the results:

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It should be noted that removing this layer of protection could have a detrimental effect on the ShatterSheild protection the phone comes with. While it is too early to say, it may ultimately void your warranty, thus we encourage a bit of careful consideration before making the big decision. As Pocketnow pointed out however, it is likely that the international variant, the Moto X Force, will have the same (unbranded) outer layer and thus replacements for it may be made available to swap on.

One other possibility, for those not interested in removing screen “surface” is simply to purchase a privacy filter or other type of tinted screen protector that would place a dark boarder around the bezel and thus hide the mark. Or just leave it as is and enjoy.

For full coverage of the Droid Turbo 2, be sure to check out our announcement post here, and stay tuned for continued content of the new phone!

By the way…

You’d be surprised what comes off when push comes to shove…

For reference this isn’t the first time we’ve actually seen an OEM paste their pattern to plastic. Sony’s Xperia line has, for years, came with factory installed shatterproof screen protectors, many of which contain the company’s logo. The removal has been featured on various posts around the internet over the years, including this one.

Motorola announces Moto X Force with iPhone and Galaxy S6 drop test

It’s hard to argue with the main selling point of Motorola’s marketing campaign for the Verizon-bound Droid Turbo 2. We’ve all had, or at least seen, phones with cracked displays, and no matter how careful we are with our devices, we’re always just a slip or bump away from disaster. In this fragile world, the Droid Turbo 2 offers some much-needed firmness.

Now Motorola is rebranding the Droid Turbo 2 as the Moto X Force and bringing it to international markets. And instead of the usual press release, it’s announcing it with a one-minute video starring Motorola President Rick Osterloh, dropping the iPhone 6S (?), the Galaxy S6, and the Moto X Force.

Only one device makes it through alive. No surprises here – as this video from CNN shows us, the Turbo 2/X Force is capable of taking a ton of punishment.

If the promise of a shatterproof display isn’t enough for you, the Moto X Force brings the same powerful specifications as the Turbo 2, including a Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM, a beautiful 5.4” AMOLED Quad HD, and a massive 3,760-mAh battery that’s guaranteed to take you through a day of power usage.

See also: Motorola Droid Turbo 2 hands-on and first look8

Besides Rick Osterloh cracking competitors, the only other info included in Motorola’s #ShortestPressAnnouncementEver regards availability: the Moto X Force is coming to Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, and Asia Pacific from November.

What do you think of the new Moto X Force? What about Motorola’s marketing?

How does Motorola’s new ShatterShield technology work?

Just yesterday, Verizon took the wraps off the brand new Motorola Droid Turbo 2 and Motorola Droid Maxx 2. While the latter is covered in a strong panel of Gorilla Glass 3, the former, which is the higher-end of the two, sports what Motorola is calling its new ShatterShield technology. What does that mean? The company walks us through just what makes up the Droid Turbo 2’s display.

Don’t miss: Motorola Droid Turbo 2 hands-on and first look5

Motorola says the Turbo 2’s display consists of an integrated system of five layers that are designed to absorb shock and never shatter. Supposedly three years in the making, Moto ShatterShield consists specifically of these five layers:

1. It starts with a rigid aluminum core that provides structural integrity and durability.
2. On top of that, we’ve added in a stunning AMOLED flexible display. Using a flexible display absorbs shock and makes it possible to flex during a drop versus breaking like most screens.
3. Then, a dual touch layer with redundancy was created to help it survive accidents. Often, after a drop, the touch layer can go bad and your touch doesn’t work as well. So we‘ve added a failsafe mechanism.
4. The next layer is the interior lens which provides a clear protective shield that won’t crack or shatter.
5. Lastly, we topped it off with an exterior lens that has a unique hardcoat that helps protect the display against normal wear and tear.

And they’re not kidding. Take a look at the video attached below. CNN actually put the Turbo 2 to the test, and the results were incredibly impressive. Not only did they drop the phone numerous times on concrete and gravel, they also ran over the phone, screen up, with a bicycle and a horse’s hoof. The phone’s screen actually dented before it shattered or cracked. Crazy, right?

Having a phone with a shatterproof screen may be great in some scenarios, but how great is the screen when you’re not dropping it? The Droid Turbo 2 has a big 5.4-inch Quad HD AMOLED display. But because there are so many layers between the display and the glass, the display won’t be able to shine as much light through all of those layers. According to Ars Technica, there is some visible space between the clear front panel and the display, which results in a device that isn’t as bright or as clear as other smartphones with higher-end displays. “It’s a gray, muddy mess”, says Ars’ Ron Amadeo.

Motorola says it will bring Moto ShatterShield to other devices sometime in the near future. We just hope the company can improve this technology before that happens. What are your thoughts? Would you rather carry a smartphone that has a “shatterproof” display, even if that means it won’t be as clear as others on the market? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below.