Going toe-to-toe with the big boys again
Motorola sells a lot of phones, but they're mostly the cheap ones you can get for a pittance at your nearest carrier storefront. It did not release an updated flagship phone in 2021, but that changes in 2022. Motorola has announced a new Edge+ smartphone with the latest hardware and software. However, it's even more spendy than the last Edge phone at $1,000. Moto is promising a $100 discount at launch, but we don't know when that will be yet.
If you're thinking this phone looks familiar, it previously leaked as the Edge 30 Pro, which is the branding Moto plans for the international release. Since this is a flagship Motorola phone, you can probably guess at a lot of the speeds and feeds. Still, here's what you get.
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| RAM | 8-12GB |
| Storage | 128, 256, 512GB |
| Display | 6.7-inch OLED, 2400x1080, 144Hz |
| Cameras | 50MP f/1.8 primary, 50MP f/2.2 ultrawide, 2MP depth; 60MP f/2.4 selfie |
| Battery | 4,800mAh, 30W charging, 15W wireless, 5W reverse power share |
| Software | Android 12 |
| Connectivity | 5G: mmWave and sub-6GHz, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC |
| Measurements | 163 x 75.9 x 8.79mm, 196g, IP52 |
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 runs the show, as it will for most US flagship phones this year. Moto was also one of the earliest supporters of 5G, and that continues with the Edge, which supports both mmWave and sub6 5G. It's being released primarily as an unlocked device, but there will be a few carrier models down the road. Update support is better this time around, but still no match for the competition. On the Edge+, Motorola will offer three years of security updates and two OS updates.
The new Edge+ draws more from the mid-range Edge 20 than it does the original Edge+. For one, there's no curved display, which I consider a win. However, it also has a camera array that would be more at home on a mid-ranger. Oh, there are three lenses back there, but one is just a depth sensor. That's a trick mid-range phones pull to look like they have fancy triple-camera arrays, but I'm not used to seeing that on a $1,000 device. That said, Moto claims the new 50MP sensors are brighter and faster to focus, and the primary unit has OIS.
Motorola is going in an unexpected direction with its accessories. The Edge+ will have an optional case with a stylus—it's similar to the S Pen from last year's S21 Ultra. It's about the size of a normal pen, and it supports pressure sensitivity via an embedded digitizer in the screen. It also charges wirelessly from the phone. We don't have any official images to share yet, but something that looks awhole lot like it leaked a few weeks back. You'll be able to get this accessory separately or as part of a bundle.
3 Images ExpandExpandExpandMoto is onlyannouncing the Edge+ today—we don't know when you'll be able to order one. It will probably arrive unlocked in a few weeks. A carrier version for Verizon, Boost, and Republic Wireless will be available in a few months, too. That $1,000 price tag is going to make it a tough sell when the best Android phones like the Pixel 6 Pro and Galaxy S22+ are around the same (or lower) price, and $100 off might not do it.
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Read NextShareTweetEmailRelated TopicsAbout The AuthorRyan Whitwam(7175 Articles Published)Ryan is a tech/science writer, skeptic, lover of all things electronic, and Android fan. In his spare time he reads golden-age sci-fi and sleeps, but rarely at the same time. His wife tolerates him as few would.He's the author of a sci-fi novel called The Crooked City, which is available on Amazon and Google Play.