Can Motorola’s new $799 flagship phone entice enough Android users to make the switch?

The latest Motorola phone to hit 2023 store shelves is the upgraded Edge+ (or Edge Plus), now with a better display, new camera features, and what the company touts as two-day battery life.  

The Motorola Edge+ features a quad-curved glass design and borderless display that create a seemingly larger space to view media on its 6.7-inch pOLED display. So if you’re a fan of curved displays and shopping for a premium smartphone, then this is worth the look.

Also: Is this ThinkPad-inspired phone the best for business users?

When I got a sneak peek at the new phone during a recent Motorola press demo, the camera functionalities impressed me the most. The main 50MP OIS and PDAF camera, paired with a 12MP 2x telephoto and a 50MP ultra-wide, were capturing sharper-looking images than what I was able to get from my iPhone. We’ll have to test the device for a longer period before making any definitive claims, though. so stay tuned.

The video-recording features are also a selling point of the new Moto phone: it now comes with video night vision, auto-focus tracking, video portrait mode, and, perhaps the best feature, Horizon Lock.

Even though competitors like Apple have a similar stabilization feature, when I tested out Motorola’s Horizon Lock, I was highly impressed by how it automatically converted a shaky video to what appeared to be an almost still video. The technology stabilizes the recorded footage, even if you’re rotating the smartphone 360 degrees. 

Also: Best Android phones you can buy right now

The Motorola Edge+ also comes with a slew of flagship-quality features like an IP68 to provide water and dust resistance, what the company claims a two-day battery life thanks to the 5,100mAh battery (that’s compared to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 5,000mAh and the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 4,323mAh), and 68W Turbo Power charger, included in the box.

Under the hood, the Motorola Edge+ runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip which promises 35% better CPU performance, 25% better GPU performance, and 40% greater power efficiency than its predecessor. You’ll also get 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage (versus last year’s 128GB), the latter of which is very impressive given how most smartphones today start at half the size.

Software-wise, the Moto runs on Android 13, and the company tells me you can expect three years of OS upgrades and four years of bi-monthly security updates. That’s not the best by any means, but a good commitment nonetheless if you value the longevity of your smartphone.

Also: Change this one Android setting to instantly make your phone feel twice as fast

The Motorola Edge+ starts at $799, undercutting most of its premium smartphone competition. But, again, we’ll have to test the device before suggesting it above handsets from Google, Samsung, OnePlus, and others.

Motorola says the phone will be available at Boost Mobile and Boost Infinite starting May 9, and be sold unlocked at Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola’s website beginning May 25 (pre-orders begin on May 19).

The latest Motorola phone to hit 2023 store shelves is the upgraded Edge+ (or Edge Plus), now with a better display, new camera features, and what the company touts as two-day battery life.  

The Motorola Edge+ features a quad-curved glass design and borderless display that create a seemingly larger space to view media on its 6.7-inch pOLED display. So if you’re a fan of curved displays and shopping for a premium smartphone, then this is worth the look.

Also: Is this ThinkPad-inspired phone the best for business users?

When I got a sneak peek at the new phone during a recent Motorola press demo, the camera functionalities impressed me the most. The main 50MP OIS and PDAF camera, paired with a 12MP 2x telephoto and a 50MP ultra-wide, were capturing sharper-looking images than what I was able to get from my iPhone. We’ll have to test the device for a longer period before making any definitive claims, though. so stay tuned.

The video-recording features are also a selling point of the new Moto phone: it now comes with video night vision, auto-focus tracking, video portrait mode, and, perhaps the best feature, Horizon Lock.

Even though competitors like Apple have a similar stabilization feature, when I tested out Motorola’s Horizon Lock, I was highly impressed by how it automatically converted a shaky video to what appeared to be an almost still video. The technology stabilizes the recorded footage, even if you’re rotating the smartphone 360 degrees. 

Also: Best Android phones you can buy right now

The Motorola Edge+ also comes with a slew of flagship-quality features like an IP68 to provide water and dust resistance, what the company claims a two-day battery life thanks to the 5,100mAh battery (that’s compared to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 5,000mAh and the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 4,323mAh), and 68W Turbo Power charger, included in the box.

Under the hood, the Motorola Edge+ runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip which promises 35% better CPU performance, 25% better GPU performance, and 40% greater power efficiency than its predecessor. You’ll also get 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage (versus last year’s 128GB), the latter of which is very impressive given how most smartphones today start at half the size.

Software-wise, the Moto runs on Android 13, and the company tells me you can expect three years of OS upgrades and four years of bi-monthly security updates. That’s not the best by any means, but a good commitment nonetheless if you value the longevity of your smartphone.

Also: Change this one Android setting to instantly make your phone feel twice as fast

The Motorola Edge+ starts at $799, undercutting most of its premium smartphone competition. But, again, we’ll have to test the device before suggesting it above handsets from Google, Samsung, OnePlus, and others.

Motorola says the phone will be available at Boost Mobile and Boost Infinite starting May 9, and be sold unlocked at Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola’s website beginning May 25 (pre-orders begin on May 19).