Motorola unveils the Edge+ and Edge smartphones for 2020

After years of staying below the radar, Motorola is making a huge comeback in 2020. Starting with the revamped Razr clamshell foldable, the company is apparently ready to size up against the competition. Its approach is two-fold with two modern smartphone models that will be marketed for the mid-range and flagship segments. These are the Edge+ and Edge, which touts the latest components and 5G connectivity.

While each has its own suite of features appropriate for the price point, there are some elements that are shared. Starting off with the display, both sport a 6.7-inch OLED with a 2340 x 1080 resolution and 90 Hz refresh rate. Motorola is calling the aggressively curved form factor of the touchscreen Endless Edge technology. While some users love how it adds to the stylish aesthetic of the handset, it can be prone to unintentional touches.

Motorola Edge+

This is the range-topping model that ships with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset. Motorola confirms that it will be compatible with the mmWave spectrum, which not a lot of 5G smartphones currently support. This is paired to a 12 GB LPDDR5 RAM and a 256 GB internal memory.

XDA Developers point out that unlike its mid-range sibling, the display comes with HDR10+ technology. Meanwhile, the rear camera configuration uses a 108-megapixel main, 16-megapixel ultra-wide, and 8-megapixel telephoto. Also, a 25-megapixel forward-facing unit is housed in a hole-punch cutout located on the upper left corner of the screen.

Powering the Motorola Edge+ is a massive 5,000 mAh battery with a 15W wireless charging, 5W wireless power sharing, and 18W wired fast charging. It will be available in two colourways: Smoky Sangria and Thunder Grey.

Motorola Edge

Appealing to those who want a more affordable and likewise capable smartphone, this unit relies on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 processor with 4 GB RAM. While it has 5G connectivity, it will cannot take advantage of the higher speeds offered by mmWave.

Storage size start is only 128 GB, but users can expand it with the use of a microSD card. The selfie camera sensor is the same as the Motorola Edge+, but the rear camera setup is different. There is a 64-megapixel main, 16-megapixel ultra-wide, and 8-megapixel telephoto. What looks like another lens is actually the laser auto-focus unit.

The Edge is available in Solar Black and Midnight Magenta. As for the battery, it is a 4,500 mAh unit and does not support wireless charging.

Availability and Pricing

Consumers in the market can purchase the Motorola Edge+ for $999 that will be exclusive to Verizon in the U.S. on Thursday, May 14. The Lenovo-owned brand is yet to announce details about a global release. The mid-range model is expected to launch much later this year.