Motorola Edge announced: Will a nice screen and better camera be enough?

The Motorola Edge first arrived in 2020 as a simple budget phone with the looks of its more expensive sibling — the Edge Plus — and the internals of something much more modest. In 2021, the phone received much-needed improvements like a bigger battery and better performance. This year, Motorola has announced a new Edge handset that looks to take a big leap in a few key areas.

Starting with the screen, the latest iteration of the Edge will feature a 6.6-inch OLED display with HDR10+ support. It will also offer a fast and smooth 144Hz refresh rate, similar to the 2021 model. As far as brightness is concerned, it will be capable of hitting up to 1,300 nits and will also have DC dimming technology.

Moving on to the cameras, the main sensor will have a 50MP setup that Motorola claims will use its “fastest, most accurate autofocus ever.” In addition to the main sensor, there will be a 13MP ultrawide camera that doubles as a macro vision camera and a depth sensor. The front of the device will get a 32MP selfie camera.

This is a nice step up from the previous model which had a middling 64MP main sensor and 25MP selfie shooter.

In conjunction with the camera hardware, Motorola is making the new Edge camera software capable of providing auto night vision and slow motion all the way up to 960FPS. Additionally, the software will add a dual capture mode.

One of the notable features that will be available on the 2022 Edge is Motorola’s Ready For platform. If you’re unfamiliar with Ready For, it’s a feature that allows users to connect the phone to a large display — like a TV or PC.

In terms of battery, the new Edge will be upgrading from the previous generation’s 4,500mAh battery to a 5,000mAh battery. With the battery will come 30W turbo power charging, wireless charging up to 15W, and reverse wireless charging up to 5W.

For low-latency connectivity, the phone will feature a Mediatek Dimensity 1050 processor. This processor will be used for sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G connectivity.

Other features include an under-display fingerprint reader, 6 or 8GB of RAM, and 128 or 256GB of storage.

The device will also come with an IP52 rating. This means it is protected from dust and sprays of water up to 15 degrees vertical. If you want a more in-depth explanation of what the IP ratings mean, you can visit our helpful guide.

Motorola has yet to provide a concrete release date for the 2022 Edge, however, the company says the phone will release “in the coming weeks” for the US and “in the coming months” for Canada. It will be available in Mineral Gray and be boxed in 100% plastic-free packaging using up to 60% recycled material.

As for cost, the phone will have a limited-time launch price of $499. We don’t know the actual price of the 6GB model, but Motorola revealed the full retail price of the 8GB version will be $599.

The 2022 Motorola Edge is planned to come to T-Mobile first with a limited-time offer to pick it up free when adding a line. Later down the road, it will come to AT&T, Verizon, Spectrum Mobile, US Cellular, and Visible. Buyers will also eventually be able to get a universally unlocked device at Best Buy, Amazon, and on Motorola’s website.

While the 2021 version of the Edge took some steps in the right direction, it seemed to have a few flaws that earned it only 3.5 out of 5 stars in our review. Will the 2022 Edge finally be a budget phone that sets itself apart from its competitors? The answer will have to wait until we get our hands on it.