Motorola’s New Edge+ Smartphone Promises Multi-Day Battery Life and Loads More

Motorola will take another crack at smartphone design with an updated 2023 Edge+ model promising a number of improvements over its predecessor.

The original Edge+ was a premium smartphone that left Lifewire's Andrew Hayward appreciative of the company's willingness to try something new but slightly disappointed with the results. Now Motorola has an all-new Edge+ 2023 model on its way to the US, offering an improved battery, better screen, and a better camera system.

While both Edge+ models offer a 6.7-inch display, this new 2023 iteration also boasts a pOLED (plastic OLED) screen with a 165Hz refresh rate vs. the former's 90Hz. Additionally, the new Edge+ supports HDR10+ for more vibrant colors and deeper contrasts, and it supports Dolby Atmos for more immersive sound options.

Photos and videos taken with the original Edge+ often turned out well but ran into trouble in low-light conditions. The new Edge+ addresses that issue (and upgrades its cameras in general) with a Night Vision mode for low-light environments, along with 60MP main, 50MP ultrawide, and 12MP telephoto cameras. All cameras can also utilize Horizon Lock Stabilization to steady action shots, Auto Focus Tracking to prevent moving subjects from blurring, and soft focus backgrounds for portrait videos.

Battery life was one of the most significant features of the original Edge+, but of course, the new Edge+ claims to push it even further. The slightly more powerful 5100mAh (compared to the previous 5000mAh) battery boasts up to 40 hours of use on a full charge, dependent on activity, naturally. However, charging is also supposedly much improved—to the point that Motorola says you can store up a 12-hour charge in nine minutes.

US pre-orders for the Motorola Edge+ 2023 begin Friday, May 19, on Motorola's website, Amazon, and Best Buy, with an MSRP of $799.99. The full release is planned for Thursday, May 25th. Availability through Boost Infinite, Boost Mobile, Consumer Cellular, and Spectrum Mobile is expected to follow suit "in the coming weeks."