New Google Play Listing Details Motorola's US-Bound 'Edge' Flagship
It's been over a year since Motorola launched its current flagship smartphone, the Motorola Edge+ (2022), in the U.S. market. Launched at a price of $999 along with the mid-range Motorola Edge 2022, the device currently retails for half that amount, costing just $499. Such drastic price drops are often followed by the launch of a successor, and that seems to be the case with the Motorola Edge+ (2022) as well.
As first spied by MyFixGuide, a recent Google Play Listing for a device codenamed the Motorola "rtwo" indicates that the company is preparing to launch the next-gen Motorola Edge+ (2023) soon. Interestingly, the device's actual name — Motorola Edge+ (2023) — is also mentioned in the listing, along with a single image and some of its important hardware specs. Given that official announcements often follow Google Play listings, there is a good chance that Motorola could officially take the wraps off this phone soon.
It is also evident that the Motorola Edge+ (2023) is a rebranded version of the Motorola X40, which is already on sale in China. For those unaware, the international (non-Chinese and non-American) variant of the phone will be known as the Motorola Edge 40 Pro. Motorola has reserved the Edge+ branding specifically for the U.S. market, a practice the company has followed for the past couple of years.
Motorola Edge+ (2023): What we know so far
Based on the Google Play listing, it seems the Motorola Edge+ (2023) will use Qualcomm's latest chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. A major change from last year is the increased RAM size from 8 GB to an impressive 12 GB. Given that Motorola has launched a single RAM variant of the phone for U.S. consumers, there is a chance that only the 12 GB variant will make it stateside. The listing also indicates that the display on the Motorola Edge+ (2023) will have a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, which is identical to that of its predecessor.
Meanwhile, leaked specs for the international variant of the phone — the Motorola Edge 40 Pro — indicate that the display on the upcoming model will feature a higher 165 Hz refresh rate compared to last year's model which supported 144 Hz. There is also an indication that the device will feature faster UFS 4.0-type internal storage.
While the Google Play listing doesn't include any camera-specific features, leaked specs indicate the Edge 40 Pro will feature a formidable imaging setup consisting of a 50 MP primary camera, a 50 MP ultrawide camera, and a 60 MP selfie camera. There is also talk about the phone featuring a 4,600 mAh battery that supports 125 W wired fast charging and 15 W wireless charging. If these specs are accurate, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) is shaping up to be an impressive flagship device worth considering in 2023.