Pleasant surprises have been few and far between in 2020, but the Motorola Edge smartphones have certainly been that. The Edge and Edge Plus are intriguing handsets, named after their displays, the edges of which curve dramatically into the sides of the phones.
Other upcoming phones we’re looking forward to
The Edge is a great mid-range handset and the Edge Plus is an impressive premium device – and, while neither is perfect, we have to commend Motorola for leaving its budget-phone comfort zone and making something new. In a world of successors and follow-ups, that’s a rare move.
And while on the subject of successors, there’s been no mention yet of a Motorola Edge 2 line, not from early-bird leakers and fan rumors, or via any official words for that matter, so we have no idea whether the Edge line will see a 2021 follow-up. We certainly hope it will.
For upcoming smartphones we usually write up a wish-list of features we’d like to see in the new model, but since there’s so much uncertainty regarding the Motorola Edge 2, we’ve instead come up with a list of reasons why we want to see it at all.
We’ll also use this page to provide updates on information that appears about the phones, if or when it does, so if you’re interested in Motorola’s flagship line then stay tuned.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The second generation of Motorola’s premium line
- When is it out? Possibly mid-2021
- How much will it cost? Likely a mid-range and a premium-price model
Motorola Edge 2 release date and price
The Motorola Edge and Edge Plus were launched in April 2020, and were released in staggered formation: the Edge was first available in the UK, while the Edge Plus launched in the US; over time, both phones became available in both countries and beyond.
The Edge was priced at £549 / $699 (about AU$1,015), while the Edge Plus went for $999 / £1,050 (around AU$1,550) – as we said, mid-range and premium respectively.
In the absence of any actual Motorola Edge 2 information, our prediction is that the handsets could debut in April 2021 (Motorola does often follow yearly release cycles, after all), for roughly the same prices as before – if they appear at all, that is.
Why we want to see it
Below you’ll find just some of the reasons we’d want to see a follow-up to the Motorola Edge, so if you’re not aware of the original line, or just don’t get the hype, on reading our points you’ll be sure to gain a better understanding.
1. Doing the curved-edge right
A curved-edge display can be considered a ‘love-them-or-hate-them’ feature. Some folk find it annoying, since it’s easy to accidentally press or swipe, but others love a curved edge, because they make a smartphone feel far more comfortable in the hand.
Motorola absolutely nailed this design feature on the Edge, with the phone’s generous availability of software providing excellent ‘accidental touch protection’. As such, swiping off a menu or selecting something by mistake is unlikely with this handset. So, whether you love or hate curved-edge displays, you can be assured that the Motorola Edge will work flawlessly.
In fact, Motorola actually added some tools for the curved-edge display: you can swipe up on the edge to see recent apps, for example, or swipe down to bring up your notifications. We didn’t use these features much, but others may find them super-useful, so their addition should be lauded.
2. Great feel in the hand
The main advantage of a curved-edge display is that it leads to a phone feeling great in the hand. The rounded glass nestles in your palm snugly – and, with such an arched screen, the Motorola Edge feels pleasant to hold.
Hand-feel is an often forgotten metric for judging a phone, with giant smartphones that you have to stretch to hold becoming the norm. Well, the Motorola Edge scores top points in this department, and given the slew of awkward-to-hold phones we’ve seen since, we’re longing for the Edge 2 to come along and treat our hands right.
3. A new high for Motorola phones
Since new phone lines are a bit of a rarity in the smartphone world, the launch of the Edge and Edge Plus was a noteworthy event of 2020, even more so for Motorola because these two devices were the best the company has put out in some time – both devices sit in the top slots of our best Motorola phone buying guide.
The company has been better known for its budget G-series phones, which used to dominate the top slots of that list, with the super-affordable E line and low-mid-range Moto One range also featuring a few entries. But now Motorola has shown that it can innovate in other market segments, too.
The Motorola Edge has proven to be a new high for Motorola, and we’d like to see where the company decides to go from there.
If you’re an avid mobile gamer, then you’ll likely be considering buying a gaming phone. However, such handsets aren’t always great for… well, anything besides gaming. The Motorola Edge offers a great compromise in this regard.
One function of the curved edge that we didn’t mention before is the ability to set up digital triggers on the screen, so when you’re gaming you can tap the edge to perform a specific function. It’s a fun way to add gaming tools to a phone that isn’t predominantly aimed at gamers.
5. Premium without the price
The selling point of many mid-range handsets is ‘top-end specs for a lower price’, but there are few phones that truly pull off that feat, with many obviously cutting corners to meet that reduced price. However, the Motorola Edge is one of the few phones in the mid-range market that we believe genuinely looks and feels like a premium device.
This is down to the great combination of design and display, as well as the clean software and UI, and long-lasting battery. Obviously, it isn’t an out-and-out premium phone (unlike the Edge Plus), but you certainly wouldn’t get that from looking at it, or in general use.
In this regard the Motorola Edge sits alongside the Xiaomi Mi 10 and Oppo Find X2 Neo, and that’s some pretty great company to have.