Three months after launching globally, the Motorola Edge has finally come to Australia. Only one of the devices will be heading our way and the telco’s won’t be stocking it. Considering the price tag, our eyebrows are firmly raised.
Only One Device
To get the guessing game out of the way, the flagship Motorola Edge+ is the phone Aussies are missing out on. But if you’re still curious about it, the US wrote a review back in May.
This seems like a really weird choice. But this may explain it…
No telcos are stocking it
If you want the Motorola Edge, you need to buy it outright. Not a single telco in Australia will be carrying it. This is interesting because it’s not exactly a cheap phone.
Motorola wouldn’t confirm whether this no-carrier decision was theirs or the telco’s. However, the company did say during a briefing that i5G functionality would work on any network.
Motorola also alleged that some unnamed manufacturers have disabled 5G functionality on some networks. Motorola wouldn’t reveal which companies. Intriguing.
Of course, you need to keep in mind that all three major telcos are still rolling those networks out. Vodafone in particular is still mostly restricted to Parramatta.
Considering the Motorola Edge+ costs $US1,000 in America, this may have influenced the decision not to release it here. A $1,500+ price tag and no ability to buy on a plan probably wouldn’t have sold well here.
Motorola Edge Specs
On the plus side, it does have 5G. So if you do grab one outright, it’s at least future proofed in that respect. The Edge has some other shiny specs, too.
On the outside you’ll find a 6.7-inch 1080p+ display that comes with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 90-degree bend. Hence the name ‘Edge’. At the rear are four cameras — a 64MP primary, 8MP telephoto ith 2x optical zoom anf a 16MP ultra wide and a ToF lens. The selfie camera comes in at 25MP.
Under the hood there’s a Snapdragon 765G processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB expandable storage and a beefy 4,500mAh battery. This is just 500maH shy of the 5,000mAH Motorola Egde+ battery that the US team was quite impressed with.
Alas, it doesn’t have wireless charging. While this isn’t the biggest deal in the world, this is becoming an increasingly normal feature for mid-range phones. The LG Velvet has it, and it has the a slightly cheaper price to the Motorola Edge.
And if you’re still fiercely into a headphone jack situation, the Edge has that, too. Of course, this means that it isn’t waterproofed. In fact Motorola has declined to give the Edge any kind of official IP rating. A bit strange, but okay.
Motorola Edge Australian Price
The Motorola Edge will cost $999 in Australia. And like we said earlier, there is no option to buy it on a plan. Considering the increasingly strong competition in the $999 price bracket, we’re just not sure how well this is going to go.
The $999 Oppo Find X2 Neo has some better baseline specs and camera inclusions. And the LG Velvet is both $100 cheaper and has things like wireless charging. And both these options are available on plans.
Then there’s the Google Pixel 4a looming on the horizon. If it’s anything like the Pixel 3a, it’s going to come in swinging with a cheaper price tag and incredible specs.
No matter how many times manufacturers say it, $999 is not a cheap and affordable phone for everyone. Yes, it’s now considered mid-range by 2020 standards, as the LG Velvet proved just last week. But whether this market change is actually good or even attractive to consumers during a pandemic is another conversation entirely.
With a mixed bag of specs, a price that sits firmly between two brackets and no telco plans… we’re just not sure who this phone is actually for.
Release date
The Motorola Edge is available from today from JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys, Officeworks and the Motorola’s online store.
But if you do buy an Edge you are entitled to a free pair of Motorola VerveBuds 110 true wireless headphones which can be redeemed through the Moto website.