2023 has definitely gone down in history books as a significant year for cell phones. Apple made a major investment in titanium iPhones, Google had a fantastic year with Pixel smartphones, and Android phones had an incredibly successful year overall.

I want to draw attention to one company in particular as we close out 2023 and begin to consider 2024. Many people are already anticipating the release of the iPhone 16 and the Samsung Galaxy S24, but in my opinion, Apple and Samsung aren’t the businesses you should be closely monitoring in the coming year. Rather, you ought to have your gaze fixed on Motorola.

Motorola has nailed flagship smartphones

In the past year, Motorola has made so many great decisions, and it all began with the release of the Motorola Edge Plus (2023). After giving the Edge Plus a review in May of last year, it’s still one of my top smartphones of the year. The Edge Plus is not unique in any one way; rather, it is the result of Motorola doing a lot of things well.

The vivid, colorful, and eye-catching 6.7-inch OLED display is a delight to behold. Even a year after its launch, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU continues to dominate in terms of performance. With the 68-watt wired charging, you can charge the battery from zero to 100% in around an hour, and it can easily last for two days on a single charge. Heck, Motorola has always had trouble with its cameras, but these are good. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 Pro are superior cameras, but the Edge Plus’s camera technology is still incredibly fun.

There were many excellent flagship smartphones released in 2023, but the Motorola Edge Plus continues to be among the best. In addition to being one of the most comprehensive smartphone bundles available right now, it has an amazing MSRP of $800 (typically lowered to as low as $600). I’ve been waiting years and years for a flagship Motorola phone to truly come back to form, and in 2023, the Edge Plus delivered just that.

Additionally, its mid-tier selections are improving

Furthermore, Motorola had success this year with products other than premium flagships. The business also made an impression with its more affordable products, namely the Motorola Edge (2023).

Around the time I was testing the Google Pixel 8, I tested the Edge (2023), and I was surprised by how simple it was to switch between the two phones. The Motorola Edge, a $600 smartphone that is currently available for as little as $350, far surpassed many of my expectations this year.

Although the Edge is a distinctly mid-tier smartphone, it’s still a pretty decent bundle overall. It’s just not as well-rounded as its Edge Plus sister. Since leather feels more luxurious and is more grippy than glass, I think Motorola made a great choice by placing it around the camera housing and on the back of the device. Additionally, you still get a very good OLED display with a refresh rate of 144 Hz, a very powerful MediaTek Dimensity 7030 chipset, and quick charging times without sacrificing battery life.

Of course, there are certain disadvantages. Motorola claims that there will only be a single significant software update from Android 13 to Android 14, and the cameras aren’t particularly noteworthy. However, as a whole, the package is solid, and this is among Motorola’s better mid-range models in a long time, in my opinion.

The folding champion flip phone

Motorola managed to release not one but two of the most significant folding phones of the year in 2023, despite their success with “regular” smartphones.

I had been hoping for a folding phone like no other until Motorola released the Razr Plus, their first foldable device, in 2023. enjoyable, original design? Verify. Is a big cover screen capable of launching complete Android applications? Verify. Dust and water resistance? Quick performance? Excellent software? Check everything three times.

Since late 2019, Motorola has experimented with folding phones, and the Razr Plus seemed to be the culmination of all the company’s years of hard work. Even though more technically advanced competitors like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 are now available, the Razr Plus still has a special place in my heart as one of the most pleasant phones I’ve used in 2023.

The Razr (2023) doesn’t appear to be anything exceptional at first glance. It has inferior cameras, a slower processor, a smaller cover display, and a lower-spec main display than the Razr Plus. Since it is a subpar phone in nearly every way, why even bring it up?

Pricing

The Motorola Razr (2023) retails for $700, but you may get it for as little as $500 depending on when you buy it. By late 2023, a brand-new folding phone can be purchased for around $500. A year ago, it would have been unthinkable, but Motorola made it a reality this year, though it’s still a little surreal.

Foldables have historically been hindered by their high cost. Although the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold families from Samsung are excellent, their $1,000 to $1,800 price range makes them quite expensive. Even without the best specs in the world, the Razr 2023 is an incredible first folding phone that feels like it’s truly within reach for a significant number of people.

What do we expect Moto to do in 2024?

Was 2023 Motorola’s ideal year? Not exactly. The organization can still make improvements to its software update policies. Additionally, the Moto G line from Motorola has grown overly complicated, which has led to some of the company’s less-than-outstanding releases this year.

However, even with those kinks still to work out, I can’t help but think of 2023 as one of Motorola’s best years in memory. And for that reason, I’m looking forward to seeing where Moto goes in 2024.

Imagine how good a successor could be next year, given that the Edge Plus was almost perfected this year. Motorola demonstrated that the base Edge can be a very capable mid-range smartphone, and it has several obvious, yet doable, ways to make it better in the upcoming year. It’s also very exciting to think that the Razr and Razr Plus will have successors in 2024 after such impressive performances in 2023.

So far, there have been no leaks or rumors regarding Motorola’s 2024 product roadmap. However, if the firm continues to operate in the same manner as it did this year, we can be sure that 2024 will be another amazing year. I’m eager as well.

You may also like to check out:

• Motorola Razr 2022, Everything we know up until this point
• Top New Smartphones of the Week: 18GB RAM, 6000mAh Battery
• According to Samsung, Apple will release a foldable device in 2024
• Motorola has the best Android programming that nobody discusses
• Samsung Launches Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 Smartphones
• Smartphones From The Motorola G Series Will Be Available Starting In January 2023

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