Motorola is ready to take on the Galaxy S22 and Pixel 6 with an all-new flagship phone. The company just announced its new Motorola Edge+ in the United States, also known as the Moto Edge 30 Pro for other regions. Unfortunately, while it has plenty to offer vs. the competition, the software update situation leaves a little to be desired.
The new Motorola Edge+ for 2022 packs an impressive 6.7-inch P-OLED display with an HD resolution and 144Hz refresh rate, which is right up there with the best phones currently available. Potential buyers will also notice an improved triple camera system, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 8 or 12GB of memory, a large 4,800 mAh battery, and super-fast charging.
There's a lot to like here, not to mention the company will be offering an optional case accessory with a built-in stylus, making it a true S22 Ultra competitor. But unfortunately, when we reached out to Motorola regarding software updates, a spokesperson had this to share:
"Our new Edge device will receive at least 2 major Android OS upgrades and 3 years of bi-monthly security updates. This device is protected by ThinkShield for mobile, which offers additional security protection."
Motorola's latest $999 phone does come with Android 12 out of the box, which is good news. However, the company only promises "at least two major OS upgrades" to Android 13 and Android 14, but that's likely it. Additionally, the phone will receive bi-monthly security updates and bug fixes for three years. Motorola's track record with software updates has been disappointing the last few years, especially on its budget-friendly lineup, so this doesn't distill a lot of confidence.
As a comparison, Google's latest Pixel 6 will get at least three Android OS updates and five years of security updates. Then, Samsung is even better and recently confirmed it'll offer flagship phones the longest update policy. High-end devices like the Galaxy S22 will get at least four major Android OS updates (essentially up to Android 16) along with five years of security patches.
So while Motorola's latest phone sure has a lot to like, as expected, the software update situation still leaves a little to be desired.
That said, the new Moto Edge+ for 2022 will be available soon, but the company didn't share an exact date during the announcement. You'll be able to grab one from Motorola, Best Buy, Amazon, and from carriers including Verizon Wireless and more later this spring.