Motorola is gearing up to launch its next flagship phone, the Moto X50 Ultra, which will be the successor to the Moto X40 series that debuted in 2023. The company has released a video teaser that showcases the phone’s speed and AI capabilities, as well as its design and features.
The video, which was posted on Weibo by Lenovo, (via GSMArena) Motorola’s parent company, features a Formula 1 car racing on a track, symbolizing the blazing-fast performance of the Moto X50 Ultra. The phone is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm’s latest flagship chipset that is based on a 4nm process and offers improved performance, efficiency, and connectivity.
The video also hints at the phone’s advanced AI features, which could include enhanced camera, gaming, and voice capabilities. The Moto X50 Ultra is likely to sport a quad-camera setup on the back, with a 108MP main sensor and a periscope zoom lens. The phone is also rumored to have a faux leather back, a 6.8-inch OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, and a 4500mAh battery that supports 125W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
The Moto X50 Ultra will be the first phone to launch under Motorola’s new naming scheme, which will see the company use different names for different markets. The phone will be called the Moto Edge 50 Pro in the global market, and the Moto Edge+ 2024 in North America. The phone is expected to launch first in China, where it will compete with other premium phones from brands like Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Vivo.
Motorola has been making a comeback in the smartphone market, especially in Europe, where it ranked as the fourth-largest smartphone vendor in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to Counterpoint Research. The company saw its shipments grow by 73% year-on-year in the region, thanks to its strong portfolio of budget and mid-range phones. Motorola also aims to regain its foothold in the flagship segment, where it faces stiff competition from Samsung and Apple.
The Moto X50 Ultra will be Motorola’s attempt to recapture the glory it had in the early days of Android, when it launched the iconic Motorola DROID, the first Android phone to run Android 2.0 and challenge the iPhone in the US. The phone also sparked the Androidmania, which saw Android become the dominant mobile operating system in the world. However, Motorola soon fell behind other Android makers like Samsung, HTC, and LG, and was acquired by Google in 2012, and then by Lenovo in 2014.
The company has since focused on delivering value-for-money phones with stock Android and unique features like Moto Mods and Moto Actions. The Moto X50 Ultra will be the culmination of Motorola’s efforts to offer a flagship phone that combines speed, AI, and design, and appeals to both loyal fans and new customers.