Motorola Edge 70 is here to challenge the iPhone Air
Motorola Edge 70 in Bronze Green. | Image credit – Motorola
The Motorola Edge 70 is practically the global version of the Chinese Motorola X70 Air. The device’s key feature is the 6 mm thick body that weighs 159 grams and has passed durability tests for a MIL-STD 810H standard. Its frame is made of aircraft-grade aluminum, and the front is protected by Gorilla Glass 7i.On its back, the Edge 70 has what Motorola calls a “nylon-inspired silicone finish.” As is common for the company’s smartphones, the Edge 70 comes in three Pantone colors:
- Lilly Pad
- Gadget Grey
- Bronze Green
It’s a mid-range fare
Motorola Edge 70 in Gadget Grey. | Image credit – Motorola
On the inside, the Motorola Edge 70 is a mid-range device, powered by a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset and 12GB LPDDR5X RAM. Right now, the device is only offered with 512GB storage, although its Chinese version also had a 256GB variant. Unsurprisingly, the software is Android 16 with Motorola’s user interface on top.The price of the thinner body is a relatively smaller battery with a 4,800 mAh capacity. Motorola still promises up to 50 hours of battery life and up to 10 hours of social media. I’d take those with a grain of salt, but the 68W wired and 15W wireless charging are impressive.
Images credit – Motorola
You’d get a 6.67-inch 120Hz pOLED display with a 2712×1220 px resolution, reaching a 4,500 nits peak brightness. The panel supports HDR10+ and has Pantone Validated colors.
All the Edge 70’s cameras have 50MP sensors. The couple on the back is a 24mm f/1.8 main camera with OIS and a 12mm f/2.0 ultrawide camera with PDAF and macro shooting support. There’s a portrait mode that works with 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm equivalent focal lengths, and what Motorola calls 30x Super Zoom. The front camera also has a 50MP sensor and f/2.0 aperture.
Not exactly an affordable competitor
Motorola Edge 70 in Lily Pad. | Image credit – Motorola
Motorola’s entry to the ultra-thin race is offered for €800 in Europe and £700 in the UK. In the UK, it comes bundled with a Moto Tag, Moto Buds Loop, Moto Watch Fit, and a 68W TurboPower charger. Motorola hasn’t shared any official information about a US release of the Edge 70, but both the European and UK prices are about $930 when directly converted.Motorola is clearly aiming to challenge the iPhone Air and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge with the release of the Edge 70, but that could be a steep hill to climb. While both Apple and Samsung charge higher prices for their devices, they’re also powered by flagship chipsets and are even thinner than the Edge 70. However, Motorola’s device has a larger battery than both, which could be crucial for some customers.
On the other hand, neither the iPhone Air nor the Galaxy S25 Edge has been very popular. The Galaxy S25 Edge sales were so bad that Samsung was forced to delay the whole Galaxy S26 series to replace the Galaxy S26 Edge with an S26 Plus model. Meanwhile, reports about the sales performance of the iPhone Air are mixed, but most analysts claim its sales are abysmal.
Maybe the last chance for slim phones
Slim phones sound great on paper, but apparently are a tough sell for consumers. I’ve always preferred a thicker device with better battery life, and I believe most users feel the same. If Motorola has found the sweet spot of compromise, the Edge 70 may have a chance for success. However, I’m still skeptical about the future of all ultra-slim smartphones.
