Earlier in the year, Lenovo-owned Motorola teased that it will debut one of the first phones in the world with a 200-megapixel camera. We've been intrigued by this phone since. Initially, it was referred to as the 'Frontier', then launched in China as the X30 Pro, and more recently in Europe as the Edge 30 Ultra. 

While the foldable Razr 2022 has certainly gotten the most fanfare, the Edge 30 Ultra is shaping up to be Motorola's top-tier, premium flagship device for 2022. 

Motorola Frontier, Edge 30 Ultra or X30 Pro? 

  • 'Frontier' is the codename
  • Moto X30 Pro in China - Moto Edge 30 Ultra elsewhere 

If there's some confusion around the name of the device, that's completely understandable. Firstly, it's been developed under the codename Frontier, and Motorola often releases the same phone in different markets under different names.

In China, for instance, the device has been launched as the Moto X30 Pro. Elsewhere, in global markets, it's named the Edge 30 Ultra. 

Motorola Frontier: Everything we know about the 200MP cameraphone photo 9
Motorola

 

Edge 30 Ultra release date and price

  • The device launched in China on 11 August 2022
  • Global/European launch event on 8 September 2022
  • £749 in the UK - €899 in Europe

Moto originally announced via its official Weibo account that it will be launching the X30 Pro alongside the Moto Razr 2022 at an event on 2 August. However, this event was cancelled at the last minute, with very little detail surrounding the cancellation.

Then, on August 11 2022, the phone finally became official. It's available in China only, with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage for 3699 CNY (about $549) or with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage for 4499 CNY (roughly $668).

A few weeks later, on 8 September, the company held a global launch event where it revealed its plans for launch in Europe and the UK. Price wise, it's looking reasonable enough for a top tier flagship. In Europe it'll cost €899, and in the UK it'll be £749. 

Motorola Frontier: Everything we know about the 200MP cameraphone photo 10
Motorola

Moto Edge 30 Ultra: display and specs

  • 6.67-inch POLED display - 144Hz refresh - FHD+ resolution - HDR10+ 
  • Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor
  • 12GB RAM/256GB storage
  • 4610mAh battery - 125W wired charging - 50W wireless charging 

As far as display and hardware specs go, the Edge 30 Ultra has all the specs you'd want to see from a proper flagship Android phone. That means a big, bright display with fast refresh and the fastest processor from Qualcomm. 

Specifically, that's an OLED display measuring 6.67-inches diagonally and that can reach up to 144Hz refresh rates. Perfect for smooth animation and sharpness during graphically intense games. It's FullHD+ resolution and is compatible with HDR10+ content, plus it displays up to a billion colours. 

Internally, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is running the show, chosen for its speed, performance and battery efficiency. It's been combined with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, to ensure you have all the memory you could need on your handheld. 

If there's a star of the hardware show, it's the battery. Or, rather, the charging. At 125W wired speeds the 4610mAh battery can completely refill in about 20 minutes and can do a 50 per cent charge in just seven minutes. It'll also charge quickly wirelessly thanks to support for Motorola's proprietary wireless charger. 

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra: cameras

  • 200MP primary camera w/OIS
  • 50MP ultrawide w/macro 
  • 12MP portrait/2x telephoto zoom
  • 60MP selfie camera

Thanks to an abundance of rumours, it was very clear from the get-go that the Edge 30 Ultra would use Samsung's 200MP ISOCELL HP1 sensor.

Announced last autumn, the sensor can not only handle 8K video recording, but with so many pixels it will open the door to enhanced high dynamic range (HDR) and various pixel binning possibilities (16-in-1 delivering 12.5-megapixel results as the default).

The other two cameras on the rear of the phone are a 50-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide and 12-megapixel f/1.6 telephoto. Photography is definitely the key selling point of the X30 Pro.

The selfie camera is a punch-hole design and has a meaty 60MP resolution and an f/2.2 aperture.

Motorola Edge X30 Pro: What happened?

Here is a timeline of all the leaks that lead up to the launch:

8 September 2022: Moto Edge 30 Ultra launched in Europe

Motorola has finally announced its global launch plans for the Edge 30 Ultra. 

5 August 2022: Moto Razr 2022 and X30 Pro launch back on, here's the new date

Lenovo Mobile China's GM, Chen Jin, posted a teaser image on Weibo showing the Razr 2022 with an analogue clock on its outer display. The clock has the date "Thursday 11" displayed in Chinese and is set to 2 o'clock, which presumably equates to 2 pm CST.

23 July 2022: Launch date confirmed

Motorola has announced that it will launch the X30 Pro alongside the Razr 2022 in China on 2 August. 

18 July 2022: First pic from Edge 30 Ultra shared

One of Motorola's general managers posted an image online taken by the Edge 30 Ultra's 200-megapixel camera. 

24 May 2022: Motorola teases 200MP cameraphone, likely the Frontier, coming in July

Lenovo-owned Motorola has taken to the Chinese social platform Weibo to tease its upcoming smartphones, including a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 foldable phone and another device equipped with a whopping 200-megapixel camera. That second one is set to launch as soon as this summer. Motorola's 200-megapixel cameraphone is codenamed Frontier. Meant to be a flagship phone, it's leaked several times in recent months, revealing specs and features. Now, Motorola is confirming its existence via a Weibo post. While the teaser doesn't mention the phone's official name, it does reveal a July timeframe for the launch date. 

28 March 2022: Samsung’s 200-megapixel camera spotted on an actual phone

The photo you see above was shared through the Chinese social media network Weibo and later on Twitter, and it supposedly depicts the Motorola Frontier.

18 February 2022: Motorola Frontier pops up in best picture leak yet

Excellent renders of the oft-rumoured Motorola Frontier surfaced online thanks to leakster Evan Blass and, if they're legit, a rather significant main camera is visible on the rear. Previous leaks have pointed to the phone sporting Samsung's 200-megapixel Isocell HP1 sensor, and the image collection posted by online tipster Evan Blass has 194-megapixel listed under a huge lens unit.

25 January 2022: Motorola details and pictures leak out

News first surfaces about Motorola working on a new flagship smartphone ith a 144 Hz display, 200-megapixel camera, and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 "Plus" chip under the code name Frontier.