Motorola ThinkPhone: Business smartphone with close Windows connection

Motorola belongs to Lenovo. That's why the new smartphone can also take its name from the ThinkPad and ThinkBook. The collaboration is not limited to Lenovo PCs, but is supposed to work with all computers that run at least Windows 10.

Smartphone and Windows go hand in hand

Without the close connection to Windows, the ThinkPhone would be just one smartphone of many. The "Think 2 Think" software combines several practical functions. They are not new, but have not been bundled like this before in the Android-Windows cosmos. It starts with a shared clipboard. Copy-and-paste works across devices. This also applies to the file storage. Data can be moved or copied back and forth between the devices using the mouse.

Notebook and smartphone recognise each other when they are in the vicinity and establish a connection via WLAN. They also use this to display notifications from the smartphone in the Windows Action Centre. Clicking on a notification opens the corresponding app on the PC screen. With app streaming, any Android app can be used on the big screen - in its own window.

You can also use the ThinkPhone's main camera as a webcam. The hotspot function of the smartphone can be activated from the PC with a mouse click.

If the PC is not connected, the hotspot function can be activated from the PC.

If the PC is not nearby, you can still use the ThinkPhone on a large screen. As with Samsung Dex there is the possibility to connect the smartphone to an external monitor. You can control the cursor on the desktop via the touch screen of the ThinkPhone.

Motorola also wants to offer the programme for selected smartphones from the Edge series in the future. Without a Motorola smartphone, Intel Unison, which has also been available for installation since CES, could help you out.

Good but not outstanding features

The ThinkPhone's equipment is good to very good on the data sheet. There are no sensational specifications, but it should still be able to satisfy many needs
.

• 6.6-inch pOLED, FHD+ (2400 × 1080 pixels), 144 hertz

• Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
• 8 or 12 gigabytes of RAM
• 128, 256 or 512 gigabytes of storage
• 50 megapixel main camera, f/1.8
• 13 megapixel ultra-wide angle, 120 degrees, f/2.2
• 32 megapixel front camera, f/2.45
• 5000 mAh

• Free assignable "Red Key" for quick access to important app or function

• Android 13, three major updates and four years of security updates

The casing is made of aramid fibre - Kevlar is a brand name for it - and an aluminium frame and Gorilla Glass Victus. The ThinkPhone is said to withstand drops from 1.25 metres - as per MIL STD 810 - and is IP68 waterproof and dustproof. In tests, 30 minutes in 1.5 metres of water did it no harm.

With the included 68-watt power supply, which can also charge notebooks, the ThinkPhone is said to be able to recharge enough energy for a day in 15 minutes. The battery is supposed to last for 1200 charging cycles - previously 800 charging cycles were common. With an optionally available charging station, the smartphone can be charged wirelessly with 15 watts.

Motorola plans to sell the ThinkPhone from the end of January 2023. More detailed information on various markets is to follow. Corporate customers would be the focus, but the smartphone would also be available for private individuals.