Motorola means business with its new phone – literally

The ThinkPhone by Motorola arrives as part of ThinkPad's 30th anniversary and, you guessed it, is a phone for business users

ThinkPhone by Motorola
(Image credit: Motorola)
Mike Lowe
By Mike Lowe
published

During 2022, Motorola launched one of the surprise best phones of the year in the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra. Now we're into 2023, Motorola is using CES 2023 as the surprise launch platform for its surprise new phone. 

And it means business – literally. Because the new device is called the ThinkPhone by Motorola. Which, if you're familiar with the ThinkPad and ThinkBook business laptop and laptop ranges, will certainly ring a bell: as this is a business phone through and through.

Now I wouldn't usually write about straight-up business kit here on T3, but there's something about the ThinkPhone that's caught my attention. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of ThinkPad (that's why there's an iconic 'Red Key' on the side of the device), 2023 is clearly the logical year for Motorola to launch this new angle of attack. 

That said, however, it's one hell of a market to try and break. Many large businesses are already aligned with iPhone from a security perspective, and I know many colleagues at big firms in London (my specific geographical example) are banned from using specific brands.

ThinkPhone by Motorola

(Image credit: Motorola)

So how is Motorola hoping to win the hearts (well, contracts) of big business? It's leveraging ThinkPad's already well-known security, ThinkShield, as part of the package. Furthermore there are four years of security updates for Android promised to ensure it remains up to date. 

The most interesting part for me, however, is Motorola's use of its ReadyFor system to integrate phone and laptop crossover: if you're using a Windows PC (in particular ThinkPad, but of course) then you can drag and drop any Android app for a connected phone and it'll show on your PC's screen. You can even take calls and messages with the integration.

So can ThinkPhone be a success? That'll be down to the big businesses already running ThinkPad contracts, I suspect, and whether they're ready to be convinced to overhaul their current staff phone setups. It's not the 50MP camera, Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, or 120Hz screen that's going to sell the ThinkPhone on its own merit, after all...

TOPICS
Phones
Mike Lowe
Mike Lowe
Tech Editor

Mike is the Tech Editor and AV Editor at T3.com. He's been writing about consumer technology for 15 and, as a phones expert, has seen hundreds of handsets over the years – swathes of Android devices, a smattering of iPhones, and a batch of Windows Phone products (remember those?). But that's not all, as a tech aficionado his beat for T3 also covers tablets, laptops, gaming, home cinema, TVs, speakers and more – there's barely a stone unturned that he's not had a hand on. Previously the Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint for a 10 years, he's also provided work for publications such as Wired, The Guardian, Metro, and more. In addition to his tech knowledge, Mike is also a flights and travel expert, having travelled the globe extensively. You'll likely find him setting up a new mobile phone, critiquing the next MacBook, all while planning his next getaway... or cycling somewhere.

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