One of the most exciting 2026 phones has already leaked out, and it's not an iPhone or Galaxy
Can I get hyped about a device that's probably still many months away from an official announcement based solely on a leaked promotional image? Yes, I can.
Then why don't you join me in drooling over an upcoming Android handset that has so far made way fewer headlines than all the above? I'm even willing to bet that most of you completely missed that first substantial (and plausible) Motorola Edge 70 leak from earlier this week, and those of you who didn't might not share my excitement over this presumed mid-ranger... yet.
A true iPhone Air rival?
As big of a Motorola fan as I am, and as little concrete information as we can pull from that leaked promotional image below, I obviously don't expect the Edge 70 to directly take on Apple's ultra-thin iPhone Air powerhouse or Samsung's equally eye-catching Galaxy S25 Edge.
What I do believe with all my heart is that the Motorola Edge 70 can be better than the iPhone Air and possibly even next year's Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge... in a few key ways. Call me crazy if you want, but this year's Motorola Edge 60 pulled off a 7.9mm profile with a hefty 5,200mAh battery, so I don't think I'm being delusional in dreaming of a sub-7.5mm waist and a 5,000mAh+ cell for the Edge 70.
If this leak doesn't do anything for you, your brand devotion-caused blindness might be irreversible. | Image Credit -- Evan Blass on X
There's even a Moto G86 Power variant around with a gargantuan 6,720mAh battery squeezed into a sub-9mm body, so clearly, if there's one brand that can strike a perfect balance between extreme thinness and stellar endurance on a single charge, that's Motorola.
Speaking of charging, the 68W speeds of the aforementioned Edge 60 make me hopeful that the Edge 70 will inch closer to or perhaps hit the 100-watt mark, thus leaving the entire Galaxy S26 family in the dust in that department even if the Ultra manages to support 60W after all.
Besides, you have to remember that this is most likely just one member of Motorola's 2026 Edge 70 family, with Pro, Fusion, and hopefully, Ultra versions also in the cards. And if this "vanilla" model is set to be advertised as "impossibly thin and incredibly tough", I suspect other members of the same family might be even thinner and at least just as tough.
Will you at least consider buying the Motorola Edge 70 next year?
Probably
28.13%
Maybe... if it's thin and tough enough
9.38%
Maybe... if it's affordable and powerful enough
35.94%
Nope, I'll stick with Samsung
10.94%
Nope, I'll stick with Apple
6.25%
Nope, I'll stick with another brand
9.38%
Oh, and by the way, Motorola's handsets are already durability champions, rocking IP69 and MIL-STD-810H certifications in addition to the IP68 rating so many of the best Android phones are currently relying on, so that "incredibly tough" promise probably means something.
You know nothing, Adrian Diaconescu
It's true, I don't. I have no idea what processor the Edge 70 will pack, for instance, when might the phone be released, at what price, and exactly how many and what members the handset family will include.
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I could continue to list the unknown specs and features for a few more minutes, but I'm sure you get the idea, as I'm sure you understand that many of the same things can also be said about next year's Galaxy S26 (Pro) or Galaxy S26 Ultra.
What I do know is that the Edge 60 is an awesome mid-ranger, and I can reasonably assume the Edge 70 will be at least a little better. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
Yes, far more information on Samsung's next big thing(s) has been rumored over the last few months, but as all the conflicting recent charging speed gossip has proven, nothing is etched in stone until the company makes it official.
With all that in mind, what I would like to ask you as a self-confessed fan and longtime user of Motorola phones is to give the Edge 70 series a chance to get you excited. I'm not even talking about seriously considering a purchase... yet.
Just consider for a second the (outlandish) notion that Apple and Samsung are not the only brands who deserve your attention, and maybe, just maybe a different company could take what the iPhone Air and Galaxy S25 Edge got wrong and what the S26 Edge seems unable to completely fix and objectively do better. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but it might, and that's enough (for the time being) to make me very interested in hearing more about the Motorola Edge 70 and its presumably many exciting siblings.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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