This article is part of our CES 2023 news coverage. Formally known as the Consumer Electronics show and now referred to as simply CES, it’s the biggest and most influential consumer technology event of the year. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, CES runs every January in Las Vegas, and for 2023 the show dates are Jan 5-8th.
CES News 2023: Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola
It. Has. Happened. A device that many in forums, communities and ThinkPad fans worldwide have wanted, and now we have it, the Lenovo ThinkPhone is real!
And, on first impressions, it doesn’t disappoint!
That said, “Never meet your heroes” and “Be careful what you wish for” are phrases that both spring to mind. Lenovo acquired Motorola in 2014, and expectations of a possible ThinkPhone began from day one.
Personally, I always wanted Lenovo to take on the failing Blackberry business, but it was never to be.
A combination of Lenovo, Moto and Blackberry could have given birth to a true business smartphone. So will this new ThinkPhone have enough draw to bring Android users away from Samsung and Pixel handsets?
Well, that may not be the challenge Lenovo is considering, as its new ThinkPhone is an Enterprise only device, which means consumers will not be able to “easily buy one” any time soon.
But we can live in hope!
Lenovo ThinkPhone Features
The spec sheet accompanying the ThinkPhone launch boasts an impressive line-up of features that demonstrates Lenovo and Motorola took this project seriously, and it’s no coincidence that the release is happening during the 30th anniversary of the ThinkPad brand.
Powered by the Snapdragon® 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform and running Android 13, the ThinkPhone has premium consumer smartphone specifications yet is aimed at corporate users.
It has a 6.6″ pOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, a 2400 x 1080 resolution and is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus. A small punch hole at the top of the screen is for the 32MP front-facing camera.
At the rear is a dual 50MP/13MP Ultra-wide camera with a depth sensor housed in an Aircraft-grade Aluminum Frame and surrounded by a carbon fibre-styled back cover.
Allday power shouldn’t be a problem with a 5,000mAh internal battery and 68W Fast wired charging. They’ve even included the TurboPower 68W charger in the box!
For a more leisurely charging experience, there’s 15W Wireless charging too.
Lenovo wants ThinkPhone to be a productivity powerhouse of a smartphone and has brought over many of its ThinkPad software features.
All Work & All Play
The ThinkShield Security platform is present, as is Moto Threat Defense, along with seamless integration between ThinkPad and ThinkPhone in collaboration with Microsoft. Just drag and drop from your Windows desktop to the Android device and vice versa.
A new feature called Think 2 Think connectivity links a ThinkPhone to a ThinkPad when on the same Wi-Fi network, and ThinkPhone can even double as a webcam for your ThinkPad.
When business devices work seamlessly together, business works better. That’s why there’s the Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola, which brings PC and mobile experiences together like never before.
Lenovo
Hands-On Thoughts
I was fortunate enough to get one to myself for around 20 minutes and get a feel for the new ThinkPhone.
The first feature to stand out was the display. It was so smooth and really fluid when I scrolled through the tabs and apps. The 144Hz refresh rate performs well and made it easy to view for the short 20 minutes I used it.
It felt good in my hands and easy to hold despite housing a 6.6″ display. For example, I’m currently using an iPhone 14 Pro, which has a smaller screen and, overall, smaller dimensions, yet the ThinkPhone felt the same size whilst giving me a bigger display.
The build quality, even on this demo unit, was robust, and the backplate is eye-catching, along with the configurable red Think button on the edge.
I think, excuse the pun, that Lenovo and Motorola have played a smart game here (with the exception of not letting consumers get their hands on it). Lenovo is one of the biggest suppliers of laptops to the Enterprise and will likely look to include sales of ThinkPhone to its client base bundled in with ThinkPads.
Now there was a small period of time where so many business travellers all had a Blackberry because corporate dictated it, and then would also carry a second ‘personal’ device. These days are long gone, and most want one device that does everything.
Lenovo and Motorola have built the ThinkPhone with enough power, features and Enterprise level security to be a good enough device that businesses can give the handset to its end users who could and would happily use it as their only device.
Lenovo ThinkPhone Specifications
| Dimensions | 158.76 x 74.38 x 8.26mm |
| Weight | 189g |
| Colour Options | Black |
| Operating System | Android 13 |
| Display | 6.6″ pOLED HDR10+ 144Hz refresh rate Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® |
| Processor | Snapdragon® 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
| Charging | 68W TurboPowerTM 15W Wireless Charging |
| Storage Options | 128GB 256GB 512GB |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E 5G Bluetooth 5.3 NFC USB-C |
| Rear Camera | 50MP Quad Pixel Technology Optical Image Stabilization 13MP Ultrawide angle (120°FOV) Macro Vision Depth Sensor |
| Front Camera | 32MP |
| Speakers | Dual stereo speakers Dolby Atmos® |
| Microphone | 2 |
| Waterproof Rating | IP68 |
Lenovo ThinkPhone Pricing
At launch, there’s no confirmation on a price.
The Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola will be available in the US, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia and select countries across Asia. It is due to be released in 2023.