ThinkPhone and Windows 365: The Future of Portable Computing?
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The Motorola ThinkPhone was launched at the start of 2023 and hit shelves in select regions a few months ago. At IFA 2023, the Lenovo-owned company had a demo of two productivity features recently announced for the Think-branded smartphone series through a partnership with Microsoft.
Although running on Android OS, a pair of essential Windows enterprises features are planned for the Motorola ThinkPhone and should be rolled out in the coming weeks.
Windows 365 Cloud PC for the Motorola ThinkPhone
During IFA 2023, Motorola showcased its support for Windows 365 Cloud. This enables the Motorola ThinkPhone to have desktop-like functions which are powered by Microsoft's Cloud PC Enterprise and requires an active subscription to the service.
Users can subsequently take advantage of the ThinkPhone connectivity to connect the handset to larger screens like a monitor via the USB-C port to HDMI cable. Even turning the device into a full-fledge PC is possible by pairing it with a keyboard and mouse wirelessly.
On the screen, you'll feel as though you're getting a full PC experience with Windows 365. The best part is that you can customize the number of CPUs and the amount of memory you want in the cloud—although you'll need to pay extra for these features, of course. The downside, however, is that you'll be unable to use it without an internet connection.
Activate the walkie-talkie on the Motorola ThinkPhone
The other feature, which is the Walkie Talkie mode support for Microsoft Teams, leverages of the programmable button called the “Red Key” on the ThinkPhone. This is useful during conference calls as you can set up the button to function as an instant push-to-talk shortcut. You'll just need to press the key every time you need to initiate talk or send a message.
Motorola says the Windows 365 cloud and Walkie Talkie mode in Teams are included in an upcoming software update. There is no definite schedule for this release, although it was informed to our team during IFA that it's supposed to be released in the middle of September.
Motorola ThinkPhone key specs and price
As for the specs, the Motorola ThinkPhone comes with an IP68 certified and military graded build, mirroring the ruggedness of the ThinkPad lines of Lenovo. Additionally, it has a 6.6-inch OLED screen protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset coupled to a 5000 mAh battery and up to 12/512 GB storage configuration. The device boots Android 13 OS and has extra security features.
The ThinkPhone is only sold to enterprises and not available directly to consumers in some markets. However, there are exceptions, such as the USA, which has the unlocked version listed on Amazon and Motorola store for $699 with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB on-board storage.
How do you find these software advantages on the Motorola ThinkPhone? Share us with your thoughts in the comments.
