Motorola Razr deserves praise, here’s why….

Folding screen smartphones are the ‘it’ gadget at the moment. However, the hype was far greater earlier in the year, when Samsung first introduced the Galaxy Fold. Back then, we were looking forward to the next evolutionary step of the modern smartphone. We knew it would be expensive, cutting edge tech usually carry hefty pricetags.

And the Galaxy Fold, did not disappoint. It went on sale for $2000, an outrageous amount of money for a smartphone. But, for that, we got a glossy candy bar device that unfolded to reveal a 7.3-inch OLED widescreen display. Now, achieving this was no easy feat. The dimensional constraints that accompanied the phone’s 90 degree hinge were high.

Arguably, Samsung overreached with this one. Wanting to beat everyone to the punch, it made several compromises. None were more apparent than the crease in the middle of the screen. Understandably, the tech community found it acceptable, because folding anything in half will reveal a noticeable crease on its mid line. Then came the screen issues, and there were many of them.

Overnight, our hopes were dashed. The thought of a folding smartphone replacing conventional ones seemed distant and out of reach, for now. It was unproven tech that needed several years to mature, or so we thought. Motorola’s decision to revive its clamshell phone, the Razr, reignited the flame and convinced us to give the tech a second chance.

Like the original Razr, which was the solution to the inconvenience of lugging a chunky phone all day. The new Razr has a similar purpose.Smartphones have grown too big to be portable. They are uncomfortably large to be considered pocket friendly. Unlike the Fold, the Razr didn’t create a new genre, and neither did it want to.

We need large screens, they define how productive we can be, while on the move. Smaller displays deter most from editing docs or committing to graphically intensive tasks. That’s why bigger smartphones are a major hit among business-minded people. Well, Motorola’s Razr, has proven that you can have your cake and eat it at the same time.

The Folding screen, gives it the ability to halve its full dimensions, and slip into the tightest of jeans pockets with relative ease. But, when unfolded, it transforms into a 6.2-inch smartphone not unlike the current crop of conventional slabs we carry. And unlike the Galaxy Fold, the clever use of a folding loop mechanism, causes its crease to be far less pronounced.

Operating the mechanism invokes far more confidence than that of the Fold, which feels a little more fragile. Mind, we aren’t taking anything away from the Galaxy Fold, it’s an excellent device. And once Samsung perfects its folding tech, the appeal will be greater. But for now, the Razr is the defacto torch barrier of the new age smartphone.

It doesn’t have a high-end processor, and it’s single 16MP rear camera doesn’t stand a chance against conventional budget smartphones. But the list doesn’t end there, because on paper, this is an inferior device. But it isn’t. Like the original clam shell device, it doesn’t plan on winning any benchmark awards.

Instead it’s sole purpose is to solve a real world problem, space constraints. And it has achieved that with flying colours. If Motorola managed to pull this off on its first attempt at building a folding phone, imagine what they could achieve with a bit more time and experience.