Motorola Razr is here, it’s the rebirth of an icon

Motorola has finally unveiled its highly anticipated foldable phone, the Razr. Named after the smartphone maker’s original folding phone, this new device encorporates styling cues that made the first Razr, an instant success. Unlike the Galaxy Fold, the Razr, unfolds to become a smartphone. It’s a re-engineered solution to a problem that first cropped up in the late 1990s.

When folded, the device is just 2.83 x 3.7 x 0.55 inches, and fits conveniently in the tightest of jeans pockets. The face features a small 2.7-inch front screen and a bottom chin that houses the fingerprint sensor. When unfolded, it turns into a 6.2 inch smartphone, nothing spectacular there. But what is interesting however, is the way it folds. It reduces the crease effect, significantly.

The crease is present, it’s just that Motorola has been able to hide it better than Samsung could, thanks to a clever mechanism. As fascinating as it might be, the folding screen only has a HD resolution (2142 x 876), compromises were made, that’s for sure. And powering that screen is only a 2,510mAh battery – a paltry figure in comparison to the current 4000mAh standard.

There’s more bad news though, while the Fold comes equipped with a flagship processor, the new Razr has to make do with a Snapdragon 710. But it does have 6GB of RAM, which should help with mutli-tasking. As for the cameras, it’s main shooter is on the exterior, and it’s is only 16MP. The interior one is a measly 5MP. These specs are alot lower than that seen in conventional mid-range smartphones.

Despite having lower tier specs, the new Razr is being offered at a price of $1,500. That’s definitely too rich for our taste, but we should see it for what it is – a proof of concept. As spectacular as the Galaxy Fold is, it lacks the practicality of the Razr, and that in essence is the appeal of this new technology.

Motorola has nothing to be ashamed of, because it brought back an icon in the most fitting way possible. The original Razr was the answer to the bulky bricks we used to call mobile phones. It’s descendant is the answer to the wide slabs that constantly protrude out of our pockets.

Based on what we have noticed this far, 2020 is shaping up to be the year of the folding smartphone. The Chinese phone makers aren’t going to concede to Samsung and Motorola, they should already be working on their respective contenders.

Photo Credit: Motorola