Motorola is all set to revive the iconic Razr device with the same flip design, but tuned up to the standards of modern times.
The original Razr was a hit device of the early 2000’s.
Unveiled recently in America, the device has a 6.2-inch screen which folds into half just like its predecessor in the 2000’s. Flip phones were a trend back then and Razr used to be one of the most liked options.
The original Razr had a small LCD display unit on one side of the hinge and a physical twelve key keyboard on the other. The phone folded around the middle to get into a size easy to carry in pockets.
The latest iteration of Razr has a folding display that takes up the entire inside of the fold, and the physical keyboard is obviously gone.
Motorola claims that their design is the first of its kind but we’ve already witnessed some devices with folding displays earlier this year.
Most notable is the Samsung Galaxy Fold that folds around the middle in the vertical direction. It is a mobile phone when it’s folded and becomes a tablet when unfolded.
The new Razr has a 2.7-inch quick view screen that the user can use to check and respond to notifications, again a feature common with the Galaxy Fold.
The new device will be first released in the US for a price of $1,500 in December. The price and release date for other countries is not yet confirmed.
Mobile phone industry analyst Ru Bhikha expressed his views, saying that Razr has nostalgic vibes related to it but it might not have the features in other brands’ flagship devices.
Mr. Bhikha said: “Some brands dominate their markets so completely that their names become bywords for the whole industry. Vacuum cleaners are ‘Hoovers’ and to perform an internet search is to ‘Google.’
“The original Motorola Razr was such an iconic design that, even now, when you think of a foldable phone, you are automatically reminded of the classic flip-phone of the mid-Noughties.
“But the cost of developing the folding screen makes the Razr V4 a high-end smartphone likely to cost over £1,100 in the UK – more than the iPhone 11, but less than the Samsung Galaxy Fold.
“The Razr can’t compete with the performance of similarly priced rivals, boasting only a single 16-megapixel rear camera compared to the iPhone 11’s three-lens set-up that includes a telephoto and two wide lenses.
“The device is also less powerful in the CPU and battery departments due to the restrictions of the design, so we’re skeptical that users will get through the day on a single charge.”
Mr. Bhikha also showed concern about the durability of folding screens and their vulnerability even in routine use.
He highlighted how the problems in Galaxy Fold’s hinge mechanism have recently surfaced and the industry gurus are looking forward to having an improved performance from the upcoming folding display device.
He added: “The return of the Razr will enjoy massive buzz, but without the specifications of its high-end rivals the V4 could be accused of being all style and no substance.”
Replaced!