Who could have anticipated its return after all those years, yet here it is. The New Motorola Razr has made a fabulous comeback as an Android smartphone that can be folded in half (akin to its iconic flip predecessor). The 2019 Razr may look pretty much like the ones still stamped on our minds, but it replaced the old T9 keypad and the small LCD with a 6.2-inch plastic foldable OLED panel. Its camera is a double duty one with 16 megapixels.

Instead of Android 10, it runs on Android 9 Pie. Upon its launch in January 2020, it is expected to cost USD$ 1500 (equivalent to GBP 1170 and AUD$ 2200).

Why is the new Razr fundamentally different from the other foldable phones present at the moment? It turned a typical sized smartphone into something that is compact and easy to carry around. When the Razr is folded in half, it softly snaps shut from top to bottom. One side lays snuggled on top of the other, without a visible gap between both halves of the screen.

Because of this, Motorola has solved the world’s biggest design puzzle which has left other foldable smartphones (including the Samsung Galaxy Fold) in a conundrum. Not only is the phone pocketable, it reeks of nostalgia yet is streamlined to weather the future.

What sets the new Motorola Razr apart from its predecessors and other phones?

The original Razr was one of the world’s bestselling phones which helped it earn an iconic status. Motorola updated it into a newer version which is wider, heavier, and replete with new features. The foldable Razr gives Motorola a unique opportunity to steal the show.

This phone comes at a time when foldable smartphones are teetering precariously on the edge between reality and fantasy. It was only last year when foldable phones were pegged as a revolution in the smartphone design, and made the dream of a large-screen device being portable a reality.

However, what went wrong were the issues with screens and massive delays in launch, especially from major players, including Samsung and Huawei. It is now Motorola’s turn to bask in the spotlight. If Motorola comes out successful, it will herald a new era for the fold-able phone industry.

What’s it like using the new Motorola Razr?

In terms of the screen, it is a 6.2-inch P-OLED screen that is foldable. Motorola worked together with Lenovo’s laptop team on this design. The screen is like a thin film that curls in the shape of a teardrop when the screen is being folded.

The New Motorola Razr’s patented hinge design has an open cavity covering the looped part of the screen. Most plastic screens do not fold completely flat without a crease appearing in the middle. The thin layer of air gap is hardly conspicuous. When the screen curls like a teardrop, it creates a gap of 0.2mm between the hinge and the display.

The front screen might look tall but it is narrow with a ration of 21:9. It also has a resolution of 2142 x 876 pixels. Most of the apps are located on the bottom side of the screen along with the controls. This makes it easy for users to reach and use them with just their thumb. It also works better than other phones with one hand only.

On the outside, users can see an 2.7-inch OLED external screen. It is a quick view display that shows essentials such as time, notifications, alerts, signals and battery life. Users cannot type on it but can respond through recorded messages or their voices. In fact, users can use it to check what they look like in selfies.

Google Pay and Google Assistant can be used on the quick view display, as well as for controlling music. The useful yet addictive Motorola gestures are present too. Move the phone in a twister pattern to turn on the camera and shake it sideways to turn on the flashlight.

You can hardly feel the hinge tension, when opening and closing the phone because the movement is smooth and gradual. The hinge’s gears are visible, and magnets hold their sides together. This mechanism prevents the creases from forming on the screen.

People have been asking about the presence of a thick plastic chin on the bottom of the New Motorola Razr. Such is because it reminds us all of its original design so hence it gets a good score for nostalgia. It also houses the optical fingerprint reader, the antennas, vibrating motor, GPS & Wi-Fi units. Most importantly, it is like a handle for users to hold on to when they are watching a video.

To make a call, the phone has to be opened but when on a call, the phone can be closed and the conversation can continue as long as you are using the speakerphone, connected via Bluetooth or are on a video call. However, it closes out most apps with the music player being an exception (the quick view screen helps control music tracks).

The 21:9 screen is termed by Motorola as its Cinemavision display. Small black bars will be bordering the sides when videos are being watched.

Beneath the exterior display is a 16-megapixel camera that is used to take photos and selfies. The five-megapixel camera that is visible when the Razr is unfolded is used mainly for video calls. However, telephoto and wide-angle lens won’t be available. But a software aided portrait and night vision mode are available.

The phone is available in 4G and not in 5G. It does have quite a decent amount of memory but has no SD card slot. The phone also lacks a SIM slot so there are pretty much quite some tradeoffs for those looking to buy the new Motorola Razr.

Specifications of the New Motorola Razr

Specifications of the phone are as under:

• Snapdragon 710 processor.
• 6GB RAM.
• 128 GB of internal storage.
• Snapdragon 710 processor.
• 2.7-inch Quick View display (800×600).
• 6.2-inch foldable pOLED display (2142×876).
• 16 megapixels front-facing camera focal point 1.7 with night vision mode).
• 5 megapixels internal camera.
• USB-C port present.
• eSIM.
• Fingerprint reader.
• Android 9 pie.

What do users get in the box?

When prospective buyers think of buying and unboxing the Motorola Razr, their experience is most likely to be memorable. Motorola has created a unique and eye-catching box with sharp corners which will have a tinted, transparent top with a speaker grill.

This way, users can play music from their Razr phones through the box when they slot the phone in the box in an upright position.

The phone comes with:

• Wired USB-C earbuds.
• An accessory case for sunglasses.
• 15-watt TurboPower charger.
• USB-C cable.
• Headset adaptor.

Conclusion

While the phone comes equipped with some pretty good features but with a hefty price tag of USD$ 1500, we wonder if its worth the buck. It runs on Android 9 instead of 10 (for which Motorola promised timely updates) and the battery power is 2,500 mAh, which is 10 percent less than what Google’s Pixel 4 currently offers.

With the phone being launched in collaboration with its exclusive telecom partner Verizon, users may need to go to competitors with the compatible ECM format if they wish to switch their carriers. Other than that, the processor will be 2 years old at the time of the launch.

Still, the new Motorola Razr is primed to be a hit among customers when it goes into official launch. For its price tag, this phone is truly going to be unique among the many present in the ever competent smartphone market. It is truly a comeback sign from Motorola and its answer to the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X.