Motorola revived the RAZR as a foldable smartphone

It's happening! Motorola has revived the iconic RAZR as a foldable smartphone.

The RAZR uses similar technology to the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X, but the design is quite different. Instead of opening out to be a tablet size, the RAZR has a standard-sized smartphone screen - measuring in at 6.2-inches - that folds down into a smaller form-factor to better fit in pockets. Essentially, a foldable as a flip-phone.

While the RAZR's display is plastic - glass doesn't bend - it has a scuff resistant coating that should help protect it from scratches. In addition, Motorola says the hinge has been engineered to prevent water and debris from getting inside it. However, the phone isn't water-resistant. Notably, the RAZR's display doesn't have a noticeable crease, unlike the Mate X and Galaxy Fold.

On the front, you'll find a smaller 2.7-inch display that shows notifications, the time, and music controls. You can also use this to take selfies using the RAZR's primary 16MP camera. There's a lower resolution 5MP camera on the inside if you still want to take selfies with the RAZR unfolded.

Motorola has seemingly made a few compromises in building the RAZR; while the design is bleeding edge, the internals are distinctly more pedestrian. The processor is mid-range, the battery is modest, and the display is comparatively low in resolution. None of this is to say the RAZR won't be zippy, but its internals aren't the same grade as what you'd find in a Pixel 4 or Note 10.

Key specifications for the RAZR include a 6.2-inch foldable display (2,242 x 876), a 2.7-inch front-facing display (800 x 600), Snapdragon 710 processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 16MP rear-facing camera, and a 2,510mAh battery.

The RAZR will retail for USD$1,499 when it launches in the US in January 2020. Local pricing has yet to confirmed, but that's roughly $2,200 at current exchange rates. If that holds, it's likely the RAZR would be about $800 cheaper than the Galaxy Fold.

Motorola has confirmed the RAZR will be coming to Australia. 

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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