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Motorola's Razr makes a comeback, complete with a foldable display

Motorola's new take on its beloved flip phone looks intriguing.
Written by Jason Cipriani, Contributing Writer

Motorola on Wednesday announced an all-new Razr phone. Remember the Razr? It was a flip phone that forced companies to rethink the overall design and approach to what "dumb" phones were at the time, and it sold like crazy.

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The Razr is back, and it has a familiar look. But this time, when you flip it open, you're greeted with a 6.2-inch foldable display. Motorola is calling it the Flex View Display. It has an aspect ratio of 21:9, making it really tall.

Motorola Razr Open.jpg
Motorola

On the outside of the clamshell phone is a 2.7-inch Interactive Quick View Display, which allows you to swipe through messages, control music, take selfies, and adjust settings. The original Razr had similar features when closed but on a much smaller display.

Here are the specifications of the new Razr:

  • Operating System: Android Pie 9.0
  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 719
  • Memory: 6GB
  • Storage: 128GB
  • Display: Flex View 6.2-inch pOLED HD (2142 x 876) 21:9, Quick View 2.7-inch gOLED (600 x 800) 4:3
  • Battery: 2510 milliamp-hour
  • Size: 72 x 172 x 6.9 mm (open), 72 x 94 x 14 mm (closed)
  • Weight: 205g
  • Rear camera: 16-megapixel f/1.7, EIS, Dual Pixel AF, Laser AF
  • Front camera: 5-megapixel f/2.0
  • SIM Card: eSIM
  • Connectivity: 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC
  • Charge port: USB-C
  • Security: Fingerprint reader
  • Color: Noir Black

Motorola's Razr is the third smartphone with a foldable display we've seen released this year. Samsung's Galaxy Fold was released in September after a delay, and Huawei's Mate X is currently available in China. It's also the third design for a phone with a foldable screen, as companies are testing new form factors to figure out what works and what doesn't.

Motorola Razr.jpg
Motorola

You can manage a lot of tasks on the Quick View display on the outside of the phone, and when you're in the middle of reading a message and open the Razr, it will automatically open to the messaging app on the main Flex View display.

And, yes, you can close the Razr to hung up on a call. It's yet to be seen if that reassuring snap is also present on the new Razr -- although we'd be a bit hesitant in closing it too hard. 

To alleviate fears of a defective display in the US, Motorola is offering 24-hour chat support, and will have support agents available 14 hours a day with direct access to the device's analytics. If the display fails, Motorola will replace it within 24-hours, free of charge. However, if you break the display, you'll have to pay $299 to have it replaced. Warranty and service plans outside of the US wasn't announced. 

The new Razr will launch as an exclusive on Verizon Wireless for $1,500. Preorders start Dec. 26. It will be available in stores at some point in Jan. 2020 in Verizon Wireless stores, select Walmart locations, and on Motorola.com.

What do you think about the new Razr? Does the nostalgia of a flip phone that's capable of so much more appeal to you? Or is the price tag too high?

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