Back in the mid-2000s, Motorola scored a massive global hit with a high-style flip-phone called the Razr. The fashion icon was revived for the smartphone age in 2019, and now the company has out-flipped the competition with the Razr Plus.
On the original Razr V3, there was a little notification window in the middle of the upper clamshell that could display the time, show alerts and so on. Smartphone flip-phones have updated this cover screen idea, with Samsung offering a 1.9-inch block on the Galaxy Flip4, Huawei going for circles with the P50 Pocket and Oppo utilizing much more available space than others. Until now.
After many online leaks, Motorola has now confirmed that the latest Razr has gone all in on the external display with a 3.6-inch OLED touchscreen at 1,066 x 1,056 pixels and 413 ppi. It boasts a refresh rate up to 144 Hz, 10-bit color and support for 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, HDR10+ is cooked in, and peak brightness comes in at 1,100 nits.
This relatively spacious screen can host a large clock face, a bunch of app shortcuts, allow for simple gameplay, host newsfeeds or video content, or allow users to fire off a quick response to messages. It also rocks a dedicated Spotify panel so users can stream favorite tunes without flipping the phone open.
To cater for high-resolution selfies and video chats, Motorola has elected to place the rear cameras within the exterior display area – which shapes up as a 12-MP F1.5 main with optical image stabilization and a 13-MP F2.2 ultra-wide/macro shooter. Both cameras are capable of 4K UHD video recording at 30 frames per second, though the main can also manage 60 fps.
Unfolding the handset over the redesigned teardrop hinge reveals a "virtually creaseless" 6.9-inch FHD+ (2,640 x 1,080) OLED display with 10-bit color, support for 120% of DCI-P3 plus HDR10+, 165-Hz refresh rate and 1,400 nits of peak brightness. Holepunched into this 22:9-aspect display is a 32-MP selfiecam for 4K UHD video at up to 60 fps.
Inside, the Razr Plus is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset with support from 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB of storage, and it runs Android 13 "with unique Motorola experiences." A nifty feature enables users to time travel back to 2004, not literally of course – now that would be something – but the user interface can mimic the original Razr for a cool retro vibe, albeit without the sizable chin.
Elsewhere, there's a full-day 3,800-mAh battery with support for 30-W fast charging and 5-W wireless, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G and Wi-Fi 6e connectivity, dual Dolby Atmos speakers with Snapdragon Sound optimization and a triple mic array.
The IP52-rated flip-phone is built around an aluminum frame, but the body finish depends on which color option is chosen – Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and rear for the 188.5-g (6.65-oz) black and light blue models, and Victus to the front and vegan leather on the back for the 184.5-g (6.5-oz) magenta handset.
The Razr Plus (known as the Razr 40 Ultra internationally) is due to go up for pre-order from June 16 at US$999.99.
If you're not drawn in by the big cover screen, a standard Razr model (Razr 40 outside the US) will follow in the coming months. This flip-phone sports a 1.5-inch bump that's home to a notification window and dual-camera array with a 64-MP main and 13-MP ultra-wide. The Snapdragon mobile platform is not the latest and greatest, but the battery gets a slight bump. Motorola hasn't priced this one yet.
Product page: Motorola Razr Plus
