Motorola Unveils Three New RAZR Flip Phones
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Motorola has officially announced three new RAZR phones, expanding their lineup to include a new premium option while maintaining competitive pricing on their existing models. Tech News Weekly guest host, Abrar Al-Heeti of CNET, had on her colleague, Mike Sorrentino, who shared his hands-on impression with the new phones, and highlighted the fashion-forward approach Motorola is taking with their latest foldable offerings.
The newly expanded RAZR family now follows a "good, better, best" approach similar to Samsung's Galaxy strategy. The standard RAZR remains at $700, the RAZR Plus continues at $1,000, while the new RAZR Ultra debuts at $1,300, making it the most expensive model in the current lineup.
"Motorola appears to be taking on a similar role as what Samsung has done with the Galaxy line creating a base, a better and best if you want to throw them all the money possible," Sorrentino explained during the interview.
The flagship RAZR Ultra boasts impressive specifications, including a 7-inch main display when unfolded and a 4-inch cover screen similar to last year's RAZR Plus. What truly sets the Ultra apart, however, is Motorola's focus on premium materials and fashion-forward design choices.
The standout feature of the RAZR Ultra is its material options, which include a wood variant called "Pantone Mountain Trail" and Sorrentino's favorite—"Pantone Scarab," which features dark Alcantara fabric with vegan leather and decorative stitching. This approach harkens back to the original RAZR's status as a fashion statement in the early 2000s, famously photographed in the hands of celebrities like Paris Hilton.
On the camera front, the RAZR Ultra distinguishes itself as "the first flip phone with a triple 50 megapixel camera system," according to Sorrentino. This includes a main camera, wide-angle, and ultra-wide all at 50MP, plus a 50MP selfie camera inside. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and offers generous 16GB of RAM with storage options of 512GB or 1TB.
While the specifications are impressive, Motorola's software support remains more limited than competitors, offering three years of major updates and four years of security patches—less than the seven years now promised by Google and Samsung for their premium devices.
All three RAZR models feature a new titanium hinge that Motorola claims will withstand 35% more folds than previous versions, addressing durability concerns that have plagued foldable devices. When unfolded, the phones feel substantial, with Sorrentino noting they essentially become two-handed devices due to their size.
Motorola is taking an interesting approach to AI features, partnering with multiple providers rather than relying solely on proprietary technology. The phones feature Moto AI that integrates with Perplexity, Meta's Llama, Microsoft Co-Pilot, and Google Gemini depending on the task. One highlighted feature generates music playlists based on what's displayed on screen or in photos.
"It's interesting to see this approach of, instead of leaning entirely on the company itself, that it's like let's see what [works best]," Sorrentino observed about Motorola's AI strategy.
Despite the technological advances and fashion credentials, foldable phones still face barriers to mainstream adoption. Sorrentino believes price remains the primary obstacle, noting that until we see options in the $500 range, flip phones will likely remain more of a luxury item than an everyday choice for most consumers.
For those interested in exploring the foldable form factor without the premium price tag, the standard RAZR at $700 provides an entry point that's significantly less expensive than most competitors, though still not in the "mainstream" price range that Sorrentino identifies as $500 or lower.
As companies continue their annual refresh cycles for foldable devices, questions remain about whether this category will ever break through to mass-market adoption or remain a niche for tech enthusiasts and fashion-conscious consumers. The answer may depend on whether companies like Apple eventually enter the foldable market and whether prices eventually decrease to more accessible levels.
For now, Motorola's expanded RAZR lineup represents one of the most comprehensive sets of options in the flip phone market, with something for various budgets and preferences, provided you're willing to pay the premium that foldable technology still commands.
