Motorola’s Iconic RAZR Is Coming Back with a Foldable Display

Motorola Razr V3 Credit: Vatgia
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While a number of iconic mobile devices pre-date Apple’s original iPhone (2007), arguably the coolest, most sought-after and universally-adored among them was Motorola’s original super-thin RAZR phone.

Launched as the original RAZR V3 back in July 2004, the handset (beloved for its fashionable, ultra-sleek design and razor-thin form-factor) quickly went on to amass a cult-following of users, selling over 130 million units globally within in its first year.

But while the RAZR V3 was effectively killed-off because of the insurgent rise in popularity of Apple’s iPhone, Motorola’s RAZR lineup lived on in various forms over the years, most recently as Droid RAZR “comeback devices” — though these Android-powered flagships hardly embody the firm’s original, uber-popular flip phone form-factor.

Interestingly, a new report published by The Wall Street Journal this week notes that Motorola Mobility’s current owner, Lenovo, is gearing up to produce “a [very expensive] revived version” of the original RAZR featuring a foldable display (a la Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy F.)

“The Motorola Razr phone is making a comeback. The once-popular flip phone is being revived as a smartphone with a foldable screen and a starting price of roughly $1,500,” the publication reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.

According to those sources, the decidedly high-end smartphone is expected to retail for ~$1,500, and will be a limited-production run of [~200k units, at least to start]. And while availability is still unknown for major international markets, WSJ reports the handset will be available at launch through Verizon Wireless in the U.S., thanks to an exclusivity agreement reportedly inked by Lenovo and Big Red.

New RAZR Release Date

Currently, the device is undergoing testing — and while official launch timing is always subject to change, sources converged around an expected February 2019 “limited launch”.

A Foldable Revolution 

While this is the first we’re hearing of a Motorola RAZR-themed “comeback device” — let alone, one featuring an advanced foldable display — it’s worth pointing out that in 2019 we’re expecting to see a number of these seemingly futuristic foldable handsets launch courtesy of device-makers like Samsung and others. 

Apple, too, is expected to join in on the foldable device craze, producing a foldable iPhone perhaps within the next few years.

Also worth pointing out, is that while we’ve seen a foldable smartphone concept from Lenovo in the wild, already, it’s nothing worthy of the company’s “RAZR” branding.. And so it’ll be interesting, from that vantage point, to see what Lenovo ultimately comes up with.

But if the device is going to cost ~$1,500 — far surpassing the MSRP of almost every smartphone available today, they’d better hope it invokes some serious nostalgia among [deep-pocketed] RAZR fans.

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