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What’s happening
Motorola just announced the 2022 Motorola Razr, which has a larger screen than its predecessor and a dual camera.
Why it matters
Foldables only make up a small portion of the broader smartphone market, but shipments are growing.
The Motorola Razr is making another comeback. Motorola just announced a new version of its Razr foldable phone with a dual-lens main camera, a larger 6.7-inch screen and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor. The device will be available in China on Aug. 11, starting at 5,999 yuan, which converts to approximately $890, £730 and AU$1,255. It comes just after Samsung announced the $1,000 Galaxy Z Flip 4 and $1,800 Galaxy Z Fold 4.
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Motorola has not announced pricing or plans to bring the 2022 Razr to markets other than China. Among the biggest improvements is the 2022 Razr’s upgraded dual camera, which includes a 50-megapixel main sensor and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera, compared to the previous model’s 48-megapixel main camera. The addition of a dual camera should help the Razr catch up to Samsung in that regard, considering the Z Flip 4 has both wide and ultrawide camera lenses.
The 2022 Razr’s screen is also getting a bump in size to 6.7 inches compared to its predecessor’s 6.2-inch screen. That also makes it the same size as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4. The cover screen is the same size as the previous-generation Razr’s at 2.7 inches, which is considerably bigger than the Z Flip 4’s 1.9-inch external display. Motorola also says the Razr will have a new Flex View that enables the phone to stand on its own when folded — that’s another feature that could help it catch up to Samsung’s flip phone.
The 2022 Motorola Razr.
Motorola
Foldable phones account for just a sliver of the overall smartphone market, but shipments grew dramatically in 2021 compared to 2020. According to the International Data Corporation, 7.1 million foldables were shipped in 2021, marking a 264.3% increase from 2020.
Samsung currently leads the market for foldable phones with 74% of the market in the first quarter of 2022, according to Display Supply Chain Consultants. But the new Razr’s launch is another sign that companies are eager to challenge Samsung’s position. Aside from Motorola, companies like Google, TCL and Oppo are rumored to have new foldables in the works.
Google is developing a foldable Pixel, according to 9to5Google, although a report from The Elec suggests it’s been delayed. TCL developed a clamshell-style foldable meant to compete with the Z Flip and Razr, but ultimately scrapped that device. It has since shown new foldable concepts with rollable screens and 360-degree hinge designs. Oppo introduced its large-format Find N late last year, and it’s rumored to be working on a foldable flip phone, too.
The new Razr seems like a refreshed version of its predecessor, intended to address some of its shortcomings. Foldable phones are still relatively new, but the 2022 Razr and similar devices prove that manufacturers are continuing to refine their designs.
New Motorola Razr looks even slicker when you fold it in half
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