A flipping great slice of nostalgia
BASIL KRONFLI EXAMINES ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC (AND EXPENSIVE) MOBILE PHONE COMEBACKS EVER
REMEMBER life before iPhones? Then it’s more than likely the Motorola’s Razr V3, which debuted back in 2004, is permanently etched on to your brain for being one of the most iconic mobiles of our time. Having starred alongside Carrie Bradshaw in Sex And The City, and been flipped open by the likes of David Beckham and Paris Hilton, this was the phone to own. Selling 130 million units, it’s still one of the best-selling flip phones of all time.
The original Razr may have looked like a slice of the future with its two screens and Tron-esque backlit keypad but it wasn’t actually a smartphone, it was a dumb phone – so no internet smarts – and that was its fatal flaw. Nokia began popularising smartphones in the early Noughties, and by 2008 the iPhone 3G changed everything – so Motorola’s flipping days were over. Or so we thought. Fifteen years on, we have a new Razr. Just like the original it’s 14mm thin when closed and has two displays, one outside and one within. This time, though, it doesn’t just flip open, its flexible screen unfolds, opening up to reveal a 6.2in touchscreen, similar to an iPhone 11.
When closed, this dinky, squat clamshell feels seriously solid. The front display lights up with notifications, flashes up the time or can handily double up as a viewfinder when snapping selfies. You won’t want to keep it closed for long, though. Motorola’s genius stainless steel hinged folding mechanism feels fantastically satisfying and secure on first impression,
Paris Hilton with. a Motorola Razr V3. transforming the foldable into a fully featured Android smartphone.
Motorola’s included a two-year warranty too. Pretty smart given the fact Samsung’s Galaxy Fold garnered terrible press for foldables after being deemed fragile when it launched.
Unlike its dimensions, its price is far from pocket-friendly, with the new Razr set to cost €1,599 (UK price to be confirmed) when it launches in January 2020. While that’s less than the £1,900 Samsung Galaxy Fold, the Razr is significantly less specced-out, with mid-range power, smaller displays and humbler camera specs. Still, with the nostalgia, innovation and practicality it looks set to offer, we can’t help but be impressed and excited for the future of foldable smartphones.
If you fancy reliving that satisfying snap when flipped closed all over again, you can pre-order the new Razr from December 26 on EE.