Less than a day after the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 launch, Motorola has joined the clamshell foldable phone party by launching its equivalent: the Moto Razr 2022.
By ‘clamshell’ we mean a full-body phone that can be folded in half to be easily pocketable, something previous Z Flip and Razrs have done, but these two new entries to the popular folding phone form factor are even more similar than before.
The Razr 2022 just launched at a China-only event, alongside two premium Android phones from the company – the folding mobile was the main attraction, of course. We’re hoping the Razr 2022 will launch in other regions before too long, as it seems likely that Motorola would roll its biggest phone of the year out to other countries, but we don’t know for sure.
Like the Samsung, the Moto has a powerful Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, and a similar 6.7-inch screen with a punch-hole camera cut-out (though in the Razr this screen has a higher refresh rate at 144Hz).
The refresh rate isn’t the only way in which the Motorola Razr is better: it has a bigger outer screen (for when the device is closed) at 2.7 inches, a higher-res main camera at 50MP (joined by a 13MP ultra-wide snapper), a higher-res selfie camera at 32MP, and – in our humble opinion at least – a more attractive design.
The phone has the same software as the Flip, with Android 12, though it has Motorola’s own MyUI laid over the top instead of Samsung’s One UI (though it’s possible that if it does debut outside China, it could come with stock Android).
Chinese pricing for the Moto Razr 2022 was provided, and it seemingly undercuts the Flip’s $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,499 asking price – however conversions from Chinese prices can often be very rough, with phones seeming cheaper there than they are elsewhere, so take that with a big grain of salt for now.
Analysis: Moto taking foldables seriously
Motorola’s previous Razr foldables have felt, for lack of a better word, ‘rusty’.
They’ve had flimsier builds than their Flip counterparts, making the process of folding and unfolding them a rather nerve-wracking one.
Plus, their specs have typically been relatively weak compared to the high price you’re paying for these phones – the Razr 2020 had a mid-range chipset, for example, as well as a really chunky chin.
It seems like everything is changing now, though, with the Razr 2020. It has a premium chipset, a more refined design, improved rear cameras and a nice big outer screen. Finally, Moto has made a polished foldable.
How the device fares against the Flip, though, will come down to one key point: the price. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 isn’t cheap by any means, but it’s cheaper than previous Razrs have been, and than the Z Fold 4 is.
If Motorola wants any chance of competing with Samsung, it needs to give the Razr a really competitive price tag – by that we mean, the same as or less than the Flip. Otherwise, our list of the best foldable phones likely won’t see an upset this year.