We sometimes forget it, but among the pioneers of foldable smartphones, there is the Motorola brand. Indeed, it launched its first model, the Razr, in 2019 (a foldable clamshell smartphone). Then, in 2020, it launched a 5G version.
And although the success of these first two models has been mixed, Motorola is preparing to launch a new model. At the end of December, on the Chinese social network Weibo, an official from Lenovo (which uses the Motorola brand for smartphones) had mentioned the development of this third folding smartphone, which could be called Motorola Razr 3.
And after this post, spotted by Android Authority, rumors started circulating about the device. According to these, the Motorola Razr 3 should position itself as a real high-end device, capable of competing with the future folding smartphones that Samsung will launch in 2022.
In a recently published article, the XDA site cites several sources who allegedly indicated that Motorola’s third folding smartphone will use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. This information is important because on its previous models, Motorola had used mid-range smartphone chips. range: the Snapdragon 765G and the Snapdragon 710. But apparently, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, the Motorola Razr 3 will have the same level of performance as the best Android smartphones of 2022.
XDA also says the device should ship with Android 12 and there will be options with 6, 8, and 12 GB for RAM, and 128, 256, and 521 GB for internal storage. NFC will be part of it and Motorola would also offer a variant with UWB or ultra wideband technology.
The foldable screen would have a diagonal of 6.7 inches and on the back there would be a main 50-megapixel photo sensor, as well as a 13-megapixel ultra wide-angle. On the front, the front sensor would be 13 megapixels.
Should Samsung be worried?
Motorola would consider offering this smartphone in China, the USA, but also in Europe. But unfortunately, XDA did not get any info regarding the price.
Yet this is one of the most important data. Indeed, if sales of folding smartphones from Samsung finally took off in 2021, it is partly because the Korean giant has decided to see its prices drop. According to Samsung, compared to 2020, its shipments have increased fourfold.
In any case, if Motorola offers good value for money, the future Motorola Razr 3 could be the main competitor of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 or its successor.
Today, competition is increasingly fierce in the folding smartphone market, with the presence of other manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Oppo and Honor. And rumors suggest that Google is still preparing the launch of a folding smartphone called “Pixel Fold”.