Motorola’s New RAZR Looks A Lot Like The Old One

Damien McFerran 22/01/2019 – 8:40am

A classic, revisited

We recently reported on a rumour which hinted that Motorola (well, Lenovo) is about to resurrect what has to rank as its most famous phone, and one of the most iconic phones of all time – the RAZR V3. Now, thanks to a registration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation, we have more evidence that this mythical handset is about to become a solid reality.

The registration – spotted by those eagle-eyed peeps at 91mobiles – shows a device which looks a close match to the original RAZR V3 which became so popular 15 years ago. It has the same 'chin' at the bottom, and the same general layout in terms of key features.

The key difference is that the internal screen now covers the whole of the inside as there's no keypad, and the phone looks wider, as well. There's still a second display on the outside, however, allowing you to see call and notification information without having to open the device. The camera is also located on the outside flap, next to the external screen.

There's no mention of the RAZR name in relation to this registration, but that's not a deal-breaker – these applications often use codenames instead of final production names. According to the Wall Street Journal, this new phone is likely to cost as much as $1,500, which – alongside claims that Samsung's much-anticipated folding phone will be equally expensive – suggests that this is premium tech we're dealing with here.

The RAZR V3’s co-designer Paul Pierce told CNET last month (as spotted by The Verge) that a revival of the famous ultra-thin blower was possible, but “it can’t be done just for a gimmick or something of that nature. We’ve got to figure out how to deliver a breakthrough.” That is, of course, the arrival of folding screens.

Pierce continued: "I think people are kind of yearning for and remembering back to that Razr — when it flipped open, and the sound of that, the feel of that. Where is that today? And it seems like an opportunity. So we’re trying to understand what we can do to revive some of that but it’s got to be done in a way that fundamentally delivers an incredible experience.”

Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and we're sure many will love the idea of having a folding phone again. However, in terms of ergonomics and usability, we're not sure folding phones really are the future; it's more likely that they will prove to be a costly gimmick that will entertain us in 2019, but may be quickly forgotten.

Image credit: Motorola Mobility LLC