Motorola RAZR Might Return In A Different Way

The RAZR is arguably Motorola's most iconic phone, even if, in terms of functionality, it didn't exactly stand out from other mobile phones back then. Instead, it was revolutionary in its design, both in its overall appearance as well as its loyalty to the dying flip phone form factor. Given that it seems fashionable to revive iconic phones these days, there is a chance, however slim, that the RAZR phone will get its own comeback. But it might not be in the form that you'd expect.

Unless you're living in Korea or China, the clamshell, a.k.a. flip phone, form factor is dead. Then again, so was the Nokia 3310, until HMD Global decided to give it a modern spin with much success. At MWC 2018 this week, it followed that up with the 8110 "banana phone" popular for making an appearance in the first Matrix film.

So who's to stop Motorola from riding on that wave of nostalgia? In fact, Lenovo, now owners of the brand, last year hinted at the possibility of the RAZR's return to market. CEO Yang Yuanqing never went so far as to confirm it. According to TechRadar, he did drop hints that there might be more.

Specifically, the Motorola RAZR of 2018, or 2019, might be one of the first examples of a foldable phone, when such phones arrive. It may not look like the dream foldable tablet/phone that many imagine when they hear those words, but it does come close to one of Samsung's patents, so it might not exactly look too alien.

That said, Lenovo/Motorola will face a bigger design and engineering problem. The RAZR phone was famous for its ultra slim design. A foldable display that folds completely flat like that is virtually non-existent, making this incarnation of the Motorola RAZR less likely.