Motorola Razr V4: what we want to see

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The Motorola Razr range was iconic in the days before smartphones and it could soon be a big deal once again, as a new entry - which might be called the Motorola Razr V4 – is heavily rumored.

But unlike the old models this is unlikely to be a feature phone, rather, the Razr V4 is tipped to be a full-fledged smartphone, and more than that, it will probably fold. However, it might also cost an awful lot of money, so you might want to get saving.

In the meantime, here's everything we've heard about the Motorola Razr 2019 so far, along with a wish list of what we want from it.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? A foldable reboot of the Razr range
• When is it out? Possibly February
• What will it cost? Maybe around $1,500 (roughly £1,170, AU$2,010)

Motorola Razr V4 release date and price

The Motorola Razr V4 could be available as soon as February. At least, that’s what a report in The Wall Street Journal says, adding that the phone is still in testing (as of mid-January) and the release timing isn’t final yet and could change.

Still, if it does arrive in February then MWC 2019, which kicks of on February 25, might be when we’ll see it, as lots of phones are likely to be announced there.

As for what it will cost, the same report says to expect a starting price of roughly $1,500 (around £1,170, AU$2,010). That would make it far more expensive than most phones, but that’s not surprising given that it’s rumored to have a foldable screen.

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Expect the new Motorola Razr to be a lot more modern (and a lot more expensive)

It also sounds like Motorola and parent company Lenovo aren't expecting the Razr 2019 to be a mainstream device, with the report also saying that only around 200,000 units are likely to be made, and that in the US it's a Verizon exclusive. 

It's not clear whether or not the phone will be sold outside the US.

Motorola Razr V4 news and rumors

The main thing we've heard about the Motorola Razr V4 is that it will have a foldable screen. The first hint of that came from Lenovo’s CEO Yang Yuanqing, who, during MWC 2018, said: "With the new technology, particularly foldable screens, I think you will see more and more innovation on our smartphone design.

"So hopefully what you just described [the Motorola Razr brand] will be developed or realized very soon."

Much more recently, a report suggested that the Motorola Razr V4 would be high-end and have a foldable screen.

We've also seen patents pointing to a foldable screen. You can see images from the older patent above and the newer one below, but they both point to a clamshell design with a foldable display. 

However, while the older one shows a large hinge and seemingly a gap between the two display halves, the other, newer patent (found by 91mobiles) shows a truly foldable display.

There's still a hinge, but this isn’t as visible when looking at the screen. This one also appears to have a smaller secondary display on the back of the phone. That makes some sense, as otherwise you wouldn’t be able to see a screen unless the phone was fully unfolded. The newer patent also shows a notch at the top of the screen.

The back also contains what looks to be a single-lens camera above the smaller display, and a fingerprint scanner on the lower section.

There's no guarantee that either of these patents show an accurate picture of the Motorola Razr V4, but we'd expect a clamshell design, since that's what the original Razr range had.

What we want to see

Rumors about the Motorola Razr V4 are starting to roll in but we don’t know much yet, so we’ve come up with a list of what we hope it offers.

1. A great design

One of the reasons the Motorola Razr range was so popular was because of its slim, stylish design. Of course, the old models like the Motorola Razr V3, are dated now, but we’d like to see the spirit of the design carried on for the Razr V4, but in a more modern form. We want a slim, futuristic handset.

The good news is that if the screen really does fold then it should at least be futuristic, though it might not be all that slim when folded shut.

2. Genuinely useful flexibility

There’s a worry that early foldable screens could be little more than a gimmick, but we hope that’s not the case with the Motorola Razr V4. Hopefully, the company will find a way to make it feel genuinely useful.

If Motorola successfully makes a screen that can change from phone to tablet size without feeling awkward then that would be a good start.

3. Flagship specs

Any foldable phone is inevitably going to be expensive and rumors specifically suggest that the Razr 2019 will be pricey.

So we really want to get our money’s worth, by not just getting a foldable screen but also specs that can compete with the best of 2019’s upcoming flagships, like the Samsung Galaxy S10 and iPhone 11.

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We want the Razr V4 to be able to compete with the latest flagships

4. A long-lasting battery

We want all of our phones to have decent battery life, but this is of particular concern with foldable phones, as the larger screens could be a big drain.

So hopefully there will be an appropriately large battery in the Motorola Razr V4 to keep it going through the day and beyond.

5. A palatable price

Early rumors suggest this will be one very expensive phone, and we’d expect it to be too, since foldable screens are a new, likely pricey feature. However, for these devices to have remotely mainstream appeal the cost is going to need to be pushed down.

That probably won’t happen until the second or third generation of foldable devices, but it would be a nice surprise if Motorola (which is known in part for offering great value handsets) manages to make an affordable one on the first attempt.

6. Near stock Android with foldable features

One thing we love about most current Moto phones is that they use a version of Android that’s had little done to it, ensuring the software is polished, easily approachable and typically quick to get updated.

We hope the same is true for the Motorola Razr V4. Or at least, for the most part. What we would like to see though are some software features that help you get the most out of the foldable screen. We’re not sure what those would be, but hopefully that’s something Motorola has given some thought to.

7. A sharp, durable screen

Being foldable is one thing, but we don’t want that to be the only thing the Razr V4’s screen has going for it. We’d also like it to be a sharp, high-quality panel. And for it to be durable, because it’s going to need to be if it’s constantly being folded.

• Samsung is also working on a foldable phone

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