Motorola is launching a new version of its iconic Razr smartphone.
The Lenovo-owned company has released two versions of the folding device already: one in 2019, and a more modern version in 2020.
Lenovo executive Chen Jin revealed Motorola’s intentions by posting on Weibo, with the post suggesting that the device will have a better processor, an improved interface, and a new appearance.
Translations of the post also suggest that the device could be released in China first, which would see it compete with Huawei’s upcoming foldable, the P50 Pocket. That device will cost over $1,000.
Foldable devices are likely to be the future of Android devices; Samsung has released three generations of its Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold phones and is currently the leader in the market. Google is also expected to release a foldable device soon, codenamed “Passport”, but details about that upcoming phone are scarce.
Foldable devices also need to have a real use case. Neither of Samsung’s devices give a good enough reason to use ahead of conventional phones due to the difficulty in making apps conform to the form factor. Since users do not yet know what they want foldable phones to do, it is up to manufacturers to make that case.
The smartphone market is expected to grow to 1.35 billion shipments next year, according to IDC, but has been hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The semiconductor shortage seems to affect all brands in the ecosystems. Samsung, Oppo, Xiaomi have all been affected and we are lowering our forecasts. But Apple seems to be the most resilient and least affected by the AP shortage situation,” Tom Kang, research director at Counterpoint Research, said.
