Motorola’s new $699 foldable phone made me a little less excited about Samsung Unpacked

The smartphone release schedule usually looks like this: New Android flagships It will be out at the beginning of the year, so mid range phones in spring, followed by folding in the summer, and the iPhone in the fall. Right now, we’re in stage three, and Motorola kicks off today by announcing two new foldable phones, the 2024 Razr and Razr Plus.

Also: What to expect from Samsung Unpacked Summer 2024: Galaxy Z Fold 6, Watch 7, Smart Ring and more

The two phones look similar to last year’s models, and the Razr and Razr Plus are also priced the same at $699 and $999, respectively, but three notable differences make them even more worthy of your consideration in 2024.

View on Motorola

1. Large external screens on both models

Perhaps the most logical (and unsurprising) upgrade to this year’s Razr models are the larger external displays, with the standard Razr going from a 1.5-inch OLED to 3.6 inches, while the Razr Plus goes from a 3.6-inch to 4-inch OLED.

Both were bright enough to glide through in the afternoon sun in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and the smoothness of the Razr Plus’ 165Hz panel was particularly pleasing. I wonder how the high-refresh-rate display will affect the phones’ batteries, which are rated at 4,000mAh (Plus) and 4,200mAh (standard).

Also: Analysis of the Motorola Razr Plus (2023): the best folding phone of the moment

The Plus model’s smaller battery may be due to the larger 4-inch screen, giving it the title of having the largest external screen of any foldable phone, surpassing the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5′s (and possibly the Z Flip 6’s 3.4-inch panel). Does 0.4 inches make a difference in user experience? Not significantly, but possibly enough to motivate me to use the outside screen more often.

2. I’m cautiously optimistic about Moto AI

It can’t be a 2024 phone without AI features. Both Motorola Razr models come with the Google Gemini app pre-installed, which can be accessed by long-pressing the power button. Considering how handy the shortcut was when I tried the Pixel 8a Just a month ago, I hope this similar integration continues to help expand my use of mobile AI tools.

Also: Google introduces great artificial intelligence features coming to Android phones. This is what to expect

However, the AI ​​features of the more expensive and more capable Razr Plus model go beyond what Google has to offer, and Motorola will roll out new Moto AI capabilities in the coming months, including voice prompts like “Catch me ” to summarize the notifications. Pay Attention” to start a voice recording with transcripts and summaries, and “Remember This” to capture what’s on the screen and save it for future reference.

This last feature is similar to Microsoft withdrawal, which takes screenshots every few seconds so the system can extract any textual or visual information it wants in the future. However, with Microsoft delaying the recall privacy and security issues, the same concerns could affect Motorola’s “Remember This.” When asked how it keeps user information secure, the company says the Razr Plus will only store what appears on the screen when the user requests it, and all information is stored on the device. We’ll have to see the feature for ourselves when it launches later this fall.

3. Textured backrest is here to stay

Motorola seems to have redoubled its efforts when it comes to textured back covers, and I don’t mind. In addition to the bold new colors that the Razr phones come in, including a “hot pink” for the Plus model that’s reminiscent of the old Motorola Razr V3, they’re designed with a grippy vegan leather (or suede) material. Coupled with the phone’s contoured edges, you wouldn’t expect these devices to slip out of your hand or pocket.

Also: Heineken just announced its own foldable phone and it oozes nostalgia

If they do, both models now feature Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and a 30% smaller hinge design that the company claims improves dust protection (from last year’s IP54 to this year’s IPX8), reduces wrinkles and makes devices more comfortable to use.

The Razr and Razr Plus 2024 will be available for pre-order starting July 10 and will officially hit stores on July 24.

Some things…

• Both models come with a base storage of 256 GB and configurable RAM (8 GB or 12 GB).
• The Razr Plus features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (hence the Moto AI exclusivity), while the Razr has a MediaTek Dimensity 7300X processor.
• New AI-powered camera features include a photo enhancement engine that automatically optimizes details, clarity, highlights, shadows, bokeh effects, and more.
• The Razr Plus no longer has an ultrawide camera. Instead, it has a 50MP main lens and a 50MP telephoto lens, the latter of which Motorola says is more popular with Razr users.
• On the other hand, the Razr does It has an ultrawide camera, although it’s only a 13MP sensor.
• Both phones support 15W wireless charging.
• Motorola promises three operating system updates and four years of security updates.
• The external display will now show an always-on graphic when the phones are folded at an angle.
• Motorola won’t include a charging brick in the box, just a USB-C to USB-C cable.