Between the release of Samsung's Galaxy Fold and the fresh batch of leaked images for the foldable Moto Razr, could we be looking at the return of flip phones? Both feature a foldable display, something luminaries in the gadget space consider a potential mass-market innovation for the future.
The Samsung Galaxy Fold was revealed in February of this year, and it was set to release in July. The units tech reviewers got, however, were plagued with a significantly high rate of failure, particularly thanks to the foldable display. That same foldable display that gave the Galaxy Fold its namesake broke for a lot of reviewers, so they pushed the launch back to September. The device is out in the wild now, so there's a chance you may actually see it in use on mass transit or, heck, in your own hands. But it might not be the only foldable phone on the market in the near future.
Two sets of leaks reveal a potential reboot of the Moto Razr, something that's supposedly set to go down on November 13th, 2019. Even more interesting? That reboot, the leaked images reveal, might just be foldable. The leaks come from routine industry leaker Evan Blass and Mobielkopen, a Dutch mobile news site. In the leaks, the device from Moto looks just like the Razr of yore. When it opens up, however, it's revealed that the interior of the flip phone is made up of one large, seemingly beautiful, flexible display.
If those leaked images weren't enough, Mobielkopen reported some of the specs, too. The new Razr, according to the site, will feature 4-to-6GB of RAM, 64-to-128GB of storage, a Snapdragon 710 processor, and a 2,730 mAh battery. Those specs, while they would have seemed ripped from a sci-fi flick back in 2002, aren't exactly banner when compared to other flagship devices from competitors. That's especially true given that a separate rumor indicates the Moto Razr will sell for $1,500.
Are we looking at the potential return of the flip phone here? Things were admittedly a bit better for pockets and bags back in the early 2000s when phones could snap shut and take up three or four inches of space. Screens were magically protected by the phones themselves, and that meant cases were reserved for dads who just loved having their phones clipped to their hips, ready to answer in an instant. Of course, those flip phones also featured hinges that didn't sit behind a foldable display. Is technology truly to the point where we can bust out our fresh Razrs and open and shut them 'til our collective heart's content? Only time will tell.
For now, maybe dust off your flippable favorite for old time's sake. You probably have Snake on it.
Sources: Evan Blass, Mobielkopen