Motorola made a big splash when it officially unveiled the foldable Razr, a smartphone that apes the classic Moto device from the early 2000s but adds a folding plastic screen in its flip design.
We went hands-on with the phone and are cautiously optimistic that it can deliver as an everyday device, unlike the compromises brought to light when we used the Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X.
But Motorola has said it is delaying the pre-order and launch of the Razr due to unexpectedly high demand. In the US, the $1,500 phone was due to go on pre-order on 26 December, with shipping set for January. Now, there is no confirmed date for either event.
A Motorola statement reads:
“Since its announcement in November, the new Motorola razr has received unparalleled excitement and interest from consumers. Demand has been high, and as a result, has quickly outgrown supply predictions.
“Motorola has decided to adjust razr’s presale and launch timing to better meet consumer demand. We are working to determine the appropriate quantity and schedule to ensure that more consumers have access to razr at launch.
“We do not anticipate a significant shift from our original availability timeline.”
It is a little odd that Motorola would delay the launch simply to fulfil the initial demand. We’d have thought it would ship the phones to those who ordered first, but it seems the company does not want to immediately sell out, and would rather please everyone who tries to buy a Razr on day one.
The phone has a 6.2in tall display inside a flip phone design not seen for years on touchscreen smartphones. Rather than the keypad of a traditional flip phone, the inside is all screen and folds in the middle.
The foldable category of phones is expanding rapidly, and we expect many more devices in 2020. The Razr is notable for its nostalgia factor and for beating other major players to market; Motorola is owned by Lenovo, a company already experimenting with foldable displays.
Author: Henry Burrell, Phones Editor
Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.