Motorola is preparing to release its third foldable phone. In case you missed the news, fret not. You're not the only one. Foldable phone fans are eagerly waiting for Samsung to reveal the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 next week. All the attention is focused on the Korean tech giant and the next Unpacked event scheduled for August 10. Meanwhile, amid all this hype, Motorola decided to try and steal Samsung's thunder with its own foldable phone, the Razr 2022.
We find the idea of Motorola trying to steal Samsung's foldable phone customers a bit silly, but the OEM is apparently hell-bent on taking a loss.
Motorola initially planned for the Razr 2022 foldable phone to be unveiled on August 2, which was a little too close to the Galaxy Z Flip 4's unveiling. Motorola canceled its August 2 event and later confirmed that the Razr 2022 will be announced on August 11 — one day after the Galaxy Z Flip 4 goes live at Unpacked. And this, we believe, puts the OEM into an even more unfavorable position.
Motorola's mistaking courage for madness
Call it bravery on Motorola's part, if you want, but sacrificing the Razr line to obscurity in the shadow of the vastly superior Galaxy Z Flip 4 isn't what we'd call a win. It may seem like Motorola is going after Samsung and attacking the Galaxy Z Flip line, but the reality is different.
Motorola's Razr line has a strong history, but as proven by the previous two foldable Motorola phones, the Razr brand alone is not nearly enough to topple over Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip line. The first two Razr devices failed to threaten the Galaxy Z Flip series in any meaningful way, yet Motorola — out of nowhere — seems confident enough that it can steal some of Samsung's thunder right after Unpacked 2022.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip lineup is not only the most popular foldable series in the world, by far, but it's also the defining element in Samsung's portfolio. More than 50% of all foldable phones sold to date — made by Samsung or other brands — are Z Flip 3s.
Even if the upcoming Razr 2022 is technically superior to the Z Flip 4 (which it isn't), it would still have a tough hill to climb. With more than 50% market share through a single phone, Samsung is quite literally the face of foldable devices, whereas Motorola's Razr line simply hasn't done enough to openly challenge the Korean OEM in its own backyard.
At this point, Motorola would probably be better off releasing new Razr phones as far away from the Galaxy Z Flip line as possible. But regardless of what we believe, the Razr 2022 will try to make a difference on August 11. Do you think it stands a chance?
