I'm Putting Motorola Above Samsung When It Comes To Flip Phones - And Won't Think Twice

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Motorola owns 50% of nan foldable marketplace successful nan US.
  
• Motorola's flip foldables are stylish and disposable astatine debased prices.
• The FIFA sponsorship is simply a game-changer.

Motorola is poised to motorboat its latest information of foldables, which is simply a bully clip to bespeak connected what nan marque has accomplished frankincense far. According to IDC research, arsenic reported by 9to5Google, Motorola owns astir 50% of nan US foldables marketplace now, arsenic good arsenic a ample stock of overseas foldable markets.

Its main rivals (at slightest present successful nan US) are Samsung and Google. Samsung has been doing this a agelong time, and has some a flip and a book-style foldable successful its portfolio (along pinch a short-lived trifold). Meanwhile, Google has only built book-style foldables frankincense far.

Also: Motorola Moto G (2026) review: Why I'd prime this $200 telephone complete competing models

It takes a batch to fend disconnected reliable competitors for illustration 2 of nan largest companies successful nan world. When it comes to marketplace dominance, Motorola stands connected 3 pillars -- price, software, and fashion.

1. Price

Motorola has a flip for conscionable astir each budget, from $399, each nan measurement up to $1,399 (though that peculiar exemplary is presently connected waste for a ridiculous $799). First and foremost, that is not a typo. Motorola is presently trading nan 2024 type of nan Moto Razr for adjacent to $400. 

Being capable to plop down $400 for a afloat functional foldable telephone for little than nan value of a Pixel 10a, aliases a Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, is almost ludicrous, and should show you astir of nan communicative astir why Motorola is doing truthful good successful this market. 

Price isn't nan full story, but it's a large portion of it.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Looking astatine Motorola's closest competitor, Samsung sells its cheapest foldable -- nan Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE -- for $899. In different words, you tin bargain 2 Moto Razr 2024 foldables, and a bully meal astatine a concatenation edifice for a family of four, for nan value of Samsung's cheapest foldable.

2. Software

Motorola besides does a batch of smart things pinch software. Motorola has agelong been 1 of nan champion Android builds retired there, pinch innovations for illustration gestures for nan camera and flashlight, and notifications connected nan always-on show (AOD). Add to that Motorola's smart package choices connected flip foldables, and that's a magic combination.

Also: Samsung is ending Messages successful July: 5 replacements I'd move to now

Motorola's attack to nan screen surface is fantastic. 

First of all, you tin usage immoderate app you want connected it. Some of them will activity well; others will not, and it's up to you to determine what you like. Samsung's attack is much of a curated, "these are nan apps you tin use" look (though that seems to beryllium letting up a bit). Motorola has besides built a number of panels for nan screen screen, pinch really useful apps and widgets designed for it. 

Finally, Motorola has collaborated pinch developer GameSnacks successful nan past to adhd a suite of mini games to nan screen screen. They're nosy small clip wasters for illustration Stack Bounce and Free Kick Football.

3. Fashion

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

There's besides nan manner facet of nan Razr family. Even nan lowest-tier Razr launched successful nosy colors and styles, really leaning into nan technology's manner alternatively than its earthy numbers and specifications. The Razr is conscionable a nosy telephone to own, pinch a singular array of styles available, moreover for its debased value point. 

Also: I wore nan $150 Moto Watch for weeks, and it's my caller pouch prime for Android fans

Motorola has besides gone retired of its measurement to create fashion-forward accessories for Razr phones.

Let's not discount nan entreaty of FIFA-edition Razr phones either, successful nan twelvemonth of nan World Cup. FIFA is 1 of nan astir celebrated sporting events connected nan satellite -- this is an incredibly smart partnership, mostly connected Motorola's part. This benignant of activation will put nan Razr squarely successful nan sights of nan world's sports fans.