Wow, this is really neat use of foldable technology, which can actually be more useful to the users than a phone display which is already pretty big, expanding into mini tablet form factor.
I am willing to give the specs a pass, considering this a first gen. And they actually seems to nail the fold part which matters.
I think there's already information out their that they intend to use this design in their next foldable.
In other news, I will never buy a $1500 phone. But this looks so cool that I'll at least daydream about it. No disrespect to Samsung, but I have no desire for an even longer phone. I'd rather it be thicker and shorter.
What you're looking at is Samsung's tech. Their foldable screen tech has been stolen by the Chinese. Now that tech has reached Huawei, Moto's parent company, Lenovo and worse, it might reach Apple.
Do you think seriously sammy copy that design even before razr has been announced? It sounds like sammy has a time machine and use that for copying lul.
I posted many places, here too I suppose, the patent with a schematic just like the x-ray side view shown here. No, I can't remember the link for said patent. You'll just have to trust me.
I'm gonna fold on this one, too! Too pricey, too easily scratched, don't see the upside. As shocked as I am myself, the most appealing alternative form factor in the mobile space for me right now is the folding Surface model (mobile Android phone) Microsoft demoed a few weeks ago. It doesn't have a continuous screen when opened, but it's a lot of screen in a clamshell format. Hope Xiaomi and others are inspired by that enough to produce their own, affordable versions.
that is pretty sexy, then again is Motorola as of "late" they IMO lost much of their "appeal" not that large a battery, however it likely does not use all that much power, is light and seems to "maybe" have enough spec to back what it has in it (in regards to amount of memory / storage space)
they probably should have thought about the little things that make or would have made a worthwhile contender overall, not just in "check out our new flip phone, the best so far"
then slap on a well over $1000 price tag.
not use standard sim card, no expandable, no ear jack and so forth....probably would be great for folks only want a phone to be a phone...it is dang cool absolutely, but that price is NASTY high, especially given the specs of what it contains, hopefully it not another one of their phones they "claim" is X better (terms of durability / toughness) next thing you know all over the place in real world usage to meet up with the claims.
It is the thickness that matters. Most smart phones now are roughly 8 mm thick. When unfolded, this is only 6.9 mm thick. That means there is about 15% less volume available for a battery.
Before we knew how they folded the screen I drew a picture of what 8 thought they did and it was spot on. It was the only way they could have done it. I also thought of this phone a couple of years ago when they first started talking about coming phones, not to Brad but ask all my friends they thought I was crazy. Anyways could you send me one please, I am stuck with a contract phone from T-Mobile. Thanks so much.
That's optimistically a $500 phone. Although the hinge design is interesting, I would be paranoid about screen damage and would probably just end up using the little front screen if it permits access to most apps and whatnot which means I'm better off with some boring, rectangular slab at a lower price.
When the first Razr came out in 2004 I bought it as soon as it appeared in shops. It was very expensive, 700-800 CHF (I am in Switzerland), but it was really something special and exciting. Quality was subpar. After a year I threw it away, it was falling apart and I had tape around it just to keep it together.
The new one? Unsure about quality, not particularly groundbreaking or exciting, and I would never pay laptop money for a foldable phone with midrange (at best) specs.
There's absolutely nothing about it except the folding screen. Notch, weird screen shape reducing usability, small battery, single (and no doubt subpar considering the thickness of the chassis where they put it, instead of in the chin) camera, no headphone jack.
Very cool. This is the first foldable design I've seen that I can picture owning. I'll check back in another five years once designs have been refined and prices better match the hardware.
It's really nice, but the battery is too small, it's way too expensive, and it's missing a few other essential features. Still, this is the design I want. This is a killer design. We can get back to reasonably sized devices.
Incredibly well made. Finally a flip-phone we could / maybe even should buy, but the price and internals are unacceptable.
This is a historical rip-off :(
What is the point to use SnapDragon 710 instead of 712 ?!??! Really ?! It is insulting!
I get it , not high-end due to thermals and physical limitations, but use outdated tech as well ?! In a 1.5K phone ?!?
Also, being so compact, what is the reason we can't have a "normal" 16:9 proportion of the unfolded screen ?!?!
And no 3.5" jack ?!?!? In a day when 99.8% of the wired headphones still use this type of connector ?! In a flip-phone you can't have this?!
It is incredible how Motorola is innovating both good technologies and ways of spitting in the face of its clients, while ripping them off, all in the same product.
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Teckk - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
Now this is the neatest of the FOLD devices so far! Still too many compromises for a phone that costs 1500$ but not a bad reboot.patel21 - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
Wow, this is really neat use of foldable technology, which can actually be more useful to the users than a phone display which is already pretty big, expanding into mini tablet form factor.I am willing to give the specs a pass, considering this a first gen. And they actually seems to nail the fold part which matters.
ingwe - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
This is a pretty neat idea and the tradeoffs in the implementation seem pretty reasonable.shabby - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
Watch samsung copy the design 😂BloodyBunnySlippers - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
I think there's already information out their that they intend to use this design in their next foldable.In other news, I will never buy a $1500 phone. But this looks so cool that I'll at least daydream about it. No disrespect to Samsung, but I have no desire for an even longer phone. I'd rather it be thicker and shorter.
prophet001 - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
Neat phone? Yes$1500? Nah I'm good.
id4andrei - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
What you're looking at is Samsung's tech. Their foldable screen tech has been stolen by the Chinese. Now that tech has reached Huawei, Moto's parent company, Lenovo and worse, it might reach Apple.s.yu - Sunday, November 17, 2019 - link
It'll probably be a while before Apple starts to consider BOE screens acceptable.mercucu1111 - Monday, November 18, 2019 - link
https://youtu.be/AZDl_SP-w9EDo you think seriously sammy copy that design even before razr has been announced? It sounds like sammy has a time machine and use that for copying lul.
wr3zzz - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
I wonder how much of the design is locked in patents. As I recall Moto had a protracted legal battle lost against the Koreans with StarTAC.FunBunny2 - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
I posted many places, here too I suppose, the patent with a schematic just like the x-ray side view shown here. No, I can't remember the link for said patent. You'll just have to trust me.eastcoast_pete - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
I'm gonna fold on this one, too! Too pricey, too easily scratched, don't see the upside. As shocked as I am myself, the most appealing alternative form factor in the mobile space for me right now is the folding Surface model (mobile Android phone) Microsoft demoed a few weeks ago. It doesn't have a continuous screen when opened, but it's a lot of screen in a clamshell format. Hope Xiaomi and others are inspired by that enough to produce their own, affordable versions.Dragonstongue - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
that is pretty sexy, then again is Motorola as of "late" they IMO lost much of their "appeal"not that large a battery, however it likely does not use all that much power, is light and seems to "maybe" have enough spec to back what it has in it (in regards to amount of memory / storage space)
they probably should have thought about the little things that make or would have made a worthwhile contender overall, not just in "check out our new flip phone, the best so far"
then slap on a well over $1000 price tag.
not use standard sim card, no expandable, no ear jack and so forth....probably would be great for folks only want a phone to be a phone...it is dang cool absolutely, but that price is NASTY high, especially given the specs of what it contains, hopefully it not another one of their phones they "claim" is X better (terms of durability / toughness) next thing you know all over the place in real world usage to meet up with the claims.
hence my opening statement ^.^
liquid_c - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
The price is way too high to be using such a... midrange? chipset.uibo - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
The author is implying that this does not have flagship components because of size. Is the package of a Snapdragon 710 really smaller than 855?dullard - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
It is the thickness that matters. Most smart phones now are roughly 8 mm thick. When unfolded, this is only 6.9 mm thick. That means there is about 15% less volume available for a battery.rams7194 - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
Before we knew how they folded the screen I drew a picture of what 8 thought they did and it was spot on. It was the only way they could have done it. I also thought of this phone a couple of years ago when they first started talking about coming phones, not to Brad but ask all my friends they thought I was crazy. Anyways could you send me one please, I am stuck with a contract phone from T-Mobile. Thanks so much.PeachNCream - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
That's optimistically a $500 phone. Although the hinge design is interesting, I would be paranoid about screen damage and would probably just end up using the little front screen if it permits access to most apps and whatnot which means I'm better off with some boring, rectangular slab at a lower price.Peskarik - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
When the first Razr came out in 2004 I bought it as soon as it appeared in shops. It was very expensive, 700-800 CHF (I am in Switzerland), but it was really something special and exciting.Quality was subpar. After a year I threw it away, it was falling apart and I had tape around it just to keep it together.
The new one? Unsure about quality, not particularly groundbreaking or exciting, and I would never pay laptop money for a foldable phone with midrange (at best) specs.
s.yu - Sunday, November 17, 2019 - link
There's absolutely nothing about it except the folding screen.Notch, weird screen shape reducing usability, small battery, single (and no doubt subpar considering the thickness of the chassis where they put it, instead of in the chin) camera, no headphone jack.
Peskarik - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
Just like the first Razr, this new one has minuscule battery.gmskking - Thursday, November 14, 2019 - link
You must be high af if you think that phone will sell for $1,500.Dizoja86 - Friday, November 15, 2019 - link
You must be high if you think this phone won't sell for $1,500. You're just not the target market.FunBunny2 - Friday, November 15, 2019 - link
well... what matters is can they sell enough to make any money. :) doesn't seem likely.Dizoja86 - Friday, November 15, 2019 - link
Very cool. This is the first foldable design I've seen that I can picture owning. I'll check back in another five years once designs have been refined and prices better match the hardware.Samus - Friday, November 15, 2019 - link
Wow. Out of my price range, but wow.jjjag - Sunday, November 17, 2019 - link
Wow, I have to go to CNET to find out what version of Android this is running? Nice reportingyetanotherhuman - Monday, November 18, 2019 - link
It's really nice, but the battery is too small, it's way too expensive, and it's missing a few other essential features. Still, this is the design I want. This is a killer design. We can get back to reasonably sized devices.IGTrading - Monday, November 18, 2019 - link
Incredibly well made. Finally a flip-phone we could / maybe even should buy, but the price and internals are unacceptable.This is a historical rip-off :(
What is the point to use SnapDragon 710 instead of 712 ?!??! Really ?! It is insulting!
I get it , not high-end due to thermals and physical limitations, but use outdated tech as well ?! In a 1.5K phone ?!?
Also, being so compact, what is the reason we can't have a "normal" 16:9 proportion of the unfolded screen ?!?!
And no 3.5" jack ?!?!? In a day when 99.8% of the wired headphones still use this type of connector ?! In a flip-phone you can't have this?!
It is incredible how Motorola is innovating both good technologies and ways of spitting in the face of its clients, while ripping them off, all in the same product.
s.yu - Tuesday, November 19, 2019 - link
"In a flip-phone you can't have this?!"Suddenly it makes a lot more sense :)