Member-only story
The Motorola Razr is Back! Are Designers Ready?
The 2010s essentially killed off the flip phone, but Motorola is pretending that decade never happened. It’s time for new flip phone to hit the market, and on Feb. 6, 2020 we will see Motorola’s revival of the Razr.
The Motorla Razr 2020
The new Razr keeps the two most important elements of the original Razr. It’s true to form with a thin body. When unfolded, it’s 6.9mm thick, which is really thin for a smartphone (although that’s the same thickness as an iPhone 6, so it’s not that unique). It also features a second screen on the front of the phone, which is the real reason everyone loved the Razr so much. The Razr wasn’t the first phone to house two screens, but based on its popularity it was likely the first time users had a dual screen phone. Like the original Razr, the second screen will show the time, notifications, and camera controls. Now the front screen will have more functionality for practical use, such controlling utilities and music.
From a design standpoint, this does not pose a huge challenge. It’s essentially a notification center and utilities screen molded into one. Any design for a smartwatch will adapt to this front screen pretty well and will be intuitive for most users. The true oddity for the front of the phone is the camera. When closed, the camera is at the bottom of the…
