Years before the iPhone dominated pop culture and revolutionized the entertainment industry, the Motorola Razr was king. Name dropped by hip-hop artists such as Snoop Dogg, E-40, Fabulous, Mario, Eve, and more in the early aughts, the Razr was the iconic phone to have.
And now it’s coming back.
Launched 15 years ago in 2004, it was one of the first devices to become a cultural icon. It’s striking appearance and thin profile was initially marketed as an exclusive fashion phone, turning it into a status symbol for the era’s top celebrities and “cool kids.” From Anna Wintour sitting front row at Fashion Week to Paris Hilton posing on the red carpet, the Razr was a must-have accessory and paparazzi target in and of itself.
Yet by 2006, Motorola reduced the Razr to a consumer price point and over 50 million units were sold by July of 2006. In addition to basic SMS texting, the Razr was the first phone to offer a rudimentary camera and audio recording options. (However, uploading them to a PC or another device was extremely challenging.) The Razr was marketed for another four years but ultimately lost market share to the iPhone and other smartphones.
Earlier this month, Motorola unveiled the newly-designed Razr. In a press release, they describe the device as one that “fuses the ultra-compact and unique flip phone design you know and love with modern technology.” In addition to the normal smartphone features (internet, camera, apps, etc.), the Razr will reportedly include features such as a full-length touch screen, a zero-gap hinge that protects the main display, and a touch-enabled Quick View display allows the user to see notifications, respond to texts, play music, and more—all without ever opening the phone.
The revamped Razr will be available exclusively on Verizon, with pre-order starting on December 26, 2019, and in-store availability in January 2020 ($1,499.99 MSRP). The phone will also be available on motorola.com.
