Don't get your hopes too high for the Motorola Razr 2023.
This could potentially be a big year for foldable phones, with rumors suggesting a Google Pixel Fold launch next week, followed by the arrival of update foldable phones from Samsung later this year. OnePlus has said it plans to come out with a foldable in 2023, too.
Not to be left out, Motorola is apparently working on a new version of its foldable Razr phone, which could be arriving soon. But until it does appear — and we find out where this new foldable phone might ship — we have some leaked specs to mull over.
The specs, posted by XDA Developers, cover the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, apparently one of two foldables in development at Motorola. This version would be Motorola's premium foldable, with XDA reporting that the other device is shaping up to be a "lite" model. Presumably, that means less impressive specs.
We're not sure what's so Ultra about a phone powered by last year's silicon, but perhaps we'll be singing a different tune once we actually lay hands on the phone.
Perhaps the highlight of the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra specs dump is the revelation that Motorola's foldable will be using a premium Snapdragon 8 series chipset. That's a change from a few of the early versions of the Motorola Razr, which used less powerful Snapdragon chips and suffered for it in terms of performance.
The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra has been tipped to use the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, certainly an impressive performer, but not the most recent chipset in Qualcomm's portfolio. That would be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is not only powering some of the best Android phones released in 2023, but also on tap to feature in the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5. The choice of the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 is also curious because Motorola has turned to that silicon previously, using it the Motorola Razr 2022 that shipped last year in China and Europe.
We're not sure what's so Ultra about a phone powered by last year's silicon, but perhaps we'll be singing a different tune once we actually lay hands on the phone, which is also tipped to feature up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
As for cameras, you'll get two on the outside of the phone, according to the leaked specs — a 12MP primary sensor accompanied by a 13MP shooter that we can only assume is an ultrawide lens. Inside the phone, there's supposedly a 32MP selfie cam.
It's not all bad news
Much like the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra looks to have a pair of displays — an internal one that unfolds when you flip the phone and a square cover display on the outside case. The leaked specs don't list screen sizes, but Motorola has already teased a 3.5-inch cover display, which would be the largest on a flip-style foldable. For context, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is rumored to be getting a cover display upgrade that measures 3.4 inches.
XDA's spec sheet says the interior display will have a 120Hz refresh rate, though other rumors have said it will be 144Hz. That was also the refresh rate on the Motorola Razr 2022, so we would be surprised by the downgrade if it happens.
Unfortunately, the specs leak doesn't tell us where the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra might appear. Motorola's initial foldable Razr and its follow-up did ship in the U.S., but the 2022 version of the phone never made it to this country. With the likelihood of other phone makers taking on Samsung's dominant foldable phones this year, this could be Motorola's chance to make a splash with the Razr.
We could find out soon enough whether we'll get a chance to try out the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra. Earlier reports suggested Motorola will show off its new foldable phones in June.
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