Joe Maring / Digital Trends
If there ’s one smartphone company that I just ca n’t shake in 2024 , it ’s Motorola . After such a strong 2023 , this twelvemonth has been curiously rocky for the company . Whether it ’s because of badly - received budget handsets or mind - boggling software system decision , I’ve bring up my complaints about Motorola a plenty this yr .
gratefully , after a large recent merchandise launch and a chance to sit down and talk with two of the fellowship ’s executives , I ’m feel a bit better about Motorola than I was earlier this year . I certainly do n’t think things are gross , and there ’s plenty of room left to improve , but I also do n’t opine things with Moto arequiteas bleak as I in the beginning fear .
I ’m not ready to give up on Motorola just yet , and I do n’t believe you should either .
The Razr 2024 is just what Motorola needed
There are a couple of reason why I ’m feel well about Motorola — and the first has to do with its latest smartphone launch . The caller of late announced theRazr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024as its two newest foldables . but put , I’mreallyhappy with how the speech sound turned out .
Last year’sMotorola Razr Pluswas one of my favorite earphone of 2023 . This fresh model looks like that same phone again but with some really important rise . The hinge feels better and is easier to open , the cover song showing is even big , and the new cameras seem really hopeful . Combined with solid spectacles under the hood and some really endearing colors , I ’m find out little to complain about . It also still cost the same $ 1,000 as last year ’s modeling — something we may not be able to say about the Galaxy Z Flip 6 .
The flash Razr looks good , too ! The back concealment ismuchbigger than last year’sRazr 2023 . Instead of what was essentially a glorified smartwatch silver screen , you’re able to now expend it just like you’re able to the Razr Plus ’ covering fire filmdom . Its leather colors also look excellent , it has the same 50MP chief tv camera line up on the Razr Plus , and it even has a large battery than its more expensive sibling . The good part ? It still costs just $ 700 . Last twelvemonth ’s Razr was an incredible pot , and the 2024 model face like an even better one .
I ’m saying all of this without having to the full reviewed either of the new Razrs , and there ’s always the chance they wo n’t perform as well as I ’m hoping . But based on my hands - on time with the earphone , I do n’t have any reason to think that . Motorola seems to have done exactly what it needed to with these speech sound — keeping what worked , fixing what was break , and keep prices the same . Considering how good last year ’s Razrs were , I ca n’t wait to see how these new 1 hold up .
Learning from past software mistakes
Motorola appear to have gotten the ironware , specs , and price correct with the Razr 2024 crime syndicate . But that ’s not the only ground I ’m so excited . Neither phone is plagued withthe software issues I ’ve look on other Motorola phonesthis year , and I could n’t be happy about it .
That ’s great , but what gives ? I asked Motorola about this . The company ’s head of AI and software experiences , Jeff Snow , told me part of the reason is to “ maintain persistence between the outside and inner screens . ” He also order , “ In the Moto Gs , we ’re [ Motorola ] trying out some software system capabilities that we might continue into that tier . ”
I imagined this would be the case — essay the waters with software package bloatware on the cheaper speech sound but keep it away from more expensive phones . However , after seeing those same software job on theMotorola Edge 2024 , I was n’t sure what to bear .
I wish Motorola was n’t messing with this variety of stuff at all , but at the very least , I ’m glad to see there ’s still restraint to not litter flagship - level speech sound with punk software . In the event of the fresh Razrs , it make them feelsomuch well . Here ’s to trust Motorola gets the message and reconsider these “ software capacity ” on other phone this class — flagship or not .
What about software updates? Well…
Bloatware has only been one of my concerns with Motorola phones . Software updates are another one . Unlike the bloatware emergence , which has only popped up recently , software package updates have been a pricker in Motorola ’s side for years .
The new Razr phones proceed this course . Motorola promises just three age of Android OS upgrades and four years of bi - monthly security updates for both the Razr 2024 and Razr Plus 2024 . In a world where Google and Samsung are promisingseven yearsof software update for flagship and midrange phones alike , it ’s a really unsatisfying view .
I expect Nicole Hagen , executive director of product selling at Motorola , about this , and she tell me , “ It ’s always an interior argument ” and that “ it always comes down to balancing . ” That “ balancing ” refer to the resources Motorola require to put toward ironware , software , its new AI cock , etc .
Hagen also addressed companies like Samsung and Google with their seven - yr update promise . “ When we look at the life bike or life of our twist , it ’s not over four years , ” she said . “ Our goal is to kind of keep up our products during the sprightliness cycle that they have with their users , and we experience that we ’re doing that with our policy . ”
Snow also chimed into the conversation , tell that the balance human action also has to consider citizenry who are using their earphone , knowing how their current software works , and being “ loath to change . ”
in person , I do n’t corrupt that arguing . Can software update premise new features and user user interface that may take some time to get used to ? Sure . But that rarely happens with Android update these days . Further , it does n’t excuse Motorola for sticking with such a limited update policy when its competitor are running circles around it .
gratefully , it sounds like there ’s room for this to change . “ It ’s something we ’re always looking at . Especially as now we ’re set about to look at take AI features to more phones , how do we extend that to more phones is something we ’re looking at as well , ” Snow said .
Motorola has to keep this up
Two promising new foldables , signs of restraint for bloatware , and at least an glimmer that Motorola could change its ways with package updates . While not all of those things are home runs , they do at least show me that Motorola is still worth paying attention to as we make our way through this 2nd half of 2024 .
Does all of this excuse the company ’s many missteps earlier this year ? No . But it does give me more hope for what the remainder of the year entail . Motorola is still churning out square hardware and is seemingly still adequate to of render just software system , too . Both of the new Razrs are proof of that , and I desperately trust that ’s true of other Motorola phones we see after this .
