This was supposed to be the year of Motorola.
Just a few short days ago, I was elated. It appeared that we were getting a new flagship phone from the company in the US, in addition to a new foldable.
Motorola was primed to take the next step, finally giving us some much-needed competition at the flagship level against Samsung and Google.
It had presence in carrier stores and established credibility with the successful Razr lineup — it was going to be so beautiful.
Unfortunately, that’s not to be the case.
The announced Motorola Signature isn’t launching in the US, and the Motorola Razr Fold isn’t what I expected from the company.
To add insult to injury, there was word this week that AT&T will no longer feature Motorola phones in its stores.
An adverse turn that has me doubting whether 2026 will actually be the year of Motorola.
The Motorola Razr Fold isn’t the foldable I wanted — unless the price is right
Moto needs to undercut everyone
The Motorola Signature is everything I’m looking for
It may still come to the US
I can’t describe how crestfallen I was when I saw that the Motorola Signature wouldn’t launch in the US.
I haven’t completely given up hope, as some new rumors suggest the phone might make it stateside under another name later this year.
However, I thought a US launch would’ve made it the right phone at the right time to go up against Samsung this cycle.
Looking at the specs, I still believe it would be a monster if sold in the US.
It features a large 6.8-inch display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, and silicon-carbon battery with 90W fast charging.
I was a little alarmed by the 1,000-euro starting price, as I felt that, to be competitive, the Signature had to sell for around $850.
I don’t know whether Motorola would keep that pricing or change some specs to get to a lower price if a variant came to the US, but I hope we get the chance to see later in the year.
The Motorola Razr gave the company credibility in the US at the midrange and flagship levels, and I was eager to see them build on that with a more traditional flagship phone.
The specs are right, and I anticipated Motorola would deliver its usual performance and value as a contrast to the prohibitively expensive Galaxy S26 Ultra.
The Motorola Razr Fold was not the phone I expected
Moto needs aggressive pricing
It made sense when I saw rumblings that the upcoming Motorola fold would look more like the Microsoft Surface Duo.
A device with two screens connected by a physical hinge is cheaper to produce and more durable.
It would also be different in the marketplace, not competing head-to-head with Samsung and Google’s book-style foldables.
The Motorola Razr Fold is similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, with a 6.6-inch external display that unfolds to reveal an 8.1-inch internal canvas.
I’m sure it’ll be a fantastic device, but I hope Motorola understands that to gain any traction, the price has to be right.
It can’t come in and sell the Razr Fold for $1,800 and expect people to take a chance.
The rumored price is $1,500, which at least gives the company a shot. It’s several hundred dollars less than the competition, and I love that the device has stylus support.
Still, book-style folding phones have been an uphill battle, and I thought it was an odd choice for Motorola, especially given recent news.
AT&T dumping Motorola is a bad sign
Carrier stores matter in the US
I always tabbed Motorola as the only company that could truly challenge Samsung and Google on the Android side.
It had a carrier store presence in the US, which is a significant advantage.
I love some of the devices OnePlus has released over the last two years, but I know they are relegated to niche status for enthusiasts in the US because you can’t walk into an AT&T store and buy one.
Unfortunately, that advantage is going away.
Reports are that AT&T is removing Motorola from its carrier stores. I don’t know what Verizon will do, but it’s a step in the wrong direction.
I’ve seen more Motorola phones out in the wild than ever before, and I attribute at least some of that to carrier trade-in and finance deals. It’s especially important if you’re trying to launch a book-style foldable.
Even if you come in several hundred dollars less than a phone such as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, how can you compete when the Z Fold 7 can be had for $50 added to your monthly bill? And that’s before incentives.
Carrier stores are an important part of the process for phone buyers in the US, and not being in them is a damaging blow, regardless of how good the sales are on your website throughout the year.
Motorola still has time to make it right
It’s early in the year, and Motorola might yet surprise us with a flagship in the US. However, events and circumstances aren’t headed in the right direction.
I’m tired of seeing coverage dominated by Samsung and Google every cycle, and while I appreciate those companies putting out excellent phones, competition is important.
Motorola has disappointed me so far; let’s hope that trend doesn’t continue.
