It’s frustrating being a smartphone buyer in the US. If we love Android, our choices primarily boil down to either a Google Pixel or a Samsung Galaxy device, especially if we’re buying through a carrier.
It’s just easier for most people, and those two companies offer the best options readily available on our networks stateside (while remaining fully compatible).
Motorola has managed to put a dent in that. Its midrange phones offer a really strong value, and I love what the company has done with the Razr lineup.
I’m curious to see how the new Razr Fold competes with other book-style devices, but overall, the company has been moving in the right direction.
To really make Google and Samsung sweat, Motorola would only need to add one piece to the puzzle, and it’s the one the company has been reluctant to give us so far.
Motorola is doing what Samsung won’t, and it’s starting to pay off
Keep bringing back what Samsung doesn’t
Motorola has scored with foldables
The company nailed the style and function
Motorola’s midrange phones are fantastic, but it’s the company’s foldables that really turned things around.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip lineup feels stodgy and industrial compared to Motorola Razr phones.
Moto understood that clamshell foldables are as much about style as anything, and it tapped into something that sustained Apple’s success for perhaps longer than its products deserve.
Despite rising costs, I expect another stellar crop of Razr devices this year.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipsets are expensive, and I don’t see us getting enough additional performance to justify a higher price.
Even though I initially had reservations about the upcoming Razr Fold, Motorola may have won me over.
I love that it features a 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, and Moto made the right call by including stylus support.
I believe Samsung made a mistake removing S Pen compatibility from its foldables, and Motorola is wise to allow people to draw on the expansive inner display.
However, even with excellent midrange phones and desirable foldables, that’s not enough for Motorola to pose a threat in the US.
It’s time for another flagship
The Motorola Signature needs to come to the US
I thought the stage was set for Motorola back in January, and I still believe that now.
I don’t know why the company has been so hesitant to bring another traditional flagship phone to market in the US. It’s especially puzzling because the company has released several overseas devices that I would’ve loved our buyers to get their hands on.
I thought the Motorola Edge 70 was the right take on thin smartphones, and the Motorola Signature shows a lot of promise.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipsets are expensive, and I don’t see us getting enough additional performance to justify a higher price. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 gets the job done. I’ve tested it on the OnePlus 15R and was impressed.
We’re going to see it in the upcoming Motorola Razr Fold, and our market can definitely use a premium phone powered by one.
I keep hearing rumblings that Moto will eventually make a push into the US, perhaps with a rebranded Motorola Signature, but I’ve heard that before.
I don’t know what the holdup is, but with another lackluster year from Samsung, it’s a great opportunity to pick up some disgruntled Android users.
Carrier store support matters
Motorola has some other issues to clear up
I’m always so high on Motorola making a run at Google and Samsung because Moto is in carrier stores. Buyers can walk in, see the phones side by side, and take advantage of favorable trade-in deals and discounts.
Millions of Americans buy their phones on contract every year, and if you’re not able to be a part of that, your company misses out on a huge pool of potential buyers.
Motorola also has work to do if it wants people to take it seriously. By far, the largest complaint I hear from Moto buyers is the lack of software support. Motorola has gotten with the times and started to promise more support, but the frequency of those updates is spotty.
Moto isn’t going to win back everyone overnight. There are plenty of users who shelled out good money for phones only to receive two years of updates.
Motorola seems dedicated to changing that, but it can’t tell me — it has to show me.
We’re ready for a bit more variety
It makes me sad when I see all these interesting releases overseas. Brands like Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi are all pushing each other with better camera hardware, bigger batteries, and new designs.
Unfortunately, we experience little of that. Motorola doesn’t have the boldest designs in the world, and its software is uninspiring.
However, it has a chance to finally get Samsung and Google to at least think a little bit that someone might be coming up behind them. At least a guy can dream.
