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ZDNET Highlights
- Motorola has 50% share of the foldable market in America.
- Motorola’s Flip Fold-ables are stylish and available at a low price.
- FIFA sponsorship is a game-changer.
Motorola is set to launch its latest round of foldables, which makes it a good time to reflect on what the brand has achieved so far. According to IDC research, e.g. Reported by 9to5GoogleMotorola now has about 50% of the US foldable market, as well as a larger share in foreign foldable markets.
Its main rivals (at least here in the US) are Samsung and Google. Samsung has been doing this for a long time, and has both flip and book-style foldables (with the short-lived Trifold) in its portfolio. Meanwhile, Google has only made book-style foldables so far.
Too: Motorola Moto G (2026) review: Why I’d choose this $200 phone over competing models
It takes a lot to survive against tough competitors like the two largest companies in the world. When it comes to market dominance, Motorola stands on three pillars – price, software and fashion.
1. Price
Motorola has a Flip for almost every budget, ranging from $399 to $1,399 (although that particular model is currently on sale for a ridiculous $799). First and foremost, this is not a typo error. Motorola is currently selling the 2024 edition of the Moto Razr George Washington for less than $400.
Too: Forget Samsung: This Motorola phone I tested is the king of battery life for under $300
Being able to drop $400 for a fully functional foldable phone at a price less than the price of the Pixel 10a, or the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, is almost ridiculous, and should tell you most of the story about why Motorola is doing so well in this market.
Price isn’t the whole story, but it’s a big part of it.
Looking at Motorola’s closest competitor, Samsung sells its cheapest foldable – the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE – for $899. In other words, you can buy two Moto Razr 2024 foldables for the price of Samsung’s cheapest foldable, and buy a nice dinner at a chain restaurant for a family of four.
2. Software
Motorola does a lot of smart things with software, too. Motorola has long had one of the best Android builds, with innovations like gestures for the camera and flashlight, and notifications on Always-On Display (AOD). Add Motorola’s smart software options on flip foldables, and it’s a magical combination.
Motorola’s approach to cover screens is brilliant.
Too: Motorola Razr Fold hands-on: It beats the Samsung and Google Pixel in notable ways
First of all, you can use any app of your choice on it. Some of them will work well; Others won’t, and it’s up to you to find what you like. Samsung’s approach is a more curated, “these are the apps you can use” formula (though it seems to be falling short a bit). Motorola has also created several panels for the cover screen with really useful apps and widgets for the cover screen.
Finally, Motorola has partnered with developer GameSnacks in the past to add a suite of mini games to the cover screen. They are fun time wasters like stack bounce and free kick football.
3. Fashion
There’s also a fashion aspect to the Razer family. Even the lowest tier of razors launched in fun colors and styles, really relying on the fashion of the technology rather than raw numbers and specifications. The Razr is a fun phone to own, with a number of notable styles available even at a low price.
Too: I wore the $150 Moto Watch for weeks, and it’s my new pick for Android fans
Motorola has gone out of its way to develop fashion-forward accessories for the Razr Phone as well.
Let’s not underestimate the appeal of the FIFA-edition Razer Phone, in the year of the World Cup. FIFA is one of the most popular sporting events on the planet – this is an incredibly smart partnership, mostly on Motorola’s part. This type of activation will put Razer in the spotlight of sports fans all over the world.
