Motorola Razr 2022 launch abruptly postponed — here’s why

It turns out we’re going to have to wait a while longer to see the latest version of Motorola’s next foldable phone. A launch event in China scheduled for today (August 2) for the Motorola Razr 2022 and another device from the phone maker has been cancelled, without any new date provided.

Motorola and Lenovo mobile general manager Chen Jin made the announcement on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo (opens in new tab), as spotted by Android Authority (opens in new tab). “I’m sorry to inform you that the Moto new product launch scheduled for 7:30 [p.m. China Standard Time] tonight has been cancelled for some reason,” Jin said, according to the translation extension in Google Chrome. “We still sincerely hope to bring new Moto products to everyone, and still be the Moto that Chinese users like.”

Motorola had announced the August 2 launch event back in July. The timing of the Motorola Razr 2022 rollout was significant, in that it was slated to happen a week before Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event. At that August 10 event, Samsung is likely to announce new foldable phones of its own — the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4.

Samsung has been the dominant force in the market for the best foldable phones, as its efforts have generally delivered well-designed products with top specs. The Galaxy Z Flip 3, in particular, has benefitted from a price drop that’s made it the first foldable device available for less than $1,000.

In contrast, Motorola’s efforts to convert its iconic Razr flip phone into a modern foldable device have faltered. We’ve seen two versions of the product thus far since the original Razr’s debut in late 2019, and while Motorola has recaptured the style of its old Razr flip phone, the foldable version has suffered from underpowered chipsets and some design flaws.

Based on leaks about the new phone, the Motorola Razr 2022 looked to reverse that. The new phone is expected to use a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 system-on-chip, the most powerful silicon currently available to Android phones. The 2022 version of the Razr is also set to feature a 6.7-inch folding display with a larger cover display on the phone’s exterior. Leaked images of the upcoming phone also show a less prominent chin on the bottom of the main display, addressing a frequent complaint about earlier Motorola Razrs.

The statement from Motorola’s Jin doesn’t address why today’s launch event was cancelled, though Android sites have noted that the move comes at a time of increasing tension between China and Taiwan. Nancy Pelosi, the U.S. Speaker of the House, visited Taiwan Tuesday in a move that’s angered the Chinese government.

It’s unclear when Motorola will launch the new Razr now and even less clear how this would affect the eventual U.S. launch of the folding phone. We expect that more details will be forthcoming, as Motorola looks to get its foldable phone plans back on track with the Motorola Razr 2022.