A patent has been leaked for the next Motorola Razr – and some of these changes are looking pretty fishy.
The Motorola Razr was unveiled less than a month ago but Lenovo has already been spotted filing patents for its successor.
The document, which was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and spotted by LetsGoDigital, describes an “electronic device with linking housing pivotally coupled between device housings”.
While Lenovo originally filed for the patent at the beginning of last year, the information was only published on August 22.
Image: LetsGoDigital
Lenovo seems to be sticking with the iconic clamshell mechanism, staying away from the less-than-compact designs proposed by the likes of Samsung and Huawei earlier this year.
Despite this, Lenovo has kept it vague when it comes to the display – leaving the Razr open to sticking with the flexible screen or reverting to a more classic (and cheaper to manufacture) separate display layout. That said, if Lenovo did opt to ditch its foldable tech, the company would likely introduce two adjacent displays and one on the front rather than throwing it back to the original Razr with a 3×4 numeric keyboard (though there is an option for this in the patent, too).
The follow up to this year’s Motorola Razr will also feature a pretty unique hinge, according to LetsGoDigital.
When you unfold the phone, the top half of the device will rotate into a right angle, creating a T-shape. One of the main reasons for this – aside from durability – is that this will give users something to wrap their fingers around, improving stability almost like a built-in Pop Socket. Probably a good thing, considering how pricey foldables can be.
Related: Motorola Razr 2019
Image: LetsGoDigital
The new hinge is all wrapped up in perhaps the most exciting addition to the revamped Razr – mods. It looks like Lenovo is considering introducing Moto Mods to the Razr line.
While existing mods from the Moto Z Series will not be compatible with the Razr given their physical differences, the patent does list several options for modules designed to clamp onto the Motorola foldable.
These include a projector, a speaker… and a fisheye camera.
The latter will allow users to take 360 degree snaps with their smartphone, though it is not yet clear whether this mod will have any practical applications or if it will be more of a novelty.
While the patent was published in August, company’s rarely follow through with every detail discussed in a patent so take this information with a grain of salt. Hopefully, we’ll find out more about the 2020 Razr soon.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.