Summary
Motorola flexible concept phone.. Attending Mobile World Congress is much more than simply seeing new smartphone releases and Galaxy Ring hints. Concept devices, or prototypes of future items shown long in advance of actual development, are half the excitement of trade exhibitions. This kind of leap has already been seen; not that long ago, foldables were only Samsung’s display designs kept behind glass cases, inaccessible to the general public.
With the Moto Rizr, a rollable device that increased in size from a 5-inch display to a 6.5-inch screen with a double touch of a button, Motorola stole the show at MWC last year. I had a great experience using the Rizr, and given the company’s success with the Razr last year, I’m optimistic that this is the kind of technology that will be included into a new product soon. That’s why it went to the top of my priority list when Motorola invited me to a demonstration of the adaptable display technology, which was previously shown in October.
Showing off your foldables
Giving “curved displays” a whole new meaning.We’ll try a different phrase to better express what’s going on here because “adaptive display concept” is kind of dull. How about bendable? Given the history of foldables and rollables, a bendable phone may not seem like a smart concept at first, much less one that has any chance of succeeding in the marketplace. A little gadget becoming larger? That’s not too difficult to comprehend. A phone around your wrist? It’s not as simple to sell, and I’m not sure I felt any differently after experimenting with the adaptable display idea.
Motorola’s flexible gadget resembles a more athletic take on a typical Android smartphone when it isn’t bent. The back of the display is covered in ribbed fabric, but the plastic front appears doomed for smudges and scratches. Actually, the phone feels very good, and I found myself longing for the time when Google released the fabric Pixel covers. From there, you may bend the gadget inward to enable the panel to stretch outward or to stand upright in the shape of a tent. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
An outdated concept encased in modern gear
It may have been best to put this in a drawer.
Now here’s the thing: Not only the tease at Lenovo Tech World last year, but also an earlier version of Motorola’s flexible prototype exists. I was informed by Nick Gray of Phandroid that Motorola has had this device for over ten years. Since the business debuted a previous version back in 2016, my expectations were naturally elevated. This is not your average folding, flimsy For eight years, Motorola’s crew has been pondering the possibilities of a bending phone; undoubtedly, they have come up with a whole range of use cases that will completely blow my mind. Correct?
Not really, however. Apart from being able to stand up on its own and, you know, have you heard of PopSockets?, the only use case that Motorola seems to be interested in promoting is the device’s transformation into a hideous version of a wristwatch. Fortunately, Motorola has a magnetic wristband that you can match with its bending design to keep the gadget in place instead of merely slamming it against your body like a slap band. And although this seems like a great choice at first—imagine a wristwatch that is really just as competent as your phone—it didn’t take long for my mind to start racing with all the possible issues.
This isn’t the most appealing way to carry about your smartphone. It won’t go with formal attire the way certain wearables do; in fact, I’m not convinced it will go with anything at all. This gadget is conspicuous like Google Glass; passersby passing by won’t be able to look away from such an evident nuisance. Motorola could employ this technology to create a smartphone that makes use of its bending nature in a more practical form factor, or even better, a genuine fitness band.
Beyond that, I’m not really sure what further benefits I get from having a phone on my wrist. While Strava is now visible on a larger screen while I run, wearable technology can show the same data just as well. The bendable is heavier, clunkier, and I personally wouldn’t rely on magnetic attachments to keep it in place over the whole run. Meanwhile, smartwatches eliminate all of these issues while retaining all the features I really want for working out.
A lesson about lowering your standards
Sometimes an idea exists for a purpose.
My curiosity about this device continued to grow as I used it more. What issue is resolved by the flexible phone? How does it make my life better? For whom is this intended? In the end, the answers to these queries are inconsequential given its position as a concept device. But I simply anticipated Motorola would have brought a little bit more to the table given the growth trajectory Apple has witnessed in the premium smartphone market and the fact that distinctive form factors are still one of the few significant exclusive differentiators that Android OEMs have left.
I firmly think that, like happened with the first Galaxy Fold five years ago, the launch of a completely new smartphone design is not too far off. I would still want to see these businesses contribute a little bit more to the table with these kinds of ideas, however, whether it’s rollables, bendables, or something else different. Furthermore, I expect a little bit more from you than just an uncomfortable smartphone replacement if you’ve had this form factor collecting dust in a drawer for the last eight years. This is not the Moto Rizr, call me a grump.
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