While the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the iPhone Duo may be grabbing all the headlines, the Motorola Razr Fold is the sleeper hit book-style foldable of the year. This phone undercuts the alternatives on price while outperforming them in many of the areas that matter most. Yet, just like other Motorola phones, it’s the software that attracts me, and it’s the software that pushes me away.
Android has a distinct visual identity, and if you want to experience that vision untainted on a premium phone, the default choice is to buy a Google Pixel. Other Android makers tend to shake things up. Samsung’s One UI harmonizes with Android’s ‘Material 3 Expressive’ design language somewhat, but Samsung clearly wants its own visual identity. Many other companies, like OnePlus and most of the other Chinese brands, modify Android to look more like the iPhone.
If, like me, you aren’t a fan of Google but want pure Android, Motorola is your next best choice. Most of the company’s few stock apps harmonize well with the rest of Android. When Motorola does deviate from Google, the change is often subtle enough that it’s easy to overlook entirely (like the way Google combined Wi-Fi and cellular data quick toggles, and Motorola did not).
What’s better is that Motorola has made additions that my colleagues and I miss when we switch away to other phones. Once you start chopping your phone to turn on the flashlight or twisting your wrist to turn on the camera, other phones feel quite basic .
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