Motorola Razr 2 set to arrive next month to battle Galaxy Z Fold 2

Motorola Razr 2
(Image credit: Future)

We'll cut to the chase: We weren't big fans of the first foldable Motorola Razr for a whole host of reasons. But we've heard for a while that Motorola is readying a successor, and an invite for an event scheduled for Sept. 9 just sent out to members of the media, including Tom's Guide, strongly hints that we'll soon get our first look at the Motorola Razr 2.

Motorola has issued a save the date for September 9 at 1 p.m. ET, where viewers can expect a "VIP, lifestyle-focused event that features a very special announcement." The GIF attached to the invitation features something spinning or folding; it's honestly tough to determine exactly what's happening, though what's important is that it bears a striking similarity to a teaser the company sent out ahead of the first foldable Razr's unveiling last year.

(Image credit: Motorola)

Whatever happens on September 9, Motorola says it'll "flip the smartphone experience once again" — something the first Razr assuredly did not do, with its weak performance, creaky design, low-grade camera, miserable battery life and $1,500 price. We certainly hope the second generation seizes all that room for improvement, though the rumors to date don't tell us all that much.

There's been rumblings that Motorola will upgrade the next Razr's chipset to Qualcomm's 5G-capable Snapdragon 765 silicon; it may also see a bump to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of built-in storage. The outward-facing camera will reportedly capture 48 megapixels rather than 16MP in the original device, whereas the 5-MP selfie sensor could receive a sorely-needed boost to 20MP.

Those sound like encouraging improvements if they are indeed true, though we hope Motorola has more planned — like a higher-resolution display, bigger battery and, of course, a lower price. With the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G delivering a complete flagship experience for under $1,500, Motorola's next foldable may once again be dead on arrival if it can't slide in at a more affordable price to counter its less-premium specs.

Even if we see the new Razr in September, the device may not actually make it to the market until next year. The first iteration took a relatively long time to begin shipping after its November launch, as the first units didn't make their way to customers until January due to a short production delay. Stay tuned until the festivities kick off in a couple weeks; there's a very likely chance leaks will pick up steam.

Adam Ismail is a staff writer at Jalopnik and previously worked on Tom's Guide covering smartphones, car tech and gaming. His love for all things mobile began with the original Motorola Droid; since then he’s owned a variety of Android and iOS-powered handsets, refusing to stay loyal to one platform. His work has also appeared on Digital Trends and GTPlanet. When he’s not fiddling with the latest devices, he’s at an indie pop show, recording a podcast or playing Sega Dreamcast.