The Motorola Razr foldable phone might be even less durable than first expected. This is one of a new breed of smartphones thanks to the inclusion of a foldable display. While these phones are now starting to hit the market, there’s been concerns raised over how well a bendable display can hold up over time and repeat use.
The Moto Razr, like the Galaxy Z Flip, and the Huawei Mate X, all feature displays that bend or fold in one way or another. With these being early products that utilize either flexible plastic or glass, many have wondered how long they can expect a foldable phone to last if they purchase one. Especially considering they come with a premium price tag compared to non-folding phones. However, if the latest Motorola Razr durability test is anything to go by, they might not be that long-lasting at all.
CNET recently put the Motorola Razr under a stress test to see how many times the phone could be folded and unfolded. The goal was for it to reach 100,000 folds, although the phone eventually gave up after just 27,000. With the device only making it through a quarter of the folds it was being tested for, the results suggest those early concerns might have been warranted. In a previous test in 2019, Samsung’s Galaxy Fold managed to survive 120,000 folds and while that’s significantly more than the Motorola Razr managed, it was still well below the 200,000 it was originally being tested for.
Should You Buy A Foldable Phone?
The only reason to buy a foldable phone right now is for the portable design. The specs are not quite up to par with premium non-foldable phones and the cheapest foldable phone is still considerably more expensive. This will change in time, and as the price stabilizes these devices will have had time to undergo various versions and improvements - including to their durability. Of course, there are some reasons to be wary of this latest test. For one thing, this was only one device being tested and it is possible others would have performed better (or worse) under the same circumstances. What’s more, the testing was conducted using a “FoldBot’’ designed to specifically test the folding mechanism and display. Arguably, this is not representative of real-world usage, considering no device is going to be opened and closed so many times in such quick succession.
However, over time these devices will still incur many folds and each time there will be stress placed on the design, and in due course, those micro stresses tend to add up. Although 27,000 might sound like a lot, it is not when the number is broken down into more realistic terms. Over the course of one year, 27,000 equates to just under 74 times a day. A study by Asurion back in 2017 found Americans on average check their phones around 80 times per day. Other studies have suggested the number could be as high as 150 times for those most addicted to checking their devices. With those averages in mind, and assuming the Motorola Razr survives around 27,000 folds, this foldable phone could last as long as twelve months, or as little as six.
More: Galaxy Z Flip Probably Won’t Be The First Hit Foldable Smartphone
Source: CNET
