Motorola Rizr concept phone review for is a newly launched device that has attracted a lot of attention and very mixed opinions at the same time. This model is not yet ready for mass production and most likely the company is not 100% sure that it will be a great success and recognition from the majority of users. This is where the fundamental question arises – what is the meaning of this innovation?
We hope our in-depth Motorola Rizr review will give you all the answers to what exactly makes the Rizr such an interesting phone.
Both conceptually and physically, the new Motorola flagship looks unique. It might be just a little more complicated to use than a foldable phone at first, but the final result brings the same advantages as flippable and foldable phones.
Essential uniqueness
In its compact state, the Rizr is about 2/3 the height of a regular smartphone. Using it with one hand is very easy because the screen is short enough to reach every point with your thumb.
That alone is a huge advantage over any smartphone with a larger screen. It also doesn’t have the drawbacks that foldable phone models like the Galaxy Fold have. This means that the Motorola Rizr won’t tear through your pocket with the thickness or weight that flippable and foldable mobile devices have. Also, it does not have such bulky dimensions when it is not unfolded, which is what foldable phones really cannot boast of.
To unroll the entire length of the screen, you just need to quickly double-click the power button. When the screen goes up, the phone looks like a regular smartphone with a bigger screen in your hand. One specific nuance should be mentioned here: The elongated part of the screen at the top is almost as thin as a sheet of paper.
If you are the owner of an OLED TV or have seen one in a store, you already know the thinness of the screen we are talking about. OLED screens are surprisingly thin and are usually attached to a plastic that holds them more firmly. Rizr has exactly the same technology.
Safety and resistance
Wonder what would happen if someone dropped a phone like this when it’s rolled out to its full-screen length? Obviously, the thinnest part of the screen would be immediately damaged, which means the entire screen along with it.
Of course, even this type of phone can be protected with a clear plastic case – and it can be easily removed. However, the case only covers the body of the phone, which means that when the phone is dropped, the extended screen would be the first to hit the ground. That’s why case protection comes only as a partially secure solution.
Roll-up screen technology
Both the front and back of the screen are covered in flexible plastic to allow the screen to wrap around the bottom of the phone. The flexible plastic also protects the screen from strong finger taps and makes it more resistant to light impacts. However, an external review of the Motorola Rizr concept phone won’t help you understand how the sliding screen works, so let’s take a look at what’s behind this new flagship.
A rectangular motor pushes or pulls the display along a hidden track at the back of the display panel. The back of the screen (yes, the one that goes behind the back) can be used for two main features: showing the camera image when taking selfies and always-on display/notifications.
One of the most practical features of this technology is the screen that automatically unfolds when the phone is turned horizontally while watching YouTube. All you have to do is play a video on YouTube and rotate your phone.
You can always shrink the screen again by double-tapping the power button, which will automatically crop the video when the screen shrinks. It’s a really nice feature that can be useful for certain types of videos.
Need to mention, that the back part of the screen is turned off when watching videos (unless the display is expanded), so you won’t accidentally broadcast the video to the others when the phone isn’t rotated.
Final thoughts
While the Motorola Rizr concept phone design obviously stands out in the market, it also has a number of obvious advantages over flip phones. First of all, the screen is not covered by glass, so you won’t have to worry about cracking or splitting the screen as most users have already experienced.
Sliding screen OLED technology is also much more durable, especially if we compare it with foldable phones.
On the other hand, the reduced size of the phone itself could be a big challenge for Motorola in trying to market it as a widely applicable technology that meets the needs of the majority of users. A flip phone works very well as a dual-purpose device because it doesn’t really change the concept of a standard smartphone and most people are used to it. But the Rizr is physically 2/3 smaller than any regular phone with an equivalent screen size, and that could be a major factor for users looking for an alternative to the bulky and one-handed hardly controllable devices.
