New next-gen Moto Razr leak shows off exterior display and side-mounted fingerprint sensor

Motorola's first foldable in two years is shaping up to be its best yet

It's been a couple of years since Motorola released the 5G variant of its Moto Razr foldable. Since then, folding phones have gone from intriguing ideas not quite ready for daily drivers to refined products selling by the millions — especially if you're Samsung. The 3rd-gen Razr finally seems to be making some waves, and with the latest leak, we're getting our best glimpse yet of the phone that could dethrone the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip4.

Prominent leaker Evan Blass tweeted out a GIF showing off Motorola's upcoming phone, currently codenamed Maven. The short clip gives us some insight into some key device features, including its relocated side-mounted fingerprint sensor built into the power button. It looks mighty fast, moving from an always-on display to the home screen in a fraction of a second. It looks like Motorola's using some sort of software skin this time around, complete with themed icons and, surprisingly, dedicated navigation buttons instead of gestures.

We get another look at the redesigned front shell when the device is closed, complete with its second 13MP ultra-wide exterior camera. As with the last two models, Maven has a small second display showcasing the time, date, status bar, and notifications. Unfortunately, the clip ends before we see whether that screen has any extra functionality.

Recent rumors have the Razr sounding like it might actually be capable of competing with the likes of Samsung. Unlike the first two models, Motorola is reportedly using a flagship processor — the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 — rather than the mid-range chipsets used in 2020. It won't be enough to win the foldable wars on its own, as build quality and durability matter just as much these days as speed and raw specs. But if Motorola can come through with a sturdy, powerful phone at a relatively affordable price, it might just be enough to win consumers over.