What could a Google ‘Pixel Flip’ do better than the Motorola Razr?

The flip phone foldable is a popular form factor, but Google has yet to make its own “Pixel Flip.” After a few weeks using the Motorola Razr Ultra, I’ve got a few ideas on where Google could do better.

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The Motorola Razr series is, in my mind, the best example of a flip phone foldable. The expansive cover display, tiered approach to different models, and added attention to fit and finish really makes for a compelling device. The Razr Ultra in particular is somewhat of a tougher sell as its price is quite high, but Motorola has really just put together a solid lineup.

That’s the reason I’m increasingly skeptical that a “Pixel Flip” from Google would stand out. From a hardware perspective alone, Google’s approach to smartphone design probably wouldn’t do much to “beat” Motorola. If anything, it’d be hard to maintain the design language of Pixel in that form factor without giving up cover display space.

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So what could a “Pixel Flip” do better than the Motorola Razr?

Photos: Astrophotography, group shots, etc

I think it stands to reason that a “Pixel Flip” could deliver a better photography experience than a Razr, for a number of reasons, but primarily due to software processing. The reason that so many foldables are behind the curve in photography is due to the lack of space for larger sensors. Google has shown time and time again that it can produce consistently good photos from lesser sensors, so I think a Pixel would win on photos right out of the gate.

Beyond that, I think Google’s photographic feature suite would translate really well to a flip phone. Features that use the device as a tripod came straight to mind, such as astrophotography and “Add Me,” as a posable hinge would make it easier to capture these shots on the fly compared to a traditional slab phone. Google already touts these improvements with the Fold series, and I think it could be even better on the smaller, lighter, and more versatile flip form factor.

Look and Talk, but Gemini

One of Motorola’s AI features on the Razr Ultra is “Look and Talk,” a feature which uses the cameras to detect when you’re looking at the foldable, but only when it is in a mode where the cover display is propped up. I didn’t find this particularly useful, but mainly because I wasn’t speaking with anything particularly useful. Moto AI has its place, but Gemini is more versatile, and that’s obviously what Google would use.

A glanceable Gemini voice assistant could be super useful for answering questions on the fly, getting tasks done, and even smart home controls through Google Home. Motorola has a good idea here, but I think Google could make it an actual selling point.

Plus, Google has done exactly this before, with a feature of the same name on the Nest Hub Max.

*I mean, this already looks like Gemini!*

Google Translate on outer display

I’m as tired of translate features as anyone, but an obvious feature add on a “Pixel Flip” would be to integrate Google Translate with the cover display. When propped up, this provides a quick and easy in-person translation experience between two people, and one that’s perhaps a bit less cumbersome than the existing integration on book-style foldables.

Finally, I think Google could leverage widgets in a smart way. Motorola already allows users to place widgets on the outer display on dedicated panels, but Google has a framework in place that could translate nicely to this form factor.

Last year, the company introduced lock screen widgets on the Pixel Tablet as a layer to the unlock process. That could be very handy on a flip phone’s cover display. Even more so, the simple and proactive At a Glance widget just makes too much sense as a primary cover display widget.

But what do you think? Would you buy a Pixel Flip from Google? What would you want it to do better? Let’s discuss!

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