Is Motorola Making a Book-Style Foldable?
The foldable phone market has settled into a comfortable rhythm lately. If you want a retro-futuristic flip phone that fits in your pocket, you look at the Motorola Razr or the Samsung Z Flip. If you want a powerhouse tablet hybrid in your pocket, Samsung’s Z Fold series has largely been the default king. But if a recent tease dropped into the mailboxes of tech journalists is anything to go by, Motorola is about to crash the book-style party in a very big way.
Thanks to a share from Android Headlines’ Alex Maxham, we have our strongest hint yet that Motorola is ready to expand beyond the Razr and take on the big boys.
The Clue in the Holiday Swag
Tech companies love sending end-of-year gifts to the press, and usually, they are just pleasant gestures—branded notebooks, chocolates, portable chargers. But this year, Motorola’s gift seems to come with a loaded message.
Alex Maxham shared images of a nice wooden notepad sent over by the company. Innocent enough, right? But accompanied by the physical gift was a note containing a teaser that is anything but subtle:
"We're getting ready to unfold new perspectives at Lenovo Tech World. January 6, 2026."
You don't use language like that unless you are talking about foldable display technology.
While Motorola could just be launching another Razr, the phrasing and the size/shape of the notepad suggest something bigger. After years of focusing on flip phones, this feels like a huge hint at the debut of Motorola's first large-format, "book-style" foldable.
Why a "Moto Fold" Makes Sense Now
For years, enthusiasts have wondered why Motorola seemed content to let Samsung dominate the large foldable space without a fight. In retrospect, it was probably a smart move.
Motorola spent years refining its hinge technology on the Razr. The early models were rough, but the 2024/2025 Razr+ models are spectacular, featuring one of the best, least visible creases on the market and a genuinely useful outer screen. They have perfected the mechanism on a small scale. Now, they are likely ready to scale it up.
If Motorola can bring the same engineering prowess they applied to the Razr's "teardrop" hinge to a device the size of a Galaxy Z Fold or a Google Pixel Pro Fold, they could instantly have a top-tier contender.
Image Credit: https://www.youtube.com/@bob_obba/
The Competitive Landscape
Entering the book-style arena in early 2026 is no easy task because the market is fiercer than ever. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been out for months, continuing to dominate sales charts with its refined durability and mature multitasking features. Meanwhile, Google has finally hit its stride with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which has proven to be a incredibly solid daily driver thanks to its clean software and next-generation AI features. On the hardware front, the competition is relentless, with the Oppo Find N5 and Honor Magic V5 stunning reviewers by delivering incredibly thin designs without compromising on battery or cameras.
So, what will Motorola bring to the table in this crowded field? Hopefully the shape of the notepad in question is a hint about exactly that. If Moto wants to crash Apple’s party, they could be set to release their own short and wide “passport"-style” foldable. This would easily make Moto’s Fold stand out from the crowd and if Apple follows suit, it would even seem that odd. This strategy might just work.
Fans of Surface Duo might also finally have a device that could fill the void left by Microsoft’s exit.
Mark Your Calendars
We don't have specs. We don't even have a name. All we have is a wooden notepad and a promise to "unfold new perspectives."
But for fans of foldable tech who have been waiting for another serious player to enter the high-end arena, January 6, 2026, just became the most interesting date on the calendar.