Motorola unveils Razr smartphone in first launch since Google deal

BERLIN: Motorola has unveiled the latest addition to its smartphone range with the launch of the Razr, which will run on Android 2.3.5 and is the first device from the firm since its $12.5bn acquisition by Google in August.

Many will remember the Razr range of phones, first launched in 2004, as one of the firm's most successful, and Motorola will be hoping that by resurrecting the brand it can create some buzz in the industry to rival Apple's iPhone 4S.

The handset is powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, boasts 1GB of RAM and a whopping 16GB of storage as well as an 8-megapixel camera.

It also has a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera and an HDMI port, while the screen is a sizeable 4.3in and has a super AMOLED display.

The firm claims that it is the thinnest smartphone on the market, measuring just 7.1mm at its thickest point, while it weighs just 127g.

Despite the slim and lightweight design, Motorola said the device was strong enough for everyday life, with a Gorilla Glass screen for scratch resistance while the back is made with Kelvar, usually found in bullet-proof vests.

The firm officially unveiled the device at an event in Berlin at which Alain Mutricy, senior vice president for product management, said the firm was confident the device would rival other high-end smartphones on the market from firms such as Apple and Samsung.

"The Razr is a marvel of technology and engineering. It is 7.1mm thin and has one of the world's best screen displays, with a richer colour saturation and larger screen than the iPhone 4S," he said.

Mutricy also revealed that Motorola would be pushing out the Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) Android 4.0 software release to the phone during the first few months of 2012, after the update was unveiled last night by Google and Samsung.

"We plan to have the Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade for the phone during the first half of 2012 as ICS becomes available to OEMs in the coming weeks," he said.