MWC 2023 is in full swing starting today—Monday, 27th February 2023— but as part of its pre-event announcements yesterday, Motorola unveiled a concept device it currently calls the "Rizr." The phone's main attraction is its rolling panel, expanding to give you access to more display space and contracting into a compact device when required.
Our team is on the ground in Barcelona and had a chance to experience this new piece of tech. Here, we will dive into everything we know about the Rizr concept to help you learn more.
Hands-on with Moto Rizr
At first glance, the Moto Rizr concept is a pudgy 5-inch screen device that has a 15:9 aspect ratio and uses a P-OLED panel. But double tap the power button on its right-hand side, and you'll see the device unfurl into a larger 6.5-inch screen with a 22:9 aspect ratio. The former is more compact than the smaller mainstream phones we've seen in recent years — iPhone 13 mini and a folded Galaxy Z Flip 4 — while the latter matches the range of sizes we've seen in flagship devices.
Switching between the sizes sees the Android UI morph. It compresses to match the smaller display and expands, showing more apps on the screen. A cool set of custom wallpapers also reflect all of this rolling action that the motors perform.
A double-tap, when expanded, will revert the phone into its compact state, but what happens to the screen that rolls away? In its current prototype stage, Motorola allows a portion of the screen to be functional on the back of the phone. We could see it used by the rear cameras as a viewfinder. Motorola planned to implement an always-on display into this visible portion too. These are two very useful features.
Furthermore, the 5-inch rolling screen moves down a little in compact mode to expose an earpiece and front camera. Motorola states this transition will occur automatically based on whether a user is answering a call or using the front camera. Other similar smart features are also built into the software, with the device automatically expanding if you begin using an app like Gmail, which will benefit from a larger display.
Motorola Rizr Concept: A Peak Into The Future After Foldables
Foldable smartphones are at a stage where we can call them mainstream, and a rolling phone will change this status quo. Yes, prices are still higher for the larger folding phones, but smaller options, like the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the recently launched Oppo Find N2 Flip, are easy-to-pick devices that we haven't shied away from recommending. And in our opinion, the Motorola Rizr — or whatever the retail version ends up being called — is welcome to the competition of compact devices that do more.
The device will have to prove its durability, and Motorola will need to polish its software to provide a meaningful experience to the end consumer. Still, it's something we're excited to see happening!