Motorola launches 2026 Razr Ultra with premium materials and higher price
Preorders open on 14 May with availability scheduled for 21 May as Motorola pushes visual upgrades over significant hardware shifts.
Motorola has officially launched the 2026 Razr Ultra foldable smartphone in Australia, setting a price of $1,499. This represents a $200 increase from the previous year's model, a move that has drawn attention given the nature of the updates. While the device retains the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and the 512GB storage with 16GB RAM configuration found in the 2025 version, the cost rise appears to be attributed to ongoing memory shortages rather than substantial internal overhauls.
The most notable changes for the 2026 iteration lie in aesthetics and display performance. The wood-finish back panel, a feature from the prior year, returns alongside a new suede-like Alcantara option in orient blue. These materials are designed to counteract the notion that modern smartphones have become visually dull, offering a tactile experience that prioritises charm and photographability.
Under the hood, the device features a 5,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, an upgrade from the 4,700mAh cell in the 2025 model. The rear camera system has been updated with a larger 50-megapixel main sensor equipped with LOFIC technology, which claims to improve high dynamic range performance. The inner screen brightness has also been increased to 5,000 nits, up from 4,500 nits on the previous model, while the outer display is now protected by Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 for improved drop resistance.
Beyond hardware, the phone introduces two new camera features aimed at video and social sharing. A camcorder mode allows users to tilt the device left and right to zoom while gyro correction maintains a steady horizon in the final clip. Additionally, a 'Frame Match' mode overlays a reference photo to help users match composition when handing the phone to others, a utility intended to prevent accidental cropping of desired background elements.
Preorders for the 2026 Motorola Razr Ultra commence on 14 May, with general availability scheduled to begin on 21 May. Despite the higher entry price and the retention of last year's core processor and memory configuration, the launch positions the device as a premium offering focused on form, finish, and specific display enhancements for the Australian market.
