Pink is the new black, and Motorola is doing it in the most iconic way
Did Motorola just start a trend in the smartphone industry?
For the first time in a long, long while, Motorola has seemingly started a trend, and all the biggest names in the industry seem to have followed suit. While most smartphone makers appear to follow Apple or Samsung when deciding on the color palette of their new devices, everyone and their grandma seems to be following Motorola's blazing hot pink Razr Plus 2024 these days.
A lot of people (including me) lost their minds when the first pink Pixel 9 was spotted in the wild, and we were even more excited when the matching Pixel Watch 3 made its debut next to the Pixel 9 series. Any time you spot a pink Pixel, you immediately know that it's a 9 series Pixel because of the shade alone.
The boldest new color variant in any smartphone lineup sets the mood for that launch, eventually becoming the signifier for that series. For example, the Kinda Coral Pixel 6 was a brave new hue and it ended up becoming the signature shade for Pixels of that era.
And guess what? Apple just released the iPhone 16 series, and sure enough, there's a pink option that we can buy. We're not talking about Apple's usual subtle or rose gold hues, the iPhone 16 is unapologetically, irrevocably, very loudly and proudly pink. I don't know about you, but I wasn't shocked at all.
Before Google and Apple, though, Samsung brought pastel pink to the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Even HMD, the owner of Nokia, has joined in on the fun with the blushing HMD Skyline. But despite all these big brands jumping on the pink phone bandwagon, none of them started the trend. The credit for that, in my eyes, goes to Motorola.
Don't get me wrong—pink phones existed before the Razr Plus 2024. Samsung launched the S21 series and the Z Flip 5 in pastel pinks. But Motorola's story with the shade goes way back and is far more iconic.
Turn the clock back to the early 2000s, when Motorola was at the top of its game. Every modern-day foldable has the original Razr flip phone to thank for its existence. The Razr was the coolest phone on the block back in the day. It became even more iconic when reality TV star Paris Hilton became the poster girl for the Razr, rocking one in a hot pink shade.
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Fast forward to today, 20 years after the RAZR V3, and Motorola has come full circle. The brand invited Paris Hilton to don a hot pink Razr once more to honor the legendary flip phone that started it all. Hilton was a key figure at the Razr Plus 2024 launch event, inviting waves of nostalgia for so many of us.
The Razr 5G came in a subtle Blush Gold option, followed by a deep Viva Magenta offering for the Razr Plus 2023. But while this isn't Motorola's first pink foldable, the Razr Plus 2024 is the first proper pink foldable, and I think it's the perfect time to reintroduce this iconic coat of paint. With the launch of the Razr Plus 2024, Motorola has overtaken Samsung to reprise its role as the best flip phone maker in the biz. I couldn't imagine anything better than this to encapsulate the meaning of a hot pink Razr.
I was curious to hear Motorola's side of this color story, so I reached out to them. Here's what Maria Jose Martin, director of North America Marketing at Motorola, had to say about the significance of a hot pink Razr.
"The original RAZR V3 established pink as a fashionable and desirable colorway for smartphones, and has since then always been closely associated with Motorola and the Razr," she commented, talking about the inception of the pink Razr. "This year, 20 years after the original Razr launch, we were incredibly excited to bring back the Razr in all of its iconic hot pink glory — alongside Paris Hilton, of course!"
Sharing some insight on Motorola's inspiration behind the Razr 2024 Plus color options, this rather loud pink colorway, and the decision to bring the iconic hue back now, she said that smartphones are more than just tech these days; they’re vessels for self-expression.
The brand aimed to establish an emotional connection with consumers and felt that hot pink would naturally be associated with the original Razr. This bold and trendy color choice also offers users an opportunity to express their individuality.
When asked about the color and how it connects to the roots of the Razr lineup, Martin went on to give a very in-depth response.
"The original RAZR V3 was one of the first devices to become a cultural icon. In the early 2000s, having a Razr was a fashion statement, and a status symbol for the era's top celebrities and 'cool kids.' However, the device was never just an accessory - it brought technological innovations of its time and truly bridged the gap between fashion and technology."
I love the fact that Motorola is aware of the nostalgia factor. In its own way, the brand is paying homage to its older fans, while attracting a whole new generation of users with more vivacious color options. It is a lovely sentiment and I hope that Motorola continues to dance to the beat of its own drum.
Hot pink FTW
Sporting a large and very useful cover screen, the Motorola Razr Plus 2024 comes in the iconic hot pink shade that takes us back to the 2000s. You enjoy cool features and Moto AI, along with powerful processing and a delectable design, all at a very amicable price.
Namerah enjoys geeking out over accessories, gadgets, and all sorts of smart tech. She spends her time guzzling coffee, writing, casual gaming, and cuddling with her furry best friends. Find her on Twitter @NamerahS.
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BijouVixen My favorite color. Can't lie!!Reply
Hopefully Samsung does indeed follow this trend and find out with some Hot Pink for its U25 Ultra line!? -
Stanley Kubrick I have no issues with various colors if people use clear cases. To each his/her own! But Hot Pink is surely a niche color for the vast majority of people. Basic black will never die. I would like to buy a colorful phone, however when it comes time to sell it....then I could severely limit myself with a Hot Pink phone! So I usually stay with black, then maybe darker blue, or green (depending on the shade), or white. It's like buying a house. Everyone wants neutral wall colors. If you let your kids paint their rooms orange, or pink...you can lose a sale! YMMVReply -
Laura Knotek
The funny thing is that most people don't use clear cases, and the first thing most people do after buying a house is repainting.Stanley Kubrick said:I have no issues with various colors if people use clear cases. To each his/her own! But Hot Pink is surely a niche color for the vast majority of people. Basic black will never die. I would like to buy a colorful phone, however when it comes time to sell it....then I could severely limit myself with a Hot Pink phone! So I usually stay with black, then maybe darker blue, or green (depending on the shade), or white. It's like buying a house. Everyone wants neutral wall colors. If you let your kids paint their rooms orange, or pink...you can lose a sale! YMMV -
SeeBeeEss Stanley Kubrick said:I have no issues with various colors if people use clear cases. To each his/her own! But Hot Pink is surely a niche color for the vast majority of people. Basic black will never die. I would like to buy a colorful phone, however when it comes time to sell it....then I could severely limit myself with a Hot Pink phone! So I usually stay with black, then maybe darker blue, or green (depending on the shade), or white. It's like buying a house. Everyone wants neutral wall colors. If you let your kids paint their rooms orange, or pink...you can lose a sale! YMMV
Hot Pink may indeed be a niche colour. I suppose the same could be said of any colour that is not within the market dominant black spectrum. It is also true that most people don't use clear cases because they know that they will turn yellow or scratch in short order, look terrible, and have to be replaced.Laura Knotek said:The funny thing is that most people don't use clear cases, and the first thing most people do after buying a house is repainting.
That being said, the truth is that as long as people want them badly enough and are willing to put down the money, niche colours and clear cases will be a thing.
I just wish manufacturers had the will to figure out a way to make phones durable enough that we didn't need a cheap looking case to cover up our beautiful investment (and hey, let's be honest, 98% of cases look cheap in comparison to the quality of the phone they are covering up). Then the niche colours would make even more sense and, who knows, manufacturers might even find a way to profit from providing good quality (most aren't) niche colors as an option to the black spectrum.
I would love a "niche" cobalt metallic blue or silver Pixel. I have seen no case that would even come close to providing the colour or quality that I would like, so I settle on something within the boring black spectrum. I suspect many others do the same, not because they prefer black, but because there are few good options. -
Stanley Kubrick The OEM's can make the phones more durable and varied in color of they moved away from glass backs. Personally I think there is more going on here than that glass is "premium". I think the case makers WANT them to continue using glass. Anyone hear of kickbacks??? No proof for sure but can you imagine if all phones were built more like the indestructible tanks that are already available? Many companies and employees would be out of business!Reply -
BijouVixen I'm hoping, praying that ATT releases this in Pink so I'll be switching over 100% I've had Black with my last 4 foldable devices and definitely need a change for sure!!Reply