The Motorola Razr sold on looks alone, with ordinary insides
Inside, the 2004 Motorola Razr V3 was nearly identical to the unremarkable V500 and V600 phones that preceded it. What changed was the shell: a startlingly thin aluminium flip body with a keypad etched from a single metal sheet. That skin was enough to make it America's most popular phone for three straight years.
Development began in July 2003 under the codename 'Siliqua', alongside a companion flip phone aimed at women that became the Pebl. Squeezing standard parts into such a slim case was a real technical challenge. Industrial designer Chris Arnholt shaped most of its distinctive features, including the glowing electroluminescent keypad and the external glass screen, while executive Geoffrey Frost coined the name. Instead of unveiling it at a trade fair, chief executive Edward Zander launched it at a presentation in Chicago in July 2004.
At first it was priced as a luxury object. Once the price dropped, sales took off, and in the United States the V3 series was the best-selling phone in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Its specifications stayed firmly mid-range: a low-resolution camera, a basic web browser, Bluetooth and a mini USB port for charging. A small outside display showed callers and the time, and a side button even let owners snap selfies with the lid shut.
Motorola milked the design with endless variations. A black edition went into gift bags at the 77th Academy Awards, pink versions spread across carriers, and some sales helped breast cancer and HIV charities. A limited gold model made with Dolce & Gabbana ran to just 1,223 units. Later versions added better cameras, memory card slots, music players and even an iTunes tie-up with Apple.
Adding features eroded the magic. The 3G V3x for Europe and Asia gained a front camera and a 2-megapixel lens but weighed about 125 grams and measured 20 millimetres thick, compared with 95 grams and 13 millimetres for the original. The Razr2 series succeeded it in 2007, but the first Razr remains a defining icon of mid-2000s design.
Source: Motorola Razr V3
