Pink is the new black, and Motorola is doing it in the most iconic way

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.

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.