Motorola teases new flagship foldable ahead of CES 2026: What we know so far

Foldable phones are on the rise with a Counterpoint Research report projecting that shipments of such devices could rise by 38 per cent in the new year.

Motorola still has no book-style foldable like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. (Screenshot: Motorola)

3 min readNew DelhiJan 2, 2026 09:10 AM IST First published on: Jan 1, 2026 at 11:05 AM IST

Motorola has officially released a teaser of its brand-new foldable smartphone, confirming that the flagship device will be unveiled at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, United States, next week.

Shared in a LinkedIn post by Sergio Buniac, the president of Motorola Mobility, on Wednesday, December 31, the teaser highlights a curved design with textured back and four camera lenses. Motorola has been dropping hints that it might launch its first-ever book-style foldable smartphone this year. While the Razr series has stuck with a clamshell fold since day one, the Lenovo-owned smartphone brand still has no book-style foldable like the Galaxy Z Fold.

“On January 6th, we’ll set a new bar for what a flagship device can be. Stay tuned as we enter into our new signature era at Lenovo Tech World 2026 in Las Vegas,” Buniac wrote in a post accompanying the official teaser of the new smartphone. Reports also stated that Motorola has sent gift boxes to editors worldwide, with each box carrying a note about the upcoming CES Lenovo Tech World event. “We are getting ready to unfold new perspectives at the Lenovo Tech World,” read the note, as per a post on X by one of the recipients of its gift box.

Foldable phones are on the rise with a Counterpoint Research report projecting that shipments of such devices could rise by 38 per cent in the new year, with book-style models expected to lead the pack. If conspiracy theories floating on the internet are to be believed, Apple may also finally launch an iPhone Fold in late 2026. In fact, Cupertino has reportedly been testing a foldable phone internally for years but has been holding off until it irons out the issues that existing foldable phones have faced.

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In March 2025, unofficial leaks suggested that Motorola’s first-ever book-style foldable could look different from the usual Razr lineup. Instead of a full-sized cover display like the Z Fold 7 or Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Motorola might go for a smaller front screen. Similar to Razr phones, the upcoming smartphone could let users handle most tasks from the cover screen itself, without having to open the phone.

A wood-inspired finish from Motorola could also signal a fresh design direction for book-style foldables away from the sea of glass and metal designs.

Motorola Signature launch

Motorola’s new premium smartphone with a fabric finish, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip, and flagship cameras is also set to make its debut this year. The high-end smartphone, known as Motorola Signature, will be introduced on January 7, 2026, according to the brand’s social media account.

Motorola has already started teasing key elements of the Signature’s design. The company has confirmed that the phone will feature a fabric-style finish, a material choice aimed at setting it apart visually and tactually from conventional glass-backed flagships. Promotional images also reveal a flat display with a centrally placed cut-out for the selfie camera.

Given that this device is the first in an entirely new “Signature” series, Motorola’s pricing strategy remains unclear.