Every morning, at around 7am, I am awoken by a disharmonic orchestra of power tools and heavy machinery. They are constructing a giant outside my window. Concrete slabs are stacked like vertebrae; they form the foundation of a skeleton that will soon house its gastrointestinal pipework. It has only taken months for its size to see a threefold expansion. Its unstoppable growth is a raging march upward. Now, its head pierces the heavens, the last place man has yet to conquer. This endless quest for domination, our insatiable taste for more, seems to be mankind’s most perpetual strife. My colossal neighbor has made me think of the position of humans within our classic structure of consumption generations: This system requires a revision. We think of ourselves standing proudly at the top, above plant and animal life. But, in our endless pursuit of grander horizons, I think we might have built a new layer above. The person has become a commodity. Somewhere on a far-off cloud, we are reduced to figures and clusters of information, digested by an invisible intelligence – some abstract master that operates from its own shadow. With questions arising about the agency of this intelligence, we must start to wonder if our already teetering empire is at a point of collapse. When we speculate about the possibility of our own creations overthrowing us, we typically fantasize about killer robots and supercomputers that possess all human knowledge. This notion of a higher being that is somehow nevertheless driven by the distinctively human lust for power and ownership, exposes an ugly arrogance that is almost fetishistic. Our imagination stays trapped under our skin, restricted by the qualitative boundaries of our own form. Instead, I am envisioning an entity that lives beyond these preconceptions. A something whose desires and motivations surpass the boundaries of our understanding. The incomprehensible size of this object, in both form and concept, is so immense that our ability to perceive it in its entirety falls short. Made up of a complex network of systems, we are unable to capture its whole form at a glance, the scale of this entity appears infinite. Our intellectual capacities are challenged by the shortcomings of our perception. Humans can have an idea of infinity, but can we truly ever know it?

A florist’s shop, one’s eyes unable to rest between colorful blossoms and petals. And in the far back, mounted on a lushly decorated wall: Smartphones, packed with the newest hardware, software and… AI. A phone event at an unusual place. And what’s got any of that to do with flowers?

 

You see, this year ‘round Motorola didn’t just want to release their usual spec-bumped phones; a few new colors, maybe one or two new AI features, better chip and so on. They’ve got a brand-new strategy for appealing to their customers – with smart, elegant everyday accessories. That means bold colors, elegant materials and an overall lifestyle-fitted user experience. And it’s true, especially the Razr 60 Ultra – their flagship flip-phone – looks and feels incredible. Four distinctive finishes – velvet, leather, wood and plush. Paired with the futuristic feeling screen on the back of the device (or the front, depending on if the phones is open or closed) – surrounding the rear-cameras like an island – it really is an unusually sensational experience.

 

Other than that, the Razr offers a magnitude of quirky little features. So many in fact, that its appeal quickly shifts away from the grand marketing catchphrases to its more fun-inducing attributes: Its unique camera-features and the way they are integrated into the clamshell style of the device. It was notably fun to play around with the camera’s “Camcorder”-feature. When folded at an 90-degree angle, the smartphone can be held like an old camcorder by the likes of Panasonic or Sony. The whole experience felt quite intuitive, gifting the product a nostalgic quality.

 

Another type of device that caught my attention were the Moto Buds Loop. These stylish little wireless headphones are meant to be worn as a fashion accessoire, being described by Motorola as “design for your ears”. Bold words. The Loop feature an unusual design by, as the name already suggests, looping around one’s ear, not following the typical in-ear design of most companies. However, what truly sets these apart from other headphones in this category, are the Swarovski-crystals that are glued to the Loop’s rim. Sparkling in bright champagne, they fit the shift in the company’s mindset perfectly. And well, they do look incredibly chic cuffing ‘round someone’s ear, bringing some much-needed fresh air into a product category, whose design philosophy hasn’t really changed since the original AirPods’ release back in 2016.

 

The final characteristic of the lineup that is worth talking about when it comes to the newly acquired spirit of Motorola is a small quirk of the popular Edge-series of smartphones. Some users might not even notice it, yet subconsciously the Edge 60 Pro knows about the seductive qualities of odors. Immediately upon opening the box, a subtle scent dispenses into the air, filling the room with a blooming aura. What previously was only known from certain post stamps has entered the world of smartphones, how fun! The usefulness of this feature might be debatable, but that’s not the point.

 

Motorola’s 2025 lineup of products shows a clear evolution in the company’s identity. Over are the days of abiding to industry norms, at least in some relevant aspects. The “buy our product and you will instantly be transformed into a fashion icon”-approach works surprisingly well considering all the thought that went into designing these products to be experienced with all senses. Not only used as a tool. Of course, the Razr, Edge and Loop are way more than just their pretty looks and feels. The latest AI-features, bright screens and good performance all come together to form an easy-to-recommend package, especially if you value the little quirks of life… and appreciate a well thought out user experience.