Flip phones were officially invented and introduced in 1996 with Motorola's StarTAC, the first flip phone to use a clamshell design. This design made mobile phones more compact and portable, revolutionizing mobile communication. Before the StarTAC, Motorola had released the MicroTAC in 1989, which featured the flip mechanism but was targeted at affluent users and was less compact than the StarTAC. The StarTAC became highly popular due to its lightweight build, sleek appearance, and advanced features like the lithium-ion battery. Flip phones gained widespread popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with models like the Motorola Razr V3 leading the trend with their slim, stylish design.