All the indications are that the Google Pixel Fold is going to be unveiled next month after years of rumor and speculation – and thanks to some freshly leaked image renders, we’ve got a very good idea of what it’s going to look like too.
These pictures come courtesy of well-known tipster Evan Blass (opens in new tab) (via 9to5Google (opens in new tab)) and show off the foldable phone in a dark gray kind of color. Based on the color schemes of previous Pixel phones, this shade might well be called charcoal.
There’s some kind of bulge around the rear camera unit, which we’re used to from previous handsets like the Google Pixel 7, and it looks as though we have three camera lenses on the back – which matches up with what we’ve heard previously.
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Hinges and home screens
The hinge on this foldable phone looks nice and thin, so we’re hoping for a thin and light Pixel Fold. An earlier rumor suggested that the Google foldable would have a more durable hinge than the one fitted to Samsung’s equivalent handset.
We also get a look at the familiar Pixel home screen, with its Material Design theme. Based on what we’ve previously heard from unofficial channels, the outer screen on the device is going to come in at a rather compact 5.8 inches in size.
The Google IO 2023 event gets underway on May 10, and considering how many leaks we’re now getting about the Pixel Fold, it would be something of a surprise if the foldable phone wasn’t announced – though it may not go on sale until June.
Analysis: a bold leap from Google
With the Google Pixel 8 due later this year, Google clearly now feels that it has enough experience in hardware to be able to take the next step, which is actually more of a leap: bringing out a foldable phone in the series.
Right now the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is leading the pack in terms of foldables, but it’s not that big of a pack. Foldable technology remains hard to get right, with issues around hinge and screen durability still on the minds of potential buyers.
The complexity of the technology also has an effect on the price: this phone is rumored to be costing in the region of $1,799 (possibly around £1,649 in the UK). Google is gambling that people are going to be prepared to pay out that much for their next phone.
From what we’ve heard so far, this is going to be a solid piece of mobile hardware, with a slick folding mechanism and some high-end specs. However, we’ll have to wait and see whether Google’s leap into foldables is a hit with phone buyers.
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