Google Pixel Fold: Breaking Down Rumors About the Mysterious New Device
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Rumor blogs have been alive with discussion about the mysterious foldable phone dubbed the Google Pixel Fold following the release of new insider information. While Google has yet to confirm any rumors about its upcoming phone, some reliable insiders have weighed in with their thoughts that the phone is in fact real and on its way to the market.
Most of the new rumors come from a recent report by TheElec that claims Google is falling in line with other mobile makers by going into business with Samsung Display, all for a new foldable phone that’s thus far been kept under wraps. If the information is true, it means we’ve only seen the beginning of what’s to come in the near future regarding foldable phone technology.
This new innovation could push Google into competition with the likes of Samsung, who has been dominating the foldable phone market with their line of Galaxy Fold phones. That’s all under the assumption that the Google Pixel Fold exists in the first place.
Potential Release Timeline
Industry insider and display expert Ross Young speculates the Pixel Fold will follow a late-release timeline, possibly coming out in the second half of 2021. Another generally trustworthy leaker Jon Prosser shared similar sentiments, claiming the foldable phone will likely launch later this year or in early 2022.
Citing production information directly from TheElec‘s report, Samsung is possibly set to start producing OLED panels for Google in October — meaning the Pixel Fold could be announced anywhere from October to December of this year.
While there is no confirmed timeline, it seems most of the sources’ speculation share a common theme that the phone is likely to be released by the end of the year, if not shortly after.
How Much Will it Cost?
As of late, there hasn’t been much information released about the expected cost of the Google Pixel Fold except that it will not be cheap. The best we can do is look at the cost of foldable phones released earlier this year to try and estimate what to expect.
We ought to consider newly released phones such the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 which has a MSRP of $1799.99 and the Motorola razr Flip 5G which is going for $1399.99. Considering the high price of bendable displays, it would make sense for the Google Pixel Fold to have a high price tag — but we can’t speculate about the price much more than that.
Possible New Features
Falling in line with its predecessors of foldable phones, TheElec‘s report claims the Google Pixel Fold will boast a 7.6-inch display when unfolded — the same as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 — and will be fully equipped with the same foldable glass technology as Samsung. You heard us right — these claims speculate that Google will actually be buying their screens with ultra-thin glass directly from Samsung Display.
This speculation falls in line with that of digital publisher Korea IT News who claims that Samsung Display is planning on broadening their customer list for UTG technology in order to expand their foldable display business. While this is still just speculation, it would have interesting implications for the future of the foldable phone market if it turns out to be true.
Really diving into speculation, it’s possible the Google Pixel Fold may even come rigged with under-screen camera technology. In simpler terms, this means the front-facing camera would not require a cutout at the top of the screen and would instead be placed under the screen without taking up any extra display space. It’s been difficult for phone manufacturers to figure out how to include such a camera without compromising image quality — and if the rumors are true, it would make Google one of the first to successfully apply the technology.
This claim is based off information from online news platform LetsGoDigital who noticed that Google filed a patent in September 2020 for a “Full-screen display with sub-display camera.” We’ve yet to see a Google phone with an under-display camera, so it’s definitely possible — though still speculative — that they’ll choose to unveil such a feature in the Google Pixel Fold.
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