Google has unveiled the highly anticipated Google Pixel Fold, a foldable smartphone that puts Google in direct competition with the likes of Samsung and Xiaomi. We have pricing and pre-order details for you, including an excellent pre-order deal where you can score a free Pixel Watch worth $349.
About the Pixel Fold
Until now, with the exception of the Oppo Find N2 Flip which is only available overseas, most foldables have shipped with unremarkable cameras, but the Pixel Fold will likely change all of that. And that’s part of the reason why the Pixel Fold is such big news.
The new Google Pixel Fold has a 5.7-inch outer screen and a much larger 7.6-inch screen when it is unfolded and used in tablet mode. Google emphasized two key factors that differentiate the Google Pixel Fold from competing foldables: a hinge it developed in-house and a thinner form factor.
According to Google, the hinge on the Google Pixel Fold was redesigned in-house to ensure it is “the most durable hinge” on the market, and all the components in the device were redesigned to enable the device to be much thinner than other foldables – we will have more information on these intriguing claims once we get our review samples.
In addition, the new Google Pixel Fold has an IPX8 water-resistance rating and Google promises an Android 14 update that will allow Google Pixel Fold users to customize their foldable experience by personalizing lock-screen widgets, generating AI wallpapers, and more.
The device is powered by Google’s Tensor G2 chipset, which was first released with the Google Pixel 7. The key highlights of the chipset are its AI-powered capabilities, power-efficient conversion of text to speech compared to previous chipsets on Google smartphones, ability to filter out background noise during calls, and optimized photo/video processing capabilities.
During the Google I/O developer conference 2023, Google also announced other features that will be powered by the Tensor G2 chip, such as dual screen interpreter mode, which takes advantage of the two screens on the device to translate live conversations into text so that people on either side of the device can read what is being said by the other party in a language they understand.
Google Pixel Fold has a triple-camera system, but Google has yet to release detailed information on the cameras. However, we know that it has a 48MP main camera which users can take advantage of to shoot high-resolution selfies when the device is unfolded, and it is rumored to have a 10.8MP telephoto lens and 10.8MP ultrawide lens.
The camera system has the standard list of features you would expect from a Pixel phone, such as 10-bit HDR video, Real Tone, Portrait mode, and up to 5x optical zoom.
Finally, Google Pixel Fold users can also fold the device halfway to view/shoot content in tabletop mode, position the camera on a table to take better group photos using the palm gesture feature, or use the Pixel Fold as a tripod to take better wide-angle photos/videos.
Google Pixel Fold pricing and pre-order deals
The Pixel Fold is now available for pre-order directly from Google. The device will retail for $1799 unlocked for the 256GB model and $1919 for the 512GB model. If you pre-order from Google directly you’ll get a free Pixel Watch worth $349.
Amazon also has a page where you can sign up for updates. Otherwise, you can expect preorders from Amazon and other retailers to start beginning on June 20th.
The Google Pixel Fold will also be available to Verizon customers starting from June 20th, in 256GB and 512GB storage options, while AT&T will make the device available to its customers sometime this summer.