Google is gearing up to unveil its Samsung Galaxy Fold rival, the Pixel Fold, its first foldable phone in the coming weeks. The tech giant is expected to launch its first foldable smartphone sometime in June, according to a report by CNBC, which cited internal communications. Google may announce the device at its annual Google I/O developer conference, on May 10.
Known by the codename “Felix”, the upcoming Pixel Fold is said to have the “most durable hinge on a foldable” phone, the internal documents viewed by CNBC added. The Google Pixel Fold is likely to be priced upward of $1,700 and it will give competition to Samsung’s $1,799 Galaxy Z Fold 4.
South Korean tech giant Samsung dominated the market in foldable phones during H1 2022, accounting for 62 per cent of the market according to Counterpoint’s Foldable Smartphone Tracker. China’s Huawei and Oppo came in a distant second and third in the race. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, which was launched in August, is Samsung’s fourth-generation foldable smartphone. However, with the Pixel Fold entering the race, things may change as Google plans to make its first foldable pocketable and water-resistant.
The Pixel Fold is likely to be powered by the company’s proprietary Tensor G2 chip, according to the documents. This is same chipset that powered the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro devices last year.
Google Pixel 7a coming soon?
Meanwhile, Google is likely to unveil the Pixel 7a a few weeks later. It is rumoured to be unveiled at the annual Google I/O conference on May 10, says a recent report by 9to5Google. This phone will be to be the successor to last year’s Google Pixel 6a, arguably the best-value and camera smartphone of 2022.
The report added, citing a retail source, that the price of Pixel 7a will be $499 (which roughly translates into Rs 40,970) and which is a $50 increase over last year’s Pixel 6a. The India and US prices of the Pixel will most likely be different. This increase in price likely comes from the new design and improvements. The tech giant is also upgrading the main camera to a 64MP main sensor flanked by a 13MP ultra-wide shooter.