Mats Hellqvist
In the last two years, the market for foldable smartphones has grown significantly. Samsung and Huawei dominated in the early years, then Huawei lost significant market share after the US ban. Other brands like vivo, Xiaomi and Motorola followed suit but never really dared to enter the world markets. Apple’s foldable won’t be out until 2024 at the earliest. But more and more reports indicate that Google will finally introduce the Google Pixel Fold this year.
Rumors about the Google Pixel Fold have been around for a few years. Last month, a normally reliable source released the first render. South Korean media have now revealed more details about the flagship foldable. The Elec reports that Google plans to start mass-producing the Pixel Fold components in Q3 2023. The market launch could therefore be expected in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Samsung started mass-producing components for the Galaxy Z Flip4 and Galaxy Z Fold4 in May 2022. About a month later, mass production of the first batch was completed. The report also confirms some of the Pixel Fold’s display details. Accordingly, there is a foldable 7.57-inch main display made of Ultra Thin Glass and a 5.78-inch outer display. The dimensions differ slightly from previously leaked specs.
The Elec also states that the Google Pixel Fold’s panel may not be as good as that of the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Fold4. Samsung’s screen technology also allows for thinner displays and, unlike the Pixel, supports a stylus. However, the new report should be treated with caution – all previous rumors pointed to a market launch in April or May 2023, just in time for the Google I/O.
