 Google I/O 2023 came with several important hardware announcements for the company, including its first foldable phone — the Pixel Fold in addition to the Pixel Tablet and Pixel 7a. As the Pixel hardware ecosystem nears completion, Google has also ramped up its software game by implementing feature additions and upgrades to Bard as well as bringing AI capabilities to the Google Workspace suite.
As for the Pixel Fold, it’s available for pre-orders starting May 10 and will start shipping in June. The foldable will run buyers $1,799 for the base model with 256GB storage.
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Pixel Fold finally hits the shelves
As expected, the Pixel Fold comes with a 5.8-inch external screen running at 1080 x 2092 resolution which is paired with an internal 7.6-inch screen running at 2208 x 1840 resolution folded in half. Both the displays are OLED and they both run at 120Hz. Powering the foldable is Google’s Tensor G2 chip, the same one that powers the company’s flagship Pixel 7 lineup. Paired with the G2 are 12GB of DDR5 memory and 256 or 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
There’s a total of five cameras on the one, three on the back, one in the front and one on the internal display. The rear triple-camera module features a 48MP main camera paired with a 10.8MP 5x telephoto and 10.8MP ultrawide. On the outside, you also get two 8.3MP front cameras, one on the external display and one inside. Google’s pretty confident in the Pixel Fold’s camera abilities, enough to call it the “best foldable camera”.
There was a lot of talk about the Pixel Fold being heavier as compared to its biggest rival, the Galaxy Z Fold4 (284 grams as compared to 263 grams respectively), and the reason behind that is the bigger 4,800 mAh battery that the Fold packs. This gives it an advantage over Fold4, at least when it comes to battery life. However, it remains to be seen whether the 400 mAh difference in the Pixel Fold and Z Fold4’s battery capacities will make a discernable difference.
Google is also making bold claims about the Pixel Fold’s hinge. Not only is it the thinnest phone in the Pixel lineup, but it’s also the thinnest foldable on the market when unfolded, at least according to Google. Other than the hinge which is rated for up to 200,000 opens and closes, the Pixel Fold also gets IPX8 weather resistance.
The Pixel Fold will be available for pre-orders starting May 10 and will start shipping in June. The foldable will run buyers $1,799 for the base model with 256GB storage.
| Specs | Pixel Fold |
|---|---|
| Processor | Google Tensor G2 SoC |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB |
| External Display | 5.8-inch OLED 120Hz 1080 x 2092 resolution 1550 nits max brightness |
| Internal Display | 7.6-inch OLED 120Hz 2208 x 1840 resolution 1450 nits max brightness |
| Main Cameras | 48MP main camera with OIS 10.8MP ultrawide 10.8MP 5x telephoto |
| Front Cameras | 8.3 MP front cameras |
| Battery | 4800mAh 30W fast charging Qi wireless charging compatible |
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