Prosser: Google Pixel "Fold" is real and in development

Well-known leaker Jon Prosser has “confirmed” that Google is prepping a foldable Pixel. According to Prosser, “the Google Pixel “Fold” is a real thing,” which also seems to indicate that the device is taking on the form of a smartphone-tablet hybrid along the lines of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold line. Apple, conversely, seems to believe that a Galaxy Flip-style device is the way to go, should its device ever see the light of day that is.

We first learnt that Google was prepping a foldable Pixel in June last year when 9to5Google was provided with an internal Google document that revealed the company’s Pixel device roadmap. Along with the just leaked in photos Pixel 5a, a Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 XL were mentioned along with the Pixel foldable, which is said to be going by the codename “passport”. Prosser’s confirmation of its existence raises hopes that we could see it released this year, perhaps in the fourth quarter when Google typically launches its flagship devices.

Questions will, however, naturally arise about what the company will do to keep the price of a foldable Pixel in check. As a point of comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 at launch was priced at US$2,000, which has ensured it remains a niche product. To price it more attractively, Google could be forced to skip the high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC for a mid-range 700-series processor, much like it did with the Pixel 5. For most people, however, that might still not be enough for it to hit the sweet spot given the complexity of a foldable device and the cost parts including its pricey flexible OLED panel.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 from Amazon.