Pixel Fold: Two analysts suggest spring 2023 launch for Google's first foldable smartphone

Yesterday, The Elec reported that Google had shelved the Pixel Fold, also thought to be called the Pixel Notepad. Allegedly, Google had cancelled a previous prototype, codenamed 'Passport'. While Google never confirmed the cancellation of 'Passport', references to another foldable smartphone, 'Pipit', have since emerged. Although The Elec's report seemed fairly damning for the Pixel Fold, Ross Young and Jon Prosser have provided further insight into the state of the device going forwards.

Writing on Twitter, Young informed his followers that:

Subsequently, the CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) claimed that the Pixel Fold's display is not the reason for any delay. Instead, he speculates that Google has pushed the Pixel Fold because of a new chipset or further software innovations. We would not take either of these suggestions as fact just yet, but it would make sense for Google to equip the Pixel Fold with second-generation Google Tensor hardware, which should also appear in the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro.

Incidentally, Jon Prosser has reiterated Young's assertions. Purportedly, Prosser 'can confirm' that the Pixel Fold will not arrive until the spring. Based on past Google hardware releases, we would not rule out a Pixel Fold debut at next year's Google I/O conference. Typically, these conferences occur in May and begin with hardware announcements, as was the case with the Pixel 6a and Pixel Buds Pro this year, among other devices.

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