Google Pixel Fold is expected to cost $1,700.
American tech giant Google might reportedly soon launch its first foldable smartphone, tapping the segment of the smartphone market that is mostly dominated by a handful of companies including Samsung. According to a report by CNBC, the Sundar Pichai-led company could unveil the foldable device at its annual developer conference Google I/O on May 10.
Citing internal documents, the media organization reported that Google’s foldable Pixel, or as it called Pixel Fold, goes by the codename ‘Felix’ and will have the “most durable hinge.” Seen as a competition to Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Google’s foldable smartphone is expected to cost $1,700. The base 256GB variant of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 costs $1,799 in the United States.
Google Pixel Fold is reported to be marketed as water-resistant and pocket-sized with the outside screen measuring 5.8 inches. The smartphone is said to open like a book and transition into a small tablet with a 7.6-inch screen. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 also has a similar 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display panel on the inside with up to 120Hz refresh rate.
However, Google’s foldable device could be heavier than Samsung’s and weigh 10oz, or around 283 grams, compared with Samsung Fold 4 weight of 9.28oz or 263 grams. In terms of battery, Google Pixel Fold could last for 24 hours or up to 72 hours in low-power mode. The device would be powered by the company’s Tensor G2 chip.
To attract customers, Google will likely announce offers like an option to swap a current Pixel, iPhone, or an Android-powered smartphone for a discount on the Pixel Fold. Buyers of Pixel Fold could also get a free Pixel Watch. There is no official confirmation from Google yet.
While hardware consists of a small fraction of Google’s offerings as well as revenue, the Pixel Fold is said to be the most expensive smartphone in the Pixel family. It is noteworthy that the news is coming at a time when a report recently highlighted that Google could lose its search services on Samsung devices to Microsoft’s revamped version of Bing. Samsung’s move could risk $3 billion in Google’s annual revenue.
