June 17, 2021
Damien Wilde
– Jun. 17th 2021 5:00 am PT
@iamdamienwilde
Reports over the past few weeks suggest that flexible OLED production will start in October for a folding Pixel device. Which leads us to wonder if you would even buy or consider a foldable Google Pixel.
If there is one strong area for the Android space that Apple can’t yet match, it is in the form factor of devices. Sure, we could see a folding iPhone at some point, but we’ve heard rumors of a foldable Pixel since late 2020. We first revealed the codename for a folding device from Made by Google was “Passport,” a codename we also spotted in May 2021 hinting that the device is still very much in progress.
Samsung has led the way in folding OLED displays, and so it should come as absolutely no surprise that if you are looking to buy a Pixel foldable, the display will be made by the Korean tech giant. Since the disastrous Galaxy Fold launch, we’ve seen the formula tweaked and tuned so that durability issues are no longer a major concern for the tech.
Naturally, with any form factor, there are inherent strengths and weaknesses. On folding smartphones, the display is bound to be one such potential failure point. This could provide enough of a reason for anyone to avoid buying or considering a foldable Google Pixel, but with clean software and even the usage of a Whitechapel chipset, it sure would be an interesting product.
The late-2020 Made by Google launch event may hopefully give us some more clues about what to expect or if “Passport” will even come to fruition. There is no doubt that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro represent a larger step from Google with the usage of the custom Whitechapel chipset. A foldable device joining the ranks at a slightly later date could be pretty huge though.
Hints about the design have also been shared as recently as February 2020, with a 7.6-inch display touted and the codename also suggests a book-style fold, too. The undoubted standout smartphone from 2020 was the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which even if used as a blueprint would likely make any Pixel foldable a must-buy for hardware Google fans — although at this stage nothing more is known.
Pricing will undoubtedly be a major factor in why most of you out there will consider a foldable. If Google plans on its first foldable to come in a large form factor, then a $1,000+ price tag wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility. Of course, other details remain scarce but if production is set to start in October 2021, we want to know if you would even consider buying a Pixel Foldable. Let us know via the (updated with more options) survey below:
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@iamdamienwilde
Damien is a UK-based video producer for 9to5Google. Find him on Twitter: @iamdamienwilde. Email: damien@9to5mac.com
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