Google Pixel Fold 2: Rumors, news & speculation
GooglePixel Fold rear panel and front display on a gradient backgrount
Google’s next foldable, the Pixel Fold 2, might launch soon. Here’s everything you need to know about the device.
Google jumped on the foldable phone bandwagon last year with the Pixel Fold. It wasn’t perfect, but certainly a step in the right direction. The search giant got the phone’s dimensions right, equipping it with a wide cover screen, unlike the narrow outer panel of the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
The Pixel Fold comes with polished software and decent cameras. The Tensor G2 inside the device gets the job done, but it’s not very powerful or efficient. The second generation of Google’s foldable phones may have more to offer.
There isn’t much information available about the Pixel Fold 2 yet, but several early leaks have started to paint a faint picture of what to expect. We may be in for a design change, a new chipset, and better cameras.
Pixel Fold 2: Release timeline speculation
The Pixel Fold 2’s release date is unclear at the moment, with only a rumored October timeframe.
Early rumors claimed the device will pack the Tensor G3 chip inside, which might mean a launch during Google’s I/O event in May. But if Google is planning to equip the phone with the Tensor G4, you might have to wait until October to get your hands on the foldable.
The OG Pixel Fold was announced during the I/O conference on May 10 last year. It went on sale on June 28.
An Android Authority report claims that the upcoming foldable will not be called the Pixel Fold 2 but the “Pixel 9 Pro Fold.” The name has apparently been confirmed by some of the software built for Google’s 2024 devices.
Pixel Fold 2: Price expectations
The Pixel Fold 2’s price isn’t known right now, but there’s plenty of speculation. The original Pixel Fold hit the market with a hefty $1800 price tag, on par with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 but pricier than the $1500 OnePlus Open. Google might aim to keep the Pixel Fold 2’s price unchanged, but considering the pattern seen with other Google phones, a price bump wouldn’t be surprising.
Both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro saw their prices go up, with the Pixel 8 starting at $700 and the Pixel 8 Pro hitting the $1,000 mark. Reports are suggesting that the Pixel 8a could also cost $100 more than its predecessor, the Pixel 7a.
Google may launch the Pixel Fold 2 in more regions than the Pixel Fold. The latter was only available in US, UK, Germany, and Japan.
Pixel Fold 2: Design and display
The leaks about Google phone designs seem to be unstoppable, and the Pixel Fold 2 is no exception. Back in February, Android Authority shared a photo of the actual device. While the image is pretty fuzzy and censored, it suggests some major design changes for the Pixel Fold 2.
The biggest difference is the camera bump, now sitting isolated in the top left corner. There are four lenses, likely including a main wide-angle lens, an ultrawide lens, a telephoto lens with periscopic zoom, and another unidentified lens. This is a shift from past Tensor-powered Pixel phones, which were known for their camera bar that looked like a visor.
It seems Google is ditching the camera visor design. Leaks of the Pixel 9 also show a new design that doesn’t have the visor.
Another major change is the aspect ratio of the cover screen. While the exact dimensions aren’t clear at the moment, the image shows a narrower cover screen. It’s not as narrow as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 but closer to the 20:9 aspect ratio of the OnePlus Open.
OnLeaks teamed up with SmartPrix to spill more beans about the Pixel Fold 2’s display. The leaker dropped a bunch of renders showing off the design Android Authority had shared. According to OnLeaks, the Pixel Fold 2 rocks a 6.4-inch outer display, a solid bump from the 5.8-inch panel on the Pixel Fold, and even bigger than the 6.31-inch OnePlus Open.
When you unfold the phone, it spans about 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.27 mm, and when folded, it clocks in at roughly 155.2 x 77.1 x 10.54 mm. The primary screen will measure circa 7.9 inches. Other display specs aren’t known yet. Google may continue to use an OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Pixel Fold 2: Specs
GoogleReports indicate the search giant will skip Tensor G3 for its foldable and opt for the latest Tensor G4. This is supposed to be the same chipset that will power the Pixel 9 smartphones.
Alongside the new chipset, the Pixel Fold 2 may also feature 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. By comparison, last year’s Pixel Fold shipped with a base 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
The details about the phone’s camera sensors are not known at the moment, and neither are its battery and charging specs. We expect a larger battery but the same charging speed at 21W.
Should you wait for the Pixel Fold 2?
If you’re only looking for a Google foldable, the Pixel Fold 2 is worth waiting for. If not, pick up the OnePlus Open or Galaxy Z Fold 5, and you won’t regret your purchase. Samsung will launch the Galaxy Z Fold 6 later this year with several improvements. You may want to watch out for that as well.
