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Google To Launch Its First Foldable Phone, the 'Pixel Fold,' In June (techcrunch.com) 47

Posted by BeauHD from the what-to-expect dept.
At Google I/O on May 10th, Google will launch its first foldable smartphone, "challenging Samsung's market-leading foldable phone business," reports CNBC. From the report: The Pixel Fold, known internally by the codename "Felix," will have the "most durable hinge on a foldable" phone, according to the documents. It will cost upward of $1,700 and compete with Samsung's $1,799 Galaxy Z Fold 4. Google plans to market the Pixel Fold as water-resistant and pocket-sized, with an outside screen that measures 5.8 inches across, according to the documents. Photos viewed by CNBC show that the phone will open like a book to reveal a small tablet-sized 7.6-inch screen, the same size as the display on Samsung's competitor. It weighs 10oz, slightly heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, but it has a larger battery that Google says will last for 24 hours, or up to 72 hours in a low power mode.

The Pixel Fold is powered by Google's Tensor G2 chip, according to the documents. That's the same processor that launched in the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones last year.
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Google To Launch Its First Foldable Phone, the 'Pixel Fold,' In June More

Google To Launch Its First Foldable Phone, the 'Pixel Fold,' In June

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  • Should Google improve what it is doing now, and not try to expand to new technologies?

    What made Google interested involving itself in new technologies?
    • "... interested IN involving..."
    • No, they should not intentionally stagnate. This is a good idea.

      Like all folding phones this one is excessively expensive, but I'm glad to finally see one that will have an unlocked bootloader. That makes this one the first that I'm even remotely interested in. I'm not going to buy it, I would never spend that kind of money on a phone, but this is still nice to see.

    • How is it a "new technology"? They've been making (or having OEMs make them) phones for years.

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • The last two generations of pixels being garbage, no, I won't trust them with a mobile device of any kind again.

    • Especially considering that Apple is going to properly allow side-loading soon... it going to be easier to build app eco system on top of a iOS, without getting fisted by Apple, while Google will still be trying to monetize and re-sell information about the color of your poop.

      • Especially considering that Apple is going to properly allow side-loading soon... it going to be easier to build app eco system on top of a iOS, without getting fisted by Apple, while Google will still be trying to monetize and re-sell information about the color of your poop.

        Every legit App Store charges nearly the same Commission. Why always the Apple Hate?

        Asking for a friend.

        • It not about hate, it is about not wanting to pass through their app store at all. It is to encourage diversity and freedom, like Android does.

          This is not even about money or purchase, but just the capacity of sending an employee to the IT dept and not worrying if they will be able to install the corporate or research app you've developed, without having to send them to the scam-store, and praying they install the proper app for this or for that. It allow for SOP to be develop and much more.

          If you wanna tal

          • It not about hate, it is about not wanting to pass through their app store at all. It is to encourage diversity and freedom, like Android does.

            Cool story Bro! Sorry, but it is Ford versus Chevy hatred that some people seem to need. THe Google ecosystem encourages diversity? Good lord Androidist, ya gotta come up with esomething better than Muh Freedudumbz! This supposed competition between Android as the savior of Humanity, and Apple - the hot stinking taint of Beelzabub is just entertainment, and a great way for me to troll people.

            Apple phones work, Android phones work. That's the truth, and if it triggers you by me using an Apple ecosystem

          • It not about hate, it is about not wanting to pass through their app store at all. It is to encourage diversity and freedom, like Android does.

            You already have freedom, dum dum! Go exercise it and buy another Android!!!

            So where's our (Apple Users') freedom?!? Where's our freedom to choose to have the "quiet enjoyment" of a Platform where one doesn't have to constantly wonder whether that new App really needs all those Permissions? Et cetera, et cetera.

            And please don't try the old trope of citing the half-dozen cases of Malware that snuck through Apple's App Approval process. Everyone knows that pales in comparison with the Googolplex (pun intended

            • 1. I already use an Android Phone, "dum dum".
              2. Your freedom start where your OS stop limiting you with bullshit. If you want to live in a sandbox, have it as an option, don't try to force it like a fanatic and lunatic religion maniac.
              3. Yea, maybe you need to actually understand what is cybersecurity and have some experience in hacking, perhaps you would understand what you just said look idiotic and pathetic; both platform are infested as fuck, so your point ? right... none and before you reply to this on

    • The last two generations of pixels being garbage, no, I won't trust them with a mobile device of any kind again.

      Twice the pixels with the same SoC. Riiight.

      • I'll be honest, this made me laugh lol

      • My GPS on my pixel 6 still randomly goes off the deep end every trip. My Bluetooth still freaks out daily when connecting to either of my car stereos or Skullcandy headphones. My finger print reader on the screen works one in 20 times. On the other side, I do get about 20 hours of battery, so that's decent at least. I have every update they've released to no solution. I've done phone wipes, advanced developer setting changes, etc.

        • My GPS on my pixel 6 still randomly goes off the deep end every trip. My Bluetooth still freaks out daily when connecting to either of my car stereos or Skullcandy headphones. My finger print reader on the screen works one in 20 times. On the other side, I do get about 20 hours of battery, so that's decent at least. I have every update they've released to no solution. I've done phone wipes, advanced developer setting changes, etc.

          That's frickin' inexcusable; especially when they are in possession of every byte of OS Code, every Baseband Library, every schematic and component datasheet, every application engineer from those component manufacturers, etc, et fucking CETERA!

          Not to start a war; but I feel compelled to point out that my several generation-old iPhone 8 has none of those problems, and I just updated it yesterday to iOS 16.4.1, the latest OS version, without incident from either OS nor any installed factory or third-party Ap

          • Honestly some of the main reasons I don't switch to Apple is because they ban apps they consider "hacker" apps that some people use for "war driving" and hacking. I'm an IT security specialist that needs to use things like Fing to pull all the devices on a network, Wifi analyzer for tracking down rogue wireless access points and fixing security issues. If Apple was more "pro" friendly, I probably would switch. If Linux would pull it's head out of it's ass, I'd probably switch all of my PCs over to it, an

            • Honestly some of the main reasons I don't switch to Apple is because they ban apps they consider "hacker" apps that some people use for "war driving" and hacking. I'm an IT security specialist that needs to use things like Fing to pull all the devices on a network, Wifi analyzer for tracking down rogue wireless access points and fixing security issues. If Apple was more "pro" friendly, I probably would switch. If Linux would pull it's head out of it's ass, I'd probably switch all of my PCs over to it, and if there was a stable phone build that didn't screw up randomly I'd probably go Linux on that also, but setting up Ubuntu and using a Luks encrypted mirror during the install process causing the entire install to crash is unacceptable. Games that are "made for Linux" such as installing Linux native steam and installing Civ 5 just to have it crash an hour in ... Nah, every GUI I've played with isn't "production ready". Between video driver issues, encryption issues, random bugs that make you have to compile an updated version of a program from scratch, etc .. I'm starting to feel like every piece of electronic software and hardware right now is garbage.

              Well then, today's your lucky day!

              I've been using Fing for iOS for years:

              https://apps.apple.com/us/app/... [apple.com]

              I've never used Wifi Analyzer; but here it is:

              https://apps.apple.com/us/app/... [apple.com]

              And what exactly does Linux really have that you can't get on macOS?

              Afterall, you aren't afraid of a little Package Manager action, are you?

              Here's a few popular ones; but there are others:

              https://sourceforge.net/softwa... [sourceforge.net]

              So, now what? Sounds like you're ready to join the family!

              • Three things that Linux has that apple doesn't: Security, customization and privacy. I want Linux, not BSD. I want to not be forced into an app garden, forced to sign in just to download a piece of software, and for it to actually let me know if something is wrong instead of melting to scrap with the first warning of a problem being that it won't boot up and all my data is gone. I've repaired and supported the apple ecosystem for too long fully understand all of the short-comings of apple... I'm not s

                • Three things that Linux has that apple doesn't: Security, customization and privacy. I want Linux, not BSD. I want to not be forced into an app garden, forced to sign in just to download a piece of software, and for it to actually let me know if something is wrong instead of melting to scrap with the first warning of a problem being that it won't boot up and all my data is gone. I've repaired and supported the apple ecosystem for too long fully understand all of the short-comings of apple... I'm not saying by any stretch of the imagination that Microsoft is in any better place either... Personally, compared to the XP and Windows 7 days, all of IT is in a shit show at the moment. Pretty soon every program will be a subscription including Windows tethered to DRM that will lock you out after 24 hours without Internet or something stupid. The next Carrington event is going to be a real popcorn fest.

                  Ok. I understand.

                  Well enjoy your stay on Earth II. We'll be here when the delusional fog clears.

                  Oh, and don't forget to take your meds!

                  • By the sounds of it, it's not me that's on some sort of medication being forced to accept someone else's reality. It's like living in a mental home with them force feeding sedatives to keep you complacent. I won't accept mediocre. I won't accept handing over full control to a giant corporation that wants to profit off of them monetizing every aspect of my life. If you're a sheep, that's fine, let apple be your Shepard. I can't and won't even try to convince you other wise was I've already seen how many

                    • By the sounds of it, it's not me that's on some sort of medication being forced to accept someone else's reality. It's like living in a mental home with them force feeding sedatives to keep you complacent. I won't accept mediocre. I won't accept handing over full control to a giant corporation that wants to profit off of them monetizing every aspect of my life. If you're a sheep, that's fine, let apple be your Shepard. I can't and won't even try to convince you other wise was I've already seen how many people in this world make active life choices to avoid reality so they can stay in their warm bubble of incoherent existence. As an IT expert, I've been forced out of that bubble long ago multiple times.

                      Riiight.

                      You hold The One Truth. All others are merely sleeping.

                      And guess what? You're not the only one here who has IT skills.

  • The seam is really an issue (Score:5, Interesting)

    by jacks smirking reven ( 909048 ) on Tuesday April 18, 2023 @07:55PM (#63460482)

    Just this week on a flight across the aisle was a person using the Samsung Flip and while for sure I could see the advantage of the nice big screen the seam was very apparent. Asking them about it they said it took about 5 months of use to really become noticable and that besides that they really liked it but "I spent $1500 on this so I can't give it up just yet"

    Unfortunately the only way to know if the display is more durable is over time so the suckers with too much cash on hand are gonna be the proving grounds on these for awhile.

    • I just can't stomach spending $1,700 on a phone, no matter how cool it is. You know that your device is too expensive when even higher-end Apple products are cheaper.

    • I have a Z Fold 3; I bought it pretty much immediately after I happened to hold one in a store. It is by far the biggest upgrade to a phone I've had in phone-timescale memory, which I guess is about five years.

      The unfolded screen is a huge improvement for anything that needs screen real estate: media, games. The outer screen is practical. The device is bulky and heavy but I don't mind. I never had trouble with the seam or behind-display camera.

      The screen protector did peel off so now I use it without.

      The on

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      My main concern would be how much I'd actually use the unfolded. Linux Sebastian from Linus Tech Tips has been using Galaxy Fold phones for years and says that often he doesn't unfold it, he uses the outer screen. The latest models have fairly big outer screens now.

      I can live with the crease in exchange for a bigger screen, but I think simply having a bigger phone might be better.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by BigZee ( 769371 )
      I am quite interested in a flip style phone but not a fold style phone, mainly because it just makes the phone a lot smaller. However, there's no way I'm prepared to pay the kind of money expected by Samsung (and I assume Google) for something like that. My current phone (OnePlus 6) is still more than good enough for my day to day. When I need a new phone, I'll check the market but doubt I'll be prepared to spend more than 500 quid on one. Phones have got ridiculously expensive. My original Galaxy S was aro

    • the Samsung Flip

      The like original one? You didn't mention a number after it. The reliability of the earlier Flips and Folds were abysmal. By all accounts there are far fewer complaints about the 3rd generation of these devices.

  • pocket-sized, with an outside screen that measures 5.8 inches across, according to the documents. Photos viewed by CNBC show that the phone will open like a book to reveal a small tablet-sized 7.6-inch screen

    So, it will have an outside dimensions that won't fit in a pocket and it unfolds to a screen that really won't fit in the pocket. What is the point of folding if the folded size is still too big to pocket?

  • ...if you get a new phone every year then it might be OK, but for most people they want a phone that lasts ...

    • Not every phone is for most people. Samsung has shown their foldable phones were quite popular and that's despite an eyewatering price. It's not for me either, but there's zero doubt there's a market for these devices.

  • I won't buy a foldable phone. I never bought a clamshell phone either. I just don't like the idea of having something in my pocket with a predetermined breaking point.

    I don't care about the other specs or the quality of this phone. It is foldable. That's reason enough not to buy it.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Ormy ( 1430821 )
      Did you ever use/own clamshell (flip) phones from the early 2000s? I owned various motorola models, none of them failed at the hinge. Having the screen fully covered was a huge benefit as the screens were much more fragile and susceptible to scratching vs today. Gorilla glass wasn't a thing until 2008.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Sique ( 173459 )
        I have owned several Nokia and Motorola unibody models (5130, 3310 resp. 7089, 7389), and with none of them I had any problems with the screen - and that was with having them in the same pocket as my key ring. That was what phone sleeves were for. I never saw the necessity to protect the screen on those models by making the phones clamshell. But I am pretty sure my key ring would have scratched the clamshell body and probably damaged the hinges, and putting them in a protective sleeve would have been awkwar

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Ormy ( 1430821 )

          5130, new 3310, 7089, 7389 all came out after the introduction of gorilla glass, even if they didn't have it they likely had some kind of hardened glass screen. Apologies for the misunderstanding but I was talking about pre-2008 phones, I had the Nokia 7110, 3310 (original), and 6130 in the 2001-2005 period. These had monochrome LCD displays behind tough plastic, the plastic would get very badly scratched especially if in a pocket with keys, it was designed to not crack or bend under compressive force or

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by Sique ( 173459 )
            The Nokia 6150 (sorry for the typo, I got it mixed up with another phone of the time) I got in 1997, the Motorola Timeports 7089 and 7389 in 1999. So I am talking about pre-gorilla glass times. The Timeports were the first three band mobile phones, working at 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz GSM back in the days.
    • Christmas last year I bought a Galaxy Z Flip 3. Full disclosure, the fold aspect as just cool new tech was part of my reason to buy. I'm usually not much of an early adopter, and I tend to be fairly fiscally conservative, I'm not the kind who buys the newest thing-of-the-week. But something about having a foldable phone again really appealed to me. I miss the old school small phones from the early 00's.

      When I walked out of the Verizon store with my Flip and $1000 less in the bank, I honestly thought
  • Because it will be twice as gooder.

  • So I can buy a phone with mechanical parts that will fail while at the same time having a more fragile screen, all for only double the price?

    Sign me up!

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