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We’re used to details of upcoming phones leaking, but lately Google’s handsets seem to have been leaked in great detail long before launch, with the Pixel Fold being the latest example.
We’ve heard a number of Google Pixel Fold rumors over the past few months, but now high-quality renders have emerged claiming to show off the likely design in full.
These were shared by the YouTube channel FrontPage Tech (opens in new tab)which has a reasonable track record, and while not an official representation, they are apparently created from images and other information provided by the channel’s sources.
In most respects, these renders look very much as you’d expect from a foldable Pixel. There’s a large camera block on the back, similar to that of the Pixel 7, and a non-folding secondary display with a punch-hole camera, so when this device is folded it looks a bit like a thicker Pixel 7.
Unfold it and you’re greeted with a much larger folding screen, but unlike its main rival, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, the folding screen here doesn’t have a punch-hole camera. Instead, there are surprisingly large bezels above and below the screen, one of which houses a selfie camera.
Other details shared here are that the cameras on both displays are apparently 9.5MP, the phone is clad in metal and glass, it supports 5G and it will only come in white and black shades.
There’s apparently a fingerprint sensor built into the power button and speakers on the top and bottom. While the name of this phone is presumably yet to be confirmed, FrontPageTech’s sources say it’s being referred to internally as the Pixel Fold, and it sounds like it will likely be the release name as well.
If you’re interested in buying the Google Pixel Fold, apparently you’ll be able to do so from May, but you might want to start saving as the phone is said to cost $1,799 (around £1,520 / AU$2,660). That price isn’t too surprising, though, given that it’s the same price for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, at least in the US.
As usual, we take all this with a grain of salt, but prolific leaker Jon Prosser, the face and voice of FrontPageTech, claims to be “very, very confident in this information.”
Analysis: A camera grip, but the design needs work
If this leak is true, it’s a mix of promising and less promising information.
On the promising front, there are the cameras. There appear to be three on the back, just like on the Google Pixel 7 Pro. Given the camera bar also looks the same size, it’s entirely possible that the same selection of sensors and lenses is used here – and that would be excellent news, as the Pixel 7 Pro has great cameras, and it’s an area where most foldables devices appear briefly.
But while the cameras could be strong, the design is less impressive. When folded, the phone looks good – albeit rather chunky, something that’s not helped by the substantial camera bar. When open it does look a little cheap, though, given the large bezels above and below the screen.
Moreover, the sources behind this leak are claiming the phone very heavily. They don’t get more specific than that, but if it’s significantly heavier than competing foldables then that could be an issue.
With Google reportedly pricing its foldable in line with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold line, the Pixel Fold will need to make a strong impression to compete – and right now it seems more of a mixed bag. But if the cameras impress, that could be enough to see this device rank among the best foldable phones around.