Google Pixel Fold tipped to feature 7.6-inch display and launch this year

Google Pixel Fold tipped to feature seven.half dozen-inch display and launch this yr

(Image credit: Waqar Khan | Remix via Nick Bush)

The much-rumored Google Pixel Fold is looking ever-more likely to arrive this year, and information technology could be joined past a slew of other foldable phones.

That'southward going by a report from The Elec, which claims inside knowledge of a suite of phone brands that volition opt to use ultra-thin glasses (UTG) for their upcoming foldable handsets. These phones are reportedly the and then-called Pixel Fold, Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold 2, foldable phones from Oppo and Vivo, and a handset from Honor unofficially dubbed the Magic Fold.

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According to The Elec, most of these phones will be released in the second-one-half of the twelvemonth. We accept no fashion to verify this and the claim may seem a little ambitious, and then have it with a pitch of salt.

Given the outset foldable phones came from Chinese brands, it'south no surprise the likes of Oppo and Vivo are looking at embracing the from factor. Merely Google's movement into foldables is more than intriguing, given its latest phone, the Google Pixel five, played it relatively safe in terms of smartphone innovation.

Just rumors accept been heating up around the Pixel Fold and at present The Elec reports that information technology will sport a 7.6-inch screen when folded out.

What form factor it will take remains unclear, as do other potential specs. Just as information technology's tipped to use UTG, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold ii, nosotros'd not be surprised to see the Pixel Fold have a pattern that'due south close to Samsung'due south current foldable. Having said that, there'southward a chance it could adopt a wrap-around pattern like the Huawei Mate Ten.

Regardless of the design, it's looking more likely that we'll see some form of foldable phone from Google this twelvemonth. That'south interesting as it ways Google could be at the forefront of designing and optimizing Android for what are substantially dual-screen devices.

Samsung has already made lots of headway with the software on its foldable phones. Just having a version of Android designed to natively run on foldable phones should pave the way for other brands to make foldables without all-encompassing user interface customization.

The year of the foldable phone?

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 — (Image credit: Ben Geskin)

Equally for the other foldable phones mentioned in The Elec's report, these could be rather interesting, as well.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold 2 is tipped to have an viii.01-inch inner screen and a six.52-inch outer display. While Vivo's foldable is too rumored to have an 8-inch inner screen and a 6.5-inch exterior brandish.

Meanwhile, the Honor Magic Fold will reportedly take a similarly-sized 8.03-inch interior brandish and a 6.45-inch outer brandish.

Finally, The Elec reports that Oppo will also take a 7.ane-inch foldable phone, consummate with a 5.45-inch outside screen. Though this one evidently isn't going to make it until erstwhile in 2022.

If this information is accurate, then we could see a lot more foldable phones in the market over the next six to 12 months. Whether the Chinese brands wil ship these phones to the U.S. or U.Grand. remains unclear. Only more foldable phones ways more tech, display materials and manufacturing processes are probable to be developed in tandem, which could hateful the toll of making foldables comes down and thus such phones become cheaper.

According to the rumors so far, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold three could be cheaper than its predecessor with a price tag sitting betwixt $1,660 and $one,750. Then we could be inching closer to a fourth dimension when foldable phones sit at the $1,000 marking.

Nosotros'll likely know tmore near the Milky way Z Fold 3 and the rumored Samsung Milky way Z Flip 3 very soon, as they're tipped for an August 11 Unpacked consequence reveal. And they could exist the tip of the spear for a foldable-filled 2d half of 2021.

Plus: Samsung Milky way Z Fold 3 vs. Galaxy Z Flip three: All the differences to look

Tom is the Tom's Guide's Automotive Editor, which ways he can ordinarily be found knee deep in stats the latest and all-time electrical cars, or checking out some sort of driving gadget. It'south long way from his days equally editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He's usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining that Ikea won't let him buy the stuff he really needs online.