Google has finally unveiled its first foldable phone, the Pixel Fold, marking the tech giantâs ambitious entry into the budding foldable device market. While foldables are still a niche, the Pixel Foldâs premium build quality, stock Android software. From official rendering exposure, main screen rocks Pixel Launcher, enables theme icons, and displays a variety of Google apps like Gmail, as well as At a Glance widgets.
Design and display: Uneven but impressive
Pixel Fold offering a 7.69-inch internal foldable display with an unusual asymmetrical design and 5.8-inch external screenâthe top bezel is slightly thicker than the sides and bottom. I personally prefer even bezels, but hardware is all about trade-offs, so hear me out. Would you rather have an under-screen front-facing camera or a good front-facing camera that isnât under the screen? Google chose the latter, and to be fair, selfie cams are kinda their thing.
Making the bezels symmetrical wouldâve made the screen feel downright dinky. Iâd bet my bottom dollar someone tested that design and said, âthis looks tiny and outdated,â before pushing the display closer to the edges to maximize the viewable space. The only way Google couldâve delivered thin bezels all around was by using an under-display camera, but subpar cameras arenât Pixelâs MO. Product design is toughâyouâre always striking a balance.
Some have asked, âWhy not a hole-punch cam?â A few reasons: hole punches can be eyesores, symmetry might look better, and costs. This foldable is already pricey, so a hole-punch adds expense, and bigger screens themselves ainât cheap. I wouldnât be shocked if Google maxed out their budget for the Pixel Fold, learning lessons for the next go-round.
Specs and performance
The Pixel Fold is loaded with a Tensor G2 chipset, 12 gigs of RAM, and 256/512 gigs of storage, stock Android software is clean and bloat-free, though a few handy additions like a taskbar and split-screen mode capitalize on the foldable form factor, prices are respectively for $1799 and $1919.