Entering the competition, Google presents a new cell phone. Learn about the launch.
If you're interested in foldable smartphones, you should know that Google launched a strong competitor in the category this Wednesday (10). The Pixel Fold was presented at Google I/O 2023 and the phone is ready to compete with the Galaxy Z Fold 4. It was only officially revealed on the 10th, but the Pixel Fold was already in the works. In addition to the leaks, the company also confirmed a foldable smartphone for May 2023, but did not disclose details about its specifications.
With the upcoming Android 14 included, the Pixel Fold is being marketed as a smartphone that can be opened and used as a tablet. Like Samsung's Z Fold line, the folded product is the size of a regular phone. Read on to learn more about the specs and features of the new phone.
Advanced specifications
The design of the new phone is similar to that found in other smartphones in the Pixel line, including the camera bar. The smartphone's closed screen is 5.8 inches and in tablet mode it is a 7.6-inch display. Both use OLED technology and have a refresh rate of 120Hz.
On the outside, the Pixel Fold comes with a Gorilla Glass Victus finish to protect it from scratches. This smartphone is IPX8 certified for water resistance. The fingerprint sensor is located on the power button.
According to Google, the Pixel Fold is the thinnest foldable smartphone on the market. It is equipped with Google's own Tensor G2 chip, with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB or 512 GB of storage. In addition, there is a set of three lenses on the device. The main camera has a resolution of 48 megapixels, the ultrawide and telephoto lenses both have 10.8 MP. The device also offers 5x optical zoom, superzoom of up to 20x and a viewing angle of 21.9º.
Like other phones in the Pixel line, the foldable device has image editing features and artificial intelligence, which include Magic Eraser, which erases people or objects from photos. In terms of connectivity, the Pixel Fold supports Wi-Fi 6E and 5G. The foldable supports two chips, a slot for a physical SIM card and a virtual eSIM chip. In addition, the battery capacity is 4821mAh. Only the USB-C to USB-A adapter and the cable are included in the box, no wall charger is included. Furthermore, one of the advantages of buying a Google smartphone is the 5-year update guarantee. The Pixel Fold comes in two colors: porcelain and obsidian.
Google sins on price
In just four years, Google has solved most of the problems inherent in foldable phones, turning a confusing concept into an interesting product. But it failed to make foldable technology cheaper. The Pixel Fold costs $1,800, or about R$8,600 at today’s exchange rate. The company explained that the cost is partly due to the engineering challenges of packing high-quality components into a thin device, including a camera that rivals other phones.
High expectations
Despite the high price tag, advances in foldable technology are good news. Just a few years ago, devices from companies like Apple and Samsung seemed to be at the top of their game. Their flagships are already lightning fast, have big, bright screens, and cameras that take amazing photos.
Google's entry into the market is very significant. The company, which has a lot of control over the design, has developed both the hardware, including the computing processor, and the software that powers the Pixel Fold. So we can expect software tailored to models, with long battery life and very fast performance.
