Google Pixel Fold is official in the USA and UK: Has the wait been worth it?

The Google Pixel Fold is finally official, and it is available in the United States and the United Kingdom. It is also official for Germany and Japan. These are the only countries where the Pixel Fold has been announced for.

This is the first foldable device from Google, and it is looking to make a splash in a market that has become more exciting with devices from Motorola, Xiaomi, OPPO, Huawei, and Vivo challenging the market leader, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series.

A reassuring feature of the Pixel fold is the hinge mechanism which Google says has a “fluid friction across the full 180-degree range of motion to securely support different postures”. 

Google Pixel Fold Specs

• Operating System: Android 13
• Network: 3G, 4G, 5G
• SIM Support: Nano-SIM + eSIM
• Dimensions (folded): 139.7 x 79.5 x 12.1 mm
• Dimensions (Unfolded): 139.7 x 158.7 x 5.8 mm
• Weight: 283g.
• Physical Build: IPX8 water resistance
• External Screen: 5.8-inch, 1080×2092 pixels, 120 Hz OLED with Gorilla Glass Victus
• Internal Screen: 7.6-inch, 2208×1840 pixels, 120 Hz refresh rate, Ultra Thin Glass with protective plastic
• Colors:  Porcelain, Obsidian.
• Chipset: Google Tensor G2 SoC + Titan M2 security co-processor.
• RAM: 12GB LPDDR5 RAM
• Storage: 256GB / 512GB. UFS 3.1 storage.
• Rear Camera: 48 MP main lens, OIS + 10.8 MP ultrawide lens + 10.8 MP 5x optical zoom telephoto lens, Super Res Zoom up to 20x.
• Selfie Camera (outer screen): 9.5 MP fixed focus lens
• Selfie Camera (inner screen): 8 MP fixed focus lens.
• A fingerprint sensor (side-mounted in the power button)
• Stereo speakers.
• 4,821 mAh battery
• Charging: 30W USB-C charger, USB-PD 3.0.

Google Pixel Fold Preview

The specs and features of the Pixel Fold generally look okay. It is good to finally see 30W fast charging in a Pixel device. Google has been stingy with fast charging speeds, and even 30W in a device of this class is still not generous, but it is okay. That battery capacity gives one cause for concern, though. From what we have seen of Google Pixel phones battery performance, I am betting twenty years of experience in this industry that the Pixel Fold will not have impressive battery life.

And from what we have seen, we can expect Google Pixel Fold to show up with the trademark overheating issue that is well known with Google Pixel phones. It is a Google phone thing, and it does not look like the makers are interested in fixing it.

Lastly, this is a Pixel and you can expect the cameras to provide you with solid photographs and videos. Buying one also means you will get Android software updates faster than any other foldable device in the market can, and for longer than most.

Google Pixel Fold: Answers to your questions

I have been asked some questions about this new device. I am including those questions and my answers in this section.

When should I expect Pixel Fold? The Pixel Fold is already available for pre-order in the US starting March 10, 2023. Shipping and sales start before the end of June. We do not have a timeline for the UK, Germany, and Japan yet.

Who makes the Pixel Fold? Pixel devices are designed, developed, and marketed by Google, but the manufacturing happens in China.

How thick is the Pixel Fold? When folded, it is 12.1 mm thick, but when opened up, it is amazingly thin – a mere 5.8 inches in thickness.

How big is the Pixel Fold display? The external screen, which you can use when the Fold is in regular smartphone mode, is 5.8 inches in size, making it one of the most compact foldable devices in this class (certainly more compact than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4). The internal display (when you open the Pixel Fold up) is 7.6 inches in size.

Google Pixel Fold: Availability and Price

The Pixel Fold is already up for pre-order in the US for $1,799 and will become available before the end of June. It is time to add Google Pixel Fold to the list of foldable phones you can buy in 2023.

Mister Mobility

Way back from the days of EPOC, Symbian, Palm, PocketPC/Windows Mobile, BlackBerry/BB10, webOS, Windows Phone, Firefox, Ubuntu Touch, to Android, iOS, and KaiOS operating systems, founder of MobilityArena, Mister Mobility, has owned a few hundred smartphones and tablets, and counting.