Google might’ve been late to the foldable party, but it was worth the wait.
The Pixel Fold is undoubtedly one of the best folding phones you can buy, combining a slender, premium design with impressive cameras and great displays. But there are a few key drawbacks, including that high price tag.
So, what will change on the upcoming second generation? There’s evidence that Google is working on a potential Pixel Fold 2, and we already have a rough idea of what to expect.
When will the Google Pixel Fold 2 be released?
Google unveils new flagships in the Pixel series every year. Assuming the Pixel Fold series also adopts this schedule, it’s reasonable to anticipate Pixel Fold 2’s arrival at some point in 2024.
Given that Google officially launched the Pixel Fold at its Google I/O developer conference in May 2023, we may see a new model a year later. And while it hasn’t been confirmed, the next Google I/O is likely to take place in May 2024. However, there’s no concrete evidence for this.
Samsung also updates its book-style foldable each year, with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 also likely in 2024. These two devices will likely go head-to-head once again.
How much will the Google Pixel Fold 2 cost?
As for pricing, it is currently also a matter of speculation.
The original Pixel Fold starts at £1,749/$1,799, putting it right in line with the £1,748/$1,799.99 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.
However, the OnePlus Open has launched since, and it undercuts both at £1,599/$1,799.
Will Google reduce the price to put the Pixel Fold 2 in line with OnePlus? It’s unlikely, especially if there are significant upgrade. But foldables also need to get cheaper in order to achieve mainstream appeal, and the next Pixel Fold may start moving in that direction.
What specs and features will the Google Pixel Fold 2 have?
Currently, there is not much information regarding the potential design and specifications of the Pixel Fold 2, but we can make some assumptions.
It is expected that the Pixel Fold 2 will transition to the Tensor G3, introduced with the Pixel 8 earlier this year. There’s also a possibility it might feature the Tensor G4, depending on when Google launches it.
That would match what’s expected on the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, but either chip would be a significant upgrade on the current Tensor G2.
A respected analyst, Ross Young, suggests that the Pixel Fold will be getting a bigger screen.
However, it’s not clear if that applies to the 5.8-inch cover screen, 7.6-inch inner display, or both. Currently, the outer panel is significantly smaller than the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but the internal screen is the same size.
There’s no evidence of this yet, but it’s possible the Pixel Fold 2 will see improvements to some or all of its current five camera lenses. A slimming of bezels and larger battery capacity than 4800mAh would both be nice, but neither are rumoured yet.
Ultimately, the upgrades will depend on when the phone launches, and it’s likely that new hardware would be similar to that found in whatever the most recent Pixel flagship — as was the case with the Pixel Fold and the Pixel 7 Pro.
Jim Martin / Foundry
The 9to5Google team has discovered a device with the codename “Comet’ in the most recent update of the Google Pixel Buds app. Despite being positioned between the Pixel 8 series phones, a “Comet” doesn’t quite align with the dog breed theme associated with this series (“Shiba”, “Husky”, and “Akita”).
Simultaneously, it seems improbable that “Comet” corresponds to the Pixel 9, as there is an expectation that Google will employ reptile-related codenames for that particular generation. That’s why it is believed that it may be the upcoming Pixel Fold 2, or potentially a new Pixel Flip phone.
Either way, it’s evidence that Google is working on more foldables, which is good news.
This is all the information we have at the moment, but please stay tuned as we will continue to update this article with more details.
In the meantime, you may also be interested in the best foldables and best Android phones.