Google’s long-running Pixel Fold is said to be in development and is looking to launch in late June. A recent leak predicted that the Pixel Fold would hit European shelves at €1,700, which is roughly $1,800 based on current conversion rates. That’s not easy to comprehend, especially for a first-generation foldable phone considering Google’s shaky history with its Pixel hardware and software.
But it looks like the price of the Pixel Fold won’t be inexplicably high at all. Laker Yogesh Beer subscriber on Twitter that the foldable phone could cost between $1,300 and $1,500. Assuming this is true, the Pixel Fold could undercut the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 and its successor by $500.
In fact, that asking price would put the Pixel Fold roughly in the same ballpark as the higher storage configurations of phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max. Of course, Google won’t be able to match the asking price for foldable devices from Chinese brands, but at least they’ll look competitive in Western markets.
Now, the $1,300-$1,500 price tag makes a lot of sense. First, the biggest deterrent to foldable phones is the high asking price. There’s a reason Samsung can sell loads of its foldable-style foldable phones because they cost nearly half as much as the tablet-phone hybrid phones in the Galaxy Z Fold series.
Reasonable price
Pushing the Pixel Fold roughly into the same price bracket as the uncompromising mainstream flagship would give Google’s phone some reasonable advantage with its foldable appeal. Additionally, it should be noted that the Pixel Fold does not offer anything unique or industry-first with its devices that would command a more attractive price tag than Samsung devices.
From the leaked renders we’ve seen so far, the Pixel Fold looks a bit like your average Pixel 7 series phone with a foldable screen sandwiched in two. Then there are the leaked specs, which aren’t really cutting-edge either.
Rumors have it that the Pixel Fold will be based on a second-generation Tensor chip, like the Pixel 7 duo. Unfortunately, this particular chip will expire in a few months as a third-generation Tensor chip based on the 3nm manufacturing process will hit shelves with the Pixel 8 series phones later this year.
Nothing extraordinary going on in the camera department either. The triple camera setup is said to include a 64MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, and a 10MP telephoto lens. The battery capacity is 5,000mAh, but don’t expect any super fast charging technology to appear here.
At best, the Pixel Fold’s biggest selling point is that it’s a Google-made foldable, which means the software has to be the most polished Android experience for this form factor. Bringing it to market at a relatively modest $1,300-$1,500 makes sense and is likely to drive real enthusiasm for the phone that could turn into hands-on sales — something Google needs.
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