According to CNBC, Google is planning to release its first-ever foldable smartphone, the Pixel Fold, in June, which is expected to compete directly with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series. The Pixel Fold will have a 7.6-inch inward-folding design similar to Samsung’s flagship foldable phones, with a smaller 5.8-inch cover screen. The expected price for the Pixel Fold, internally known as “Felix,” is $1,700, making it the most expensive device in the Pixel line-up and on par with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, which costs $1,799.
While foldable smartphones are still a niche market, their popularity is growing, with foldable devices accounting for 1.2% of the industry and traditional smartphones making up 98.8% of total shipments in 2022. However, by 2027, foldable shipments are expected to rise to 48.1 million units at a compound annual growth rate of 27.6%. The IDC believes that foldable devices’ uniqueness and the new user experience they offer could be significant selling points for users.
Google first announced support for foldable screens for its Android mobile operating system in 2018 and then followed up with patent filings for foldable in 2019. If Google’s Pixel Fold is successful, it could give a boost to the company’s Pixel smartphone line-up. However, Google will face fierce competition from Samsung, the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer, which has a 62% market share in the foldable category, way ahead of second-placed Huawei Technologies.
In addition to Samsung, Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi, and Vivo, all based in China, have introduced foldable smartphones, but they are mostly limited to the Chinese market. Motorola, the maker of the famous Razr flip phone that has been relaunched as a foldable, maybe the only contender, for now, in markets such as the US, where the Pixel line-up is concentrated. While rumours about Apple’s foray into the foldable smartphone segment have been swirling for several years, nothing concrete has been announced so far.
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