Image Credits: 9to5Google
More rumors about Google’s anticipated (but unverified) Pixel Fold, the company’s first foldable phone, have surfaced: the gadget will be dubbed the Pixel Notepad, and will be less expensive than some of the luxury folding phones presently on the market.
According to insiders who spoke with 9to5Google, Notepad is a “working brand name” for whatever gadget is eventually released. Logbook, it appears, was another name that was considered.
9to5Google new leak is qualified by Google’s statement that “plans can always change before the product introduction,” implying that the Pixel Notepad may not be the final moniker. In the years preceding up to last year’s Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro, Google has kept its smartphone naming policy simple.
Expected pricing for Google Foldable
According to the same sources, the Pixel Notepad will cost less than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 ($1,799 / £1,599 / AU$2,499 for the lowest variant). It’s a commonly accepted fact that foldable phone technology is expensive to produce, so it’s surprising to find that Google could be able to achieve such a low pricing point with its very first entry in the category (though all of this is unconfirmed speculation for the time being, of course).
According to the article, availability may also be an issue — consider the worldwide processor scarcity and the Google Pixel 5a, which was only available in the United States and Japan. Later this year, we could see the foldable formally break cover.
Conclusion:
With companies like Samsung, Motorola, Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, and others releasing foldable phones, it appears that the product category is here to stay — at least for the next several years, while manufacturers assess market demand.
The early foldable phones, such as the Huawei Mate X, were prohibitively costly and lacking in terms of the folding mechanism and hinge reliability. Prices have decreased over time, dependability has increased, and new form factors, such as clamshell folding, have entered the market.
Now we’re waiting for Apple and Google, the two biggest mobile companies, to dip their toes into the water. At this point, we’ve been hearing speculations of a foldable iPhone for years, with the most recent reports pointing to a debut in 2022… Maybe.
Given Apple’s proclivity for waiting until technology is well-established and developed before incorporating it into the iPhone, it’s probable that Google’s folding phone will be the first to arrive. If Google can bring the device on the market at a fair price, it might give foldable phone sales a big boost.
