Google smartphone Pixel Fold Concept render.
This fall, Google will release the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. It will also release the Android 12 operating system. But Google doesn’t seem to be stopping there. There have been several reports recently indicating that Google is planning to launch its first foldable smartphone by the end of 2021.
Pixel Fold could be the name of the device. There is likely to be a flexible display inside Google’s first foldable phone. The highly anticipated Google Pixel Fold was imagined as a series of 3D renderings by graphic designer Waqar Khan in collaboration with LetsGoDigital. It is reminiscent of the Pixel 6 series. A front display with a punch-hole selfie camera can be seen on the Google Pixel Foldable Phone Pixel Fold renderings. The camera is positioned in the upper left corner. In addition to the thick edges, the bezel is quite thick as well, which is to be expected. Even though it is a foldable phone, it is a tablet when the user opens it, allowing a large screen.
The upper right corner contains another hole-punch camera. A hidden hinge is used for similar reasons to those used by Samsung. A patent application describing a “multi-axis soft hinge mechanism and folding device with the same was also filed by Google LLC on September 23, 2021. When the device is folded, only a small seam appears on the device’s 58-page documentation, which outlines an advanced hinge mechanism. According to research, Google might use the hinge patented by LG to build the Pixel Fold. The design of the patent hinge can also be used for clamshell foldable smartphones, so not only a smartphone but a tablet would benefit from this design.
The . PDF file, including a complete technical description and the original patent images, can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. The Waqar-designed Pixel Fold looks quite similar to the Pixel 6 series from the rear. Even though the Series 6 launch event has yet to take place, Google has already announced the design and a few details. The Pixel 6 has a tri-colour design with a vertical camera housing, which protrudes from the body. This is a distinctive and unique design, which the designer has also incorporated into the Pixel Fold. The zoom camera is also reflected in the design. Also watch the animation video below, where Waqar Khan shows the Google Pixel Fold from all sides, in the same color variations as the Pixel 6 series.
Last year, it was announced that Google is developing a foldable smartphone called Passport. More specific information about Google’s development brochure continued in July this year. At the time, The Elec and display analyst Ross Young reported that Google’s foldable phones had a 7.6-inch flexible screen. The screen size is similar to the recently released Samsung Z Fold 3. In most cases, Samsung Display’s 120Hz LTPO screen is used. Google, like Samsung, is expected to use ultra-thin glass technology. This makes the screen resistant to scratches and shocks. It is not yet clear which type of screen protector will be applied. Currently, there is no information about the disk set, but it is highly unlikely that Google will use the recently announced Tensor SoC for a foldable Pixel smartphone.