Google Pixel Fold 2 Release Date, Price and Specs Rumors

Google may have been late to the foldable party, but it was worth the wait.

The Pixel Fold is undoubtedly one of the best foldable phones you can buy, combining a sleek, premium design with impressive cameras and great displays. But there are a few significant drawbacks, including that high price tag.

What will change with the coming second generation? There are indications that Google is working on a possible Pixel Fold 2, and we already have a good 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 the arrival of Pixel Fold 2 sometime in 2024.

Since Google officially launched the Pixel Fold at the Google I/O developer conference in May 2023, we may see a new model this year. It will probably happen at the next Google I/O May 14, 2024.

However, as Android Authority reports, Google may move directly from the current Tensor G2 to the Tensor G4 in the Fold 2, so it may not be ready in time for summer. Moreover, according to their latest report, Google has renamed the new foldable phone as Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

If true, it could mean that Google could unveil the device Octoberalong with the Pixel 9 series.

Nevertheless, respected analyst says Ross Young that panel production for the Pixel Fold 2 will begin in April 2024. If true, a possible launch could happen 1-2 months later. Samsung also updates its foldable book style every year, with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 likely in 2024. These two devices will likely go head-to-head again.

How much will the Google Pixel Fold 2 cost?

As for the price, it is also a matter of speculation at the moment.

The original Pixel Fold starts at £1,749 / $1,799, which puts it right in line with the £1,748 / $1,799.99 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.

However, the Honor Magic V2 recently launched and undercuts both at £1,699.99 / €1,999.

There’s also the OnePlus Open, which is still the cheapest of them all with a price tag of £1,599/$1,799.

Will Google drop the price to bring the Pixel Fold 2 in line with OnePlus or Honor? It’s unlikely, especially if there are significant upgrades. But foldables also need to become cheaper to gain mainstream appeal, so the next Pixel Fold could move in that direction.

What specifications and features will the Google Pixel Fold 2 have?

In October 2023, 9to5Google discovered a device codenamed “comet” in an update to the Google Pixel Buds app. Despite being placed among the Pixel 8 series phones, a ‘comet’ doesn’t quite match the dog breed theme associated with this series (‘shiba’, ‘husky’ and ‘akita’).

It’s also unlikely that “comet” corresponds to the Pixel 9, as Google was expected to use reptile-related codenames for that particular generation. Therefore, it is believed that this could possibly be the upcoming Pixel Fold 2.

And indeed, Google has reportedly updated the naming convention for the Pixel 9 series, according to information from Android Authority. The new names assigned to the devices are as follows: the Pixel 9, codenamed “tokay”; the Pixel 9 Pro, codenamed ‘caiman’; the Pixel 9 Pro XL, codenamed “komodo”; and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (formerly known as the Pixel Fold 2), codenamed “comet.”

Additionally, software designed for Google’s 2024 devices has also confirmed these new names. So everything indicates that Google is indeed working on its next foldable phone, but that it will probably belong to the Pixel 9 series this year.

However, only recently did Google name the device codenamed “Comet” the Pixel Fold 2. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold name may also change, but this is reportedly what Google is currently using.

Design

In February 2024, CAD-based renders from popular leaker OnLeaks (via SmartPrix) provide the most detailed look yet at the device.

Based on this, the Pixel Fold 2 has a larger, rounded outer display and a new camera module, which is a departure from previous Pixel designs. When folded, the Pixel Fold 2 measures 155.2 x 77.1 x 10.54mm, making it thinner than the 12.1mm original.

The new camera module is split into two sections and contains three cameras, a flash and a microphone. That matches early Pixel 9 renders (also from Leaking) which have a very similar camera module design.

Display

Respected analyst in October 2022 Ross Young suggested that the Pixel Fold would have a larger screen:

Young’s March 2024 post gets much more specific when it comes to display sizes:

February 2024 will back up the larger screens, but not those numbers. According to OnLeaks (via SmartPrix), the inner screen measures 7.9 inches (8.1 inches with corners), an upgrade from the original Pixel Fold’s 7.6-inch screen, with a smaller and more uniform bezel. The outer display has also apparently been increased from 5.8 to 6.4 inches.

The hinge design is similar to that of the OnePlus Open, with a rounded screen and a sharper hinge angle. The aspect ratio and screen sizes are also similar to the Open, making the Pixel Fold 2 a notable competitor in the foldable market. It could also rival the Honor Magic V2, which is currently the thinnest foldable at just 9.9mm.

Performance

An undisclosed source revealed to Android Authority that Google is internally testing the Pixel Fold 2 with the Tensor G4 chipset (codenamed “zumapro”), a shift from previous versions using the Tensor G3 (codenamed “zuma”).

If true, it would mean the Fold 2 would likely use the same chipset as the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro. However, even the Tensor G3 would be a significant upgrade from the current Tensor G2.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Jim Martin / Foundry

Jim Martin / Foundry

The Tensor G4 is expected to bring minor improvements over the G3, although it’s not clear what these might entail.

According to the Android Authority leak, prototype versions of the Pixel Fold 2 will feature 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage, both of which are said to be upgrades. The original Pixel Fold came with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

The increase to 16 GB of RAM is significant, as it would be the first time that Google has launched a smartphone with more than 12 GB of RAM. This upgrade also appears to support Google’s strategy to improve AI capabilities on the device through the assistant called Pixie, according to The Information.

Cameras

There’s no evidence of that yet, but it’s possible the Pixel Fold 2 will see improvements to some or all of the current five camera lenses. On the original model there were five lenses: 48 MP main lens, 10.8 MP ultra-wide, 10.8 MP telephoto, 9.5 MP front, 8 MP inner.

Overall, the camera performance was very good, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Google left the hardware alone. Even if that were the case, there could be improvements in software image processing.

Battery

A report from MySmartPrice revealed a certification for an upcoming, unidentified Pixel model.

The device in question has a 4942mAh battery, so it would make sense if this was the Pixel Fold 2. The original model had a 4800mAh battery, so this would be a useful upgrade.

As highlighted in our Pixel Fold review, we found that some days ended with the battery level remaining comfortably around 20-25%, but on other occasions it required an evening charge. A larger and better optimized battery could make battery life longer and more consistent.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Jim Martin / Foundry

Jim Martin / Foundry

However, there is still no information on whether the 30W wired and 7.5W wireless charging will get upgrades. However, according to 9to5Google, the Pixel Fold 2 may support the latest Qi2 wireless charging standard.

Software

The Pixel Fold 2 will almost certainly run at least Android 14. If it doesn’t release until later this year, this could be Android 15.

However, unlike the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, which received seven years of OS and security updates, there’s no guarantee that the same extended support will be available for the Fold 2. Still, it’s reasonable to expect at least the current five years to anticipate security. updates.

This is all the information we have at the moment, but stay tuned as we will continue to update this article as more details emerge.

In the meantime, you might also be interested in the best foldables and the best Android phones to see what the Fold 2 will go up against.