How to pre-order the Google Pixel Fold | Engadget

Prior to today’s I/O keynote, Google confirmed the leaks and rumors about the existence of its first foldable smartphone with a teaser video on YouTube. Now we know the full specs and pre-order details for the $1,800 handheld. Starting today, you can pre-order the Google Pixel Fold through Google’s storefront, and units should begin shipping sometime in June. And when you pre-order, Google will thrown in a free Pixel Watch too. 

Like the Pixel 7 series, the Pixel Fold will feature Google’s Tensor G2 SOC and come with 12GB of RAM and either 256 or 512GB of storage. The claimed battery life extends beyond 24 hours and supports both wireless charging or 30W fast charging. Google says it’s the thinnest foldable phone on the market, measuring a half-inch thick when folded.

The exterior features an always-on, 5.8-inch OLED display with up to 1550 nits of brightness and 120Hz refresh rate. It’s covered in the same Gorilla Glass Victus as the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro — but it’s the interior screen that’s getting most of the attention. The 7.6-inch, 120Hz folding display is facilitated by a custom, dual-axis steel hinge and foldable Ultra Thin Glass with a layer of protective plastic. There’s just enough friction within the hinges to enable different views when propped up in tabletop mode.

The Pixel Fold has a total of five cameras: an 8-megapixel inner camera, a 9.5MP selfie cam on the front screen, and three cameras across the rear bar, including a telephoto lens, an ultrawide lens and a 48MP camera with a half-inch sensor. The multiple screens and cameras will enable features like split screen productivity, tripod-free astrophotography and real-time translation during face-to-face conversations. 

We’ll have full reviews of the foldable soon. In the meantime our senior reviewer, Sam Rutherford, was able to do a quick hands-on with the Pixel Fold and thinks it’s a fitting rival for Samsung’s foldables. Our comparison post compares the Pixel Fold specs with the competition. You can get it in either black or white and pre-orders placed now should ship in June.

Follow all of the news from Google I/O 2023 right here.