Like pretty much every other smartphone maker, Google is making a foldable too. Supposedly called the Pixel Notepad, the device is expected to hit the market later this year. Recent reports suggest the company is aiming to undercut the market leader Samsung in terms of price. Now, we have a specific price point to talk about. According to a 9to5Google report, Google plans to price its first foldable smartphone somewhere around $1,400. A couple of independent sources have confirmed that pricing to the publication.
For reference, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 debuted at $1,800 last year. So if Google does manage to launch the Pixel Notepad at the said price then it could surely turn a few heads. But, as the new report notes, the pricing is subject to change. And that isn’t surprising. The product is still in the early stages of development. By the time it is market-ready, things could add up.
The Pixel Notepad name itself could change, for that matter. We are already skeptical about this name as the same publication last week reported that it is a “working brand name” for the device. The Google foldable could arrive with some other moniker. Perhaps Pixel Fold, as it was referred to as in the past. We shall see.
What else to expect from the Google Pixel Notepad foldable?
Google is seemingly looking to make its first foldable more affordable than the competition, but will that come with a compromise? Well, it’s still too early to comment on that. There’s not much information available about the Pixel Notepad at the moment.
Based on the reports so far, Google is preferring the square-ish design of OPPO’s Find N over the tall form factor of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series. That’s to be expected as online reactions suggest many people have developed a liking for the former design since it arrived last month.
The Pixel Notepad will feature Google’s Tensor Chip that powered the Pixel 6 series last year. It could come with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. But to make the device as thin as possible, Google is reportedly using a camera that it debuted on the Pixel 3 back in 2018. We are talking about the 12.2-megapixel Sony IMX363 camera that was also found on subsequent Pixel phones, until the Pixel 5a last year. The Pixel 6 switched to Samsung’s 50-megapixel GN1 sensor but it’s too thick for the Pixel Notepad.
Google will also use Sony’s IMX386 camera for the 12-megapixel ultrawide lens on its upcoming foldable. The dual 8-megapixel selfie cameras will be Sony’s IMX355 sensors.
Unfortunately, that’s pretty much all we could talk about the Google Pixel Notepad at the moment. But you can expect to hear more about the device in the coming months. The company reportedly plans to release its first foldable globally before the end of this year.
2022-01-25 15:07:03