Google Confirms Second Foldable, Quality Takes Priority

• Google unveiled the Pixel Fold, its first foldable smartphone.
• Google confirmed a second foldable phone but paused its launch due to quality concerns.
• The second phone was rumored to be a dual-screen model, and Google may introduce a clamshell Pixel in the future.

Earlier this month at Google’s I/O developer conference, the tech giant unveiled its very first foldable smartphone, the Pixel Fold. However, whispers about another foldable device, which was subsequently shelved, had been making the rounds. Google recently confirmed these rumors.

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In an episode of the official Made By Google podcast, Ivy Ross, who oversees the design of hardware products at Google, acknowledged that they indeed were developing a second foldable phone.

Previous Pixel Fold models weren’t ‘good enough,’ Google says https://t.co/KfeVBOEckL by @nexusben

— 9to5Google (@9to5Google) May 29, 2023

Speaking on the podcast, Ross shared:

“The team deserves praise because we did create a second foldable model, but we decided to pause its launch because it wasn’t up to our expectations yet. We wanted to wait until we could create a product that was as good or superior to the existing ones. It’s quite a testament to our commitment to quality and recognizing when something doesn’t quite meet our standards.”

Indeed, there were rumors suggesting that Google was experimenting with at least two different designs for foldable phones. The specifics of this second phone aren’t clear, though. Early signs seemed to indicate a dual-screen model, hinting towards a Flip or Fold-style device rather than an outward-folding one like the HUAWEI Mate XS2.

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If this was the case, a hypothetical Pixel Flip could have been a refreshing addition to the Pixel Fold. Last year, Samsung noted that its Galaxy Z Flip models constituted 70% of all its foldable phones shipped. More recently, Samsung reported that 60% of its foldable phone sales in Europe were from the Galaxy Z Flip 4, outperforming the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s 40%. Hence, it wouldn’t be shocking if Google opts to introduce a clamshell Pixel in the future.

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