Google confirms a second foldable device was in the works but didn't make the cut
Fans of Google's line of Pixel smartphone devices waited a long time for Google to finally launch the Pixel Fold that will be arriving in about a month to those that pre-ordered. However, as it turns out, we were about to get a second Pixel Fold model that was scrapped before it ever saw the light of day.
Google confirmed this detail during the latest episode of the Made by Google Podcast, in which the latest Made by Google projects are discussed on a weekly basis. In today's unusually longer episode, podcast host Rachid Finge sat down with three members of Google's design team: Ivy Ross (Vice President and Head of Design for Google Hardware Products), Isabelle Olsson (Head of Industrial Design for Home, Wearables, and CMF), and Claude Zellweger (Director of Design).
The conversation centered around the design of the three newest products to Google's hardware lineup, which are the Pixel 7a, the Pixel Fold, and the Pixel Tablet. However, when the topic pivoted to the Pixel Fold's hinge design, particularly as it relates to using it in tabletop mode, Ivy Ross dropped the below tidbit:
I’m really proud of the team because there was another foldable model that we had created, that we had the discipline to hold back and say "nope, it’s not good enough yet," and really wait until we felt like we could do something that was good enough or better than what was out there already. So, it’s really a testimony to the fact that we’re able to do that and recognize when something isn’t good enough.
Image Source - Google
There was no mention during the episode of what the form factor for this second device was. Of course, the first question that comes to mind is whether this could have been the rumored Pixel Flip.
A flip-style Pixel foldable is definitely within the realm of possibilities, especially since this was already discussed during an interview at Google I/O 2023 with Google Pixel Product Manager George Hwang. When asked, Hwang confirmed that Google is definitely interested in exploring different form factors and technologies, including the flip-style.
Based on this, it wouldn't be crazy to think that this Pixel Fold that never was could have been the "Pixel Flip". This is definitely a positive sign for the future of Google's foldable phone efforts and it shows that the company is committed to the market and is willing to take the time to get it right.
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