Pixel Notepad to reportedly undergo mass production in the third quarter
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It was back in January when we first heard that the rumored foldable Google Pixel Notepad was going to be priced substantially lower than the currently available Galaxy Z Fold 3. At that time, the rumor mill was spitting out a possible price of $1,399 for the Pixel Notepad versus $1,799 for the Galaxy Z Fold 3. According to a tweet from tipster @TheGalox_ (via notebookcheck.net), Google continues to target a $1,399 MSRP for its first foldable.
Google needs to make big noise in the foldable market
The other half of our equation is how much will Samsung want for the Galaxy Z Fold 4. One of the trends that Sammy has been trying to sell us on is that foldable prices will continue to go down as suppliers get better at producing the necessary components every year and drop their prices. The OG Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 2 were nearly $2,000 before the third-generation model was given a $200 price drop.
This image, found in a beta version of Android 12L, shows a square aspect ratio for the Pixel Notepad's internal display
But Google needs to make a splash in the foldable market and it isn't clear that some of the things that attract phone buyers to the Pixel line such as having the first shot at Android updates, exclusive Android features, stock Android, and computational photography will be enough to make the Notepad a challenger in its first year. A lower Price than the competition is obviously a great incentive, especially after the uneven launch that Google experienced with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
The tipster also states that production of the Pixel Notepad will take place in the third quarter of this year and it could be powered by the second-generation Google Tensor chip. Hidden animation discovered in the Android 12L beta back in January revealed that the screen might carry a square aspect ratio like the foldable Oppo Find N. In theory, this might help Notepad users write more easily on the external display since there would be more real estate to place a wider "cover screen."
The Notepad is not expected to be equipped with the same camera array found on the Pixel 6 series and instead, it could feature the same 12.2MP Sony IMX363 sensor used on the Pixel 5. An ultra-wide camera with a 12MP sensor will also be on board with a pair of 8MP front camera sensors, one for the internal tablet-sized screen and one for the smartphone-sized external display.
Before the Notepad, the Pixel 6a should arrive
The Pixel Notepad was originally called the Pixel Fold when rumors first broke about the device. In November though, amid fears that the Pixel Fold would fail to be competitive against the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Google reportedly pulled the plug on the phone. But by the start of the new year, a foldable Pixel was said to be back on track sporting a rumored new name to boot-the Pixel Notepad.
Pick up the Google Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro
Before Pixel fans get excited about the Notepad, Google still has to introduce the Pixel 6a, the annual mid-range Pixel that will keep the new design sensibilities of the Pixel 6 series with some corners cut here and there. Still, the Pixel 6a is expected to carry a 6.2-inch OLED display with a 1080 x 2400 FHD+ resolution, and the original 5nm Tensor chip under the hood,
Render of the Google Pixel 6a
The Pixel 6a is rumored to use Sony's 12.2MP IMX363 sensor for the primary camera, and a 12MP Sony IMX386 sensor for the ultra-wide-angle camera. An 8MP Sony IMX355 sensor should be employed behind the front-facing hole-punch lens being used for the selfie and video chat camera. The phone will reportedly come with 6GB of memory (half the 12GB used in the Pixel 6 line), 128GB of storage, and a 4800mAh capacity battery that will charge at a rate as fast as 30W.
We could see the Pixel 6a unveiled during the Google I/O Developer Conference which should take place in May. The rumored Pixel Watch is also expected to be introduced at around the same time. With the entry level iPhone SE 3 priced at $429 (although with only 64GB of storage), Google might want to keep the Pixel 6a priced in the same ballpark.
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