Everything we know and what we want to see

There was a long trail of rumors and leaks before the Google Pixel Fold launched. By this time last year, we had already seen renders of Google’s first foldable phone and were aware of many other aspects of the phone. However, the Pixel Fold 2 has mostly remained an enigma — until now. Thanks to our sources, we finally have some details to share about Google’s second foldy boi. We’ve got the low down on the Pixel Fold 2’s specs, design, and other hardware. Read on for all the latest.

February 2024 was the first time we heard anything substantial about the Pixel Fold 2. It looks like the device exists but is in the early stages of development. Google is clearly dedicated to foldable technology, and we don’t expect the company to stop at just one foldable phone. However, there have been no official confirmations from Google on a Pixel Fold 2 yet.

There are also rumors that Google could be working on a flip-style phone similar to the Galaxy Z Flip series. This was suggested in 2022 by an exclusive Android Authority leak of Google’s Pixel roadmap. However, we have no hard evidence for this phone quite yet.

• Google Pixel Fold — June 27, 2023

Now, this is a tricky one. We recently revealed in an exclusive that the Pixel Fold might feature the Tensor G4 chipset instead of the Tensor G3 found on the Pixel 8 series. If so, Google could skip the expected summer launch for the new foldable and push it out alongside the Pixel 9 lineup in October. That’s also usually when Google unveils its new Tensor processors.

These are still early rumors, so we would advise you to treat them with a decent amount of skepticism.

Thanks to our sources, we were able to get an image of what appears to be a Pixel Fold 2 prototype. The photo suggests that the second-generation Google foldable could feature a narrower form factor and a redesigned camera module.

According to our source, the cover screen of the Fold 2 is narrower compared to the Pixel Fold, and the inner screen’s aspect ratio is closer to a square. The inner and outer display also appear more rounded, matching the leaked Pixel 9 design. Our source described the phone as being like the first-generation Pixel in terms of feel and material.

Our source also told us that the selfie camera cutout on the inner display of the Pixel Fold 2 is in the top right corner instead of the top bezel, as was the case on the Pixel Fold.

Unfortunately, the information we received tells us that the display crease is still very much visible on the Fold 2.

The camera bar we saw on the Pixel Fold might also be replaced by a much smaller squarish camera bump on the top left of the Pixel Fold 2. It appears to have four camera sensors, an LED flash, and a microphone.

Keep in mind that these design aspects could change in the coming months since there’s still some time to go before Google puts the Pixel Fold 2 into mass production.

At this point, we don’t know a whole lot about the Pixel Fold specs and features. However, we have a few promising leads about some upgrades that may be on the way.

As mentioned earlier, the Pixel Fold 2 could entirely skip the Tensor G3 chip and opt for the unannounced Tensor G4 processor that’s expected to power the Pixel 9 series. This would be very different from how the first Pixel Fold handled processing. It was powered by the Tensor G2, which debuted first on the Pixel 7 series in October 2022. One would expect the Pixel Fold 2 to take the same cue and launch with the Tensor G3 that powers the Pixel 8 lineup. However, our source suggests that recent prototypes of the Fold 2 have shifted to the rumored Tensor G4 chipset, codenamed “zumapro.”

Another tidbit our source informed us of is the possible increase in RAM on the upcoming Google foldable. Our source told us that some current prototypes of the Pixel Fold 2 feature 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Pixel Fold shipped with 12GB of RAM, so this would definitely be a leg up for the new phone. Not only that, it would also make the Pixel Fold 2 the first Pixel ever to ship with over 12GB of RAM.

A storage upgrade to UFS 4.0 is also expected on the phone, which could result in faster load times for apps and games.

• Pixel Fold 256GB: $1,799
• Pixel Fold 512GB:$1,919

The Pixel Fold was an ultra-premium device that started at $1,799. Samsung priced the Galaxy Z Fold 5 at the same price when it launched the phone in the US. We think Google will want to keep the pricing unchanged and expectations tempered since this is only the second time it’s releasing a foldable phone. A sudden price jump may not sit well with consumers who are now looking forward to more affordable folding devices anyway.

The Google Pixel Fold is still a relatively new device, as it’s only a little over half a year old. There’s no reason to wait for the Fold 2 if you’re interested in Pixel’s vision for foldables. While it’s not perfect, it’ll be a while before Pixel fans have any other Google-branded option.

Of course, if you aren’t impressed by the original and are still looking for a foldable, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 (

The Pixel Fold was a pretty solid first effort. Still, there are many things we’d like to see improved on the Google Pixel Fold 2. Although it’s likely still over a half year away, it’s fun to speculate what the new Fold 2 might bring to the table. Here is our wishlist for the Google Pixel Fold 2.

Google claims the Pixel Fold can make it beyond 24 hours, but this isn’t the case unless you keep your usage very light or toggle on Extreme Battery Saver. If you actually use the foldable as intended, you’ll find it makes it through one day at most, and with heavy usage, you’ll likely be running to the charger before the day is up. We really want this to be addressed with the Pixel Fold 2.

The Pixel Fold should move from a 4,821mAh battery to at least a 5,000mAh capacity, or at the very least, Google needs to improve power efficiency elsewhere. As much as I want a bigger battery, I also realize that real estate is a premium for foldables, so smaller batteries are often the name of the game.

At the very least, Google could give us faster charging so we can top the Fold 2 off fast and be back in action. The Pixel Fold is capable of up to 30W charging, which is decent for a Google phone, but we’d like to see it at least jump up to 45W to match devices like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

While the Google Pixel Fold is a decent-looking phone, we’d like to see the Fold 2 further refine this design by bringing down the weight while also reducing its crease. Sadly, rumors mentioned earlier suggest the crease might be here to stay.

The Google Pixel Fold is rather heavy at 283g. That’s significantly heftier than most candy bar phones, and even the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is lighter at 253g. On the bright side, the Pixel Fold is actually a bit smaller and thinner than the Fold. Still, we’d love to see Google further refine its design to bring the weight down to something a little more on par with the Fold 5.

The crease and bezels are kind of self-explanatory. Although Samsung has yet to completely reduce its crease, the Fold’s crease sticks out a bit more, and the larger bezels make the whole thing feel a bit like a first-generation product. Which, of course, it is. Here’s hoping the Fold 2 takes everything we love about Google’s first foldable while reducing its footprint in the process.

The Google Pixel series is known for its overheating Tensor chips, and unfortunately, that remains the case for the Google Pixel Fold. The Tensor G2 gets hot easily and often to the point it causes noticeable discomfort. Google really needs to address this. The good news is the Pixel 8’s Tensor G3 doesn’t suffer as much with excess heat, so this won’t likely be a major issue for the Pixel Fold 2, even if it comes with the Tensor G4.

The Google Pixel Fold has a lot of potential, and while Google did make several software improvements specifically with foldability in mind, app support remains a major sore point. Support currently is worse than you’ll find on the Samsung Galaxy Fold series, as the latter has a more standard portrait-oriented display versus Google’s unique landscape orientation.

The quirky app optimizations mean that simple things like switching from tablet to phone mode can cause glitches and other issues with the display, as seen in the photo above. While we don’t mind Google’s approach to its displays, it needs to find ways to attract more developers and work out the kinks so the Fold no longer feels like a beta product.

Even though Samsung doesn’t bundle it with the device, we’re big fans of S Pen support on the Galaxy Fold 5. It seems like such a natural companion to a device that can transform into a tablet that’s the perfect size for drawing and taking notes.

We’d love for Google to compete by offering pen support of its own. Unlike Samsung, Google doesn’t necessarily need to invest in its own standard and could just offer USI support. For those who aren’t in the know, many Chromebooks currently use this standard, and while it hasn’t come to phones or even tablets formally, it would be a natural way for Google to extend pen support to more devices beyond just its laptops.