The Google Pixel Fold deals are coming, and while we haven't seen many early offers just yet, we expect retailers and wireless carriers alike to begin sharing money-saving opportunities soon. In the meantime, you can reserve the long-awaited foldable directly through the Google Store today and get a free Pixel Watch out of the deal.
Rumors about a foldable phone from Google have been floating around the internet for literally years, but it wasn't until last week's Google I/O 2023 announcement event that we finally got an official look. Keep reading for everything you need to know, including release date info, specs, and links to early deals as they go live.
How can I buy the Google Pixel Fold?
Will the Pixel Fold be at carrier stores?
Verizon has confirmed that it will be carrying the Pixel Fold in 256GB and 512GB memory configurations, with preorders starting June 20 and wide availability on June 27. Both AT&T and T-Mobile have confirmed that they will be carrying the Pixel Fold when it debuts but didn't commit to a specific date just yet. Likely, we'll also see these in June.
Naturally, we'll be sharing all of these preorder deals as they go live, so feel free to bookmark this page and check back on a regular basis so you don't miss anything.
The future of foldables is here
Google I/O 2023 kicked off on the morning of May 10 with all of the theatrics you'd expect from an event like this, but the overall takeaway is that the future of the Pixel landscape is pretty bright.
Obviously, Google's first-ever foldable enters a field that's already being dominated by devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 4, but the spec sheet indicates that the phone might be up to the task.
The Pixel Fold sports two foldable 120Hz displays with the Tensor G2 chipset and the same incredible camera software found in the Pixel 7 Pro. The ultra-thin bezels give the phone a sleek look, and Google's made the claim that the Fold has the "most durable hinge on any foldable phone" to date.
The Pixel Fold's $1,799 price tag is quite steep and means it's going to be tough to afford without some kind of discount. Fortunately, we expect more preorder deals to go live in the weeks to come, so keep checking back to see what's new.
How does the Pixel Fold compare to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4?
Without a doubt, the Google Pixel Fold's main competition is going to be the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, so how do the two foldable phones fare when pitted against each other? For starters, the Z Fold 4 was first released last August, which means the Pixel Fold has the advantage of learning from Samsung's mistakes. For example, as we mentioned above, Google has been saying that the Pixel Fold has the "most durable hinge" on any foldable ever made, which is a pretty bold claim.
At 10oz, the Google foldable is a bit heavier than the Z Fold 4, but this is mainly because of a boost in battery size. The Pixel Fold is set to last up to 72 hours on a single charge when you run the device in low-power mode, or 24 hours with standard use.
The Pixel Fold is claiming to be the thinnest foldable around in the markets in which its available. Not only that, but Google is including the amazing Pixel 7 Pro cameras on the Pixel Fold which means it'll undoubtedly take the best photos and video of any foldable phone you can buy today. Finally, no reason to compromise on cameras when you get a foldable phone!
Additionally, Google is going for a wider form factor on the Pixel Fold than Samsung uses on its Galaxy Fold line. While the Galaxy Fold is a tall device that looks like two phones sandwiched side-by-side, the Pixel Fold unfolds into a much friendlier aspect ratio for video and big-screen apps.
The Pixel Fold also has the same Tensor G2 processor as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. This CPU might slightly outperform the Z Fold 4's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ processor, but it's doubtful that the difference will be noticeable to most users.
With a starting price of $1,799 the Pixel Fold is the same price as the Z Fold 4, although you can expect Samsung to begin offering new Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals soon to keep the competition fierce. All things said and done, there's really no reason to not choose the Pixel Fold over the Z Fold 4 if you can afford it. But if you want to wait until the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 comes out (presumably later this year), we certainly wouldn't blame you.
