After years of rumors, Google finally confirmed the existence of the folding machine Pixel Fold last week, and its real thing was officially unveiled at I/O 2023 today. For this product, which is priced at US$1,800 and is the first to be pre-sold in the United States from now on, colleagues at the main site saw some shadows of Oppo and Samsung (even Microsoft’s Surface Duo) when they played with it. It has an aspect ratio similar to Oppo Find N / N2, and the software has the taste of Samsung One UI.
Pixel Fold uses a 5.8-inch external screen with an aspect ratio of 17.4:9. Google chose such a non-mainstream design to allow users to use more comprehensive functions without unfolding the device. They believe that the “thin and long” type will be limited to relatively simple operations, such as asking for directions or replying to a text message.
Although it seems to be a little smaller in appearance, the Pixel Fold weighs a full 283g, which is 20g heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Fortunately, its thickness is well controlled, less than 6mm when unfolded, and 12.1mm when closed. According to the official introduction, Pixel Fold has “the most durable hinge on any foldable device currently.” This is obviously impossible to test in a short time, but it is certain that there is almost no gap between the two halves of the new machine when it is folded.
On the inside of the phone, there is a 7.6-inch 2,208 x 1,840 OLED panel (6:5 ratio), which has the same refresh rate as the external screen at 120Hz. It has a bright, vibrant look, but still has a visible crease in the middle. It is worth mentioning that the Pixel Fold’s inner screen has a wide border that is rarely seen in high-end machines at the moment. Because of this, the inner video camera is directly installed in the upper right corner above the panel.
The really interesting thing about this product, aside from the design, is the software and multitasking capabilities. In just a few minutes of experience, it runs smoothly in the hands of the main station editor. The winged tablecloth used can show dynamics according to the opening and closing angle of the screen (many Chinese manufacturers have used similar effects in the past), and the look and feel can be described as pleasing to the eye. In the system, there is also a work bar similar to that in Samsung One UI, which allows users to quickly switch between multiple tasks.
Google says it already has more than 50 first-party apps optimized for big-screen devices like the Pixel Fold. Take YouTube as an example. After the phone is folded, it will automatically change to a special UI. Google has also introduced a new translation mode, which can simultaneously use the folding machine’s internal and external screens, and cooperate with the device’s voice recognition function to translate two languages in real time.
In the shooting part, Google admitted that it was a challenge to make room for components in such a thin body. But having said that, officials say you can still get an experience close to the Pixel 7 Pro on the Pixel Fold. Its rear three-camera consists of a 48MP main camera, a 10.8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 5X telephoto camera. It is indeed not easy to fit into a telephoto camera. At the same time, there are an 8MP and a 9.5MP selfie camera in the openings of the inner and outer screens, respectively. Of course, as we have said in many folding machine reviews, the value of this type of product camera is more reflected in the shooting methods that ordinary mobile phones cannot achieve. For example, if you take a selfie with multiple people, it can do it for you without a stand.
Not surprisingly, Pixel Fold is also equipped with Google’s self-developed Tensor G2 chip, as well as 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The fingerprint recognition module is placed in the power button on the side, and the device has a built-in 4,821mAh battery that supports 30W wired and 5W wireless charging. But more importantly, the fuselage has IPX8 waterproof function. In the process of communicating with the factory, the engineer behind the Pixel Fold told colleagues at the main site that this phone represents Google’s best effort to date on a horizontal-folding phone. How it performs in real life is still not well judged. I hope Google can really learn from the experience of other companies.
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