Google Pixel Fold: First foldable phone coming in June

Google's first foldable phone, The Pixel Fold

Google's first foldable phone, the "Pixel Fold", has a different design than most of its counterparts from the likes of Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi, instead going the "chunky" route like the Oppo Find N2, without cutting corners on the camera while cramming more optimised features. UI layout and functions derived from the Android native system.

  Image credit: Engadget

Google is testing a powerful new translation service called "Universal Translator" that can translate a video into a new language while also syncing a speaker's lips with words they never said. Google also admitted at the press conference that this may bring a certain risk of fraud.

 

When folding-screen mobile phones gradually became the standard configuration of various manufacturers in China, only Samsung, a foreign brand, provided consumers with a series of folding-screen mobile phones. Now, Google, the developer of the Android system, has joined the battle. Google unveiled the much-anticipated Pixel Fold at its annual I/O conference.

 

For ordinary foreign users, if they want to try folding screen mobile phones, they will mainly choose Samsung products. Microsoft has launched two generations of dual-screen mobile phone Surface Duo, and the experience is not as good as folding screen mobile phones, basically declaring a failure. The significance of Google's launch of folding screen mobile phones is not only in hardware but as the "son" Pixel series mobile phones have always been the compass of the Android system. Its software adaptation to folding screen mobile phones will affect such products of all brands on the market.  At this conference, Google also showed a series of important updates on software functions.

At the Google I/O conference in 2023, Google released its first folding screen phone, the Pixel Fold, which is equipped with personal AI and provides dual-screen real-time translation (02:01).

Google's foldable phone has a different design from most of its counterparts from the likes of Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi, instead going the "chunky" route like the Oppo Find N2, which has a 5.8-inch outer screen with a 17.4:9 aspect ratio.  "It's shaped more like a passport than Samsung's slimmer baton-shaped phone," Engadget reporter Sam Rutherford described it.

Pixel Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4's exterior screen comparison.  

After getting his hands on the phone, Rutherford said the Pixel Fold's weight is a bit deceiving.  It weighs 283 grams, which is actually heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 (263 grams). But thanks to the ultra-thin design, which measures 5.8mm thick when open (12.1mm when closed), it doesn't feel nearly as chunky.  Google said at the press conference that when unfolded, this is "the thinnest folding screen phone on the market."  However, the unfolded thickness of the Huawei X3 is 5.3 mm, and that of the Xiaomi Fold 2 is 5.4 mm.

The Pixel Fold folds with a smaller gap in the middle, resulting in an almost completely flat device, unlike Samsung's phones. Google says the phone has the most durable hinge of any foldable hinge to date.  Rutherford said the phone folds with a smaller gap in the middle, resulting in an almost completely flat device, unlike Samsung's.

Pixel Fold screen resolution and size

The Pixel Fold's inner screen uses a 7.6-inch 2208x1840 OLED display with vibrant colours and an inevitable crease. Rutherford said the crease looks slightly less pronounced compared to some other devices.  The bigger difference is that because of the unfolded ratio, the Pixel Fold is better for watching videos without rotating the phone.  Instead of using an under-display camera like Samsung did, Google opted for a more traditional built-in camera located in the upper right corner.

According to the review, apart from the design, what is really interesting about the Pixel Fold is its software and multitasking capabilities.  Reviewers described switching from the front screen to the interior screen as smooth, and the way Google synchronised the movement of the bird's wings on the wallpaper with the position of the screen made for a very nice experience. Google may have learned a few things from Samsung, including having an auto-disappearing taskbar that can be summoned by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.

Google says there are already more than 50 apps optimised to run on the Pixel Fold. For example, on YouTube, when the phone is folded in half, it will automatically switch to a special interface.  Samsung offers similar tweaks in the app for the Z Fold series, and the continued development of an adaptive interface for foldable phones is exciting, as it will allow the next generation of foldable devices to really shine. Google even showed off a new translation mode that uses both the inner and outer screens to work with the phone's voice recognition to allow people to see a real-time translation in two different languages.

In terms of shooting, this phone can get basically the same excellent experience as the Pixel 7 Pro, including 5x zoom. Like Samsung, Google has included some nifty modes that allow users to snap photos with the phone half-opened, or use the rear camera and front screen at the same time for selfies.  These use cases are a bit niche, but great for taking group photos without having to lug around a small mobile tripod.

Pixel Fold Storage and CPU

The configuration specifications of Pixel Fold are more conscientious: Tensor G2 chip, 12GB memory, up to 512GB storage space, and both screens have a 120Hz refresh rate. There's a fingerprint sensor built into the power button, support for wireless charging and IPX8 water resistance, which are still valuable in a foldable phone.

Price of Pixel Fold phone

The 256G storage version of Pixel Fold is priced at $1,799, which is roughly the same as the price of Huawei X3.  Divided into two colours: porcelain (Porcelain) and obsidian (Obsidian).

Rutherford said some of the Pixel Fold's engineers told him that the phone represented the best effort Google has put into a foldable phone.  "Between its wider screen and design, you'll never mess with the Galaxy Z Fold. But more importantly, I like that Google didn't cut corners on the Pixel Fold's camera, while cramming in a more optimised UI layout and features derived from Android 12L," he wrote.

Tablets vs. Cheap Phones

At the I/O conference, Google also launched a tablet computer for a long time: Pixel Tablet, priced at $499, uses a Titan M2 chip, a front 8MP camera, and an LCD screen. The Pixel Tablet uses an LCD screen, which is more eye-friendly for many people.

Cnet reporter Scott Stern (Scott Stein) evaluation: This may be Google's best tablet PC in years (although Google has not released a few tablets).  Whether it can be an iPad replacement is another matter.

 

However, like foldable phones, Google's idea of ​​a tablet of its own is more about software than hardware. Google is promising a new wave of Android apps optimised for the big screen, including 50 of Google's own most-used apps, as well as third-party partners including Spotify and Disney Plus. These apps will appear on the Pixel Fold phone and the Pixel Tablet, in a sense that the Fold and the Tablet are a bit like two sides of the same big-screen "coin."

The Pixel Tablet has some advantages over the iPad: Google has made it easier to use multiple accounts or guest mode on Android; Google's strategy of infusing Android services with AI may also finally make the Pixel Tablet the perfect way to use a family device for everyday use.

 

The Pixel Tablet sits on a magnetic speaker base that looks like a smart photo frame or Google Nest Hub.  But the speakers cost $500 to buy. The Pixel Tablet comes with a speaker dock, but you need to buy it separately. Oddly, Google's tablet doesn't come with an official keyboard and stylus, and a tablet + keyboard/stylus has long been such a great productivity tool.

In addition to folding screen phones, Google also routinely upgraded the affordable model in the Pixel series: the introduction of Pixel 7a.

Foreign media’s evaluation of this phone is generally very cost-effective. Unlike the previous A series, which is always short of weight, Pixel 7a provides more comprehensive functions at a slightly higher price, including wireless charging and a 90Hz screen refresh rate.  The 6.1-inch 1080×2400 display has an under-display fingerprint sensor.  The biggest improvement in the Pixel 7a compared to past generations is an upgraded camera sensor.

However, the Pixel series still wins with the software experience.  It can screen and deal with spam calls, though it's currently limited to the US.  The exclusive "Next Generation Assistant" can operate many of the phone's applications using only the user's voice.  Lightning-fast transcription is also available everywhere, just speak a message, email or document, often with correct punctuation.

Generative AI Infused into Software

At the I/O conference, Google provided a preview of more powerful AI features in Google Photos.  While the company already uses AI for its tools, such as the distraction-removing Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur correction features, Magic Editor is now turning to AI for more complex editing.  Google said the new tool will incorporate artificial intelligence technologies, including generative artificial intelligence, for editing and re-imaging photos. With Magic Editor, users will be able to edit specific parts of a photo such as the foreground or background, fill in gaps in a photo, and even reposition subjects for better composition.

For example, Google showed how to use Magic Editor to improve a picture of a person standing in front of a waterfall.  In a demonstration of the technique, users can first remove other people from the background of a photo, then "remove" the straps from the subject's shoulders for a cleaner look.  While these types of edits were previously available through Magic Eraser, the repositioning subject feature is new, where the AI ​​"cuts out" subjects in the foreground of the photo, then allows the user to reposition the subject elsewhere in the photo by dragging and dropping.

Another demo showed how to combine Magic Editor's ability to reposition objects with its ability to use AI technology to fill in gaps in images. In this example, a boy is sitting on a bench with a bunch of balloons, but the bench is on the left side of the photo.  Magic Editor allows the user to pull the boy and the bench into the centre of the photo while using generative AI to create more stool areas and balloons to fill the rest of the photo.  As a finishing touch, it's also possible to brighten the sky behind the photo, showing brighter blues and puffy white clouds instead of the original cloudy grey sky.

In the demo, the edited results looked natural and well-composed, rather than images that looked heavily edited or AI-created. Google showed how to combine Magic Editor's ability to reposition objects with its ability to use AI technology to fill in gaps in images.

Google Maps is getting new features, too: a new "immersive route view" feature will be rolling out in select cities.  The new feature uses computer vision and AI to fuse together billions of Street View and aerial images.  With Immersive View, users can see all the information they need about their route at once for a multi-dimensional experience, previewing bike lanes, sidewalks, intersections, and parking lots along the way.

 

Bird's-eye navigation.

The immersive route view also shows weather information. The feature will roll out in 15 cities over the next few months, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Dublin, Florence, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Tokyo and Venice.  The feature will be rolling out to both Android and iOS.

 

Bird's-eye navigation from different angles.

Google also announced that it is rolling out a bird's eye view API (application programming interface) for developers to be able to include prepackaged bird's eye videos of an area in their apps and websites.  One of the early partners is the real estate company Rent.com.

Additionally, new capabilities in the Google Maps Platform allow developers to easily create custom immersive map experiences and visualisations.  For example, a travel company can develop an interactive map tour of a landmark that shares information about restaurants.

In translation, where it has always been good, Google is testing a powerful new translation service called "Universal Translator," which can translate a video into a new language while also combining the lips of speakers with words they never spoke. Synchronise if passed. Google also admitted at the press conference that this may bring a certain risk of fraud.

 

The "Universal Translator" can not only translate videos but also change your mouth and in some cases, this feature is also useful, such as some companies re-dubbing in post-production for many reasons.

“There is an inherent tension here: some of the same underlying technology could be misused by bad actors to create deep fakes. So we built the service with guardrails to prevent misuse, and we only allow authorised partners to access it, and soon we will be integrating new innovations in watermarking into our latest generative models to help address the challenge of misinformation," said James Manyika, head of Google's "Technology and Society" division.