Google Says It Is Working on Foldable Smartphone Prototypes, but Don't Expect One Anytime Soon

Google is working with multiple foldable smartphone prototypes, but you might have to wait for the first Pixel foldable phone.

By Harpreet Singh | Updated: 9 May 2019 12:39 IST

Google Says It Is Working on Foldable Smartphone Prototypes, but Don't Expect One Anytime Soon

Photo Credit: YouTube/ Google

Google has already added support for foldable displays in Android Q

Highlights

Google is working on multiple foldable smartphone prototypes
But don't expect a Pixel branded foldable phone anytime soon
Android Q will natively support upcoming foldable smartphones

Foldable smartphones are the next big thing, at least that's what all major smartphone manufacturers think. While Samsung and Huawei have already had their special moments, revealing their first foldable smartphones, Google isn't completely left behind. The company has revealed that it has been working on foldable smartphone prototypes for some time now. Google had already announced support for foldable displays in Android Q. But you shouldn't expect a Pixel branded foldable smartphone anytime soon.

Mario Queiroz, Pixel phones development lead at Google, told Cnet earlier this week that Google has been experimenting with foldable displays. He further added that Google isn't too keen on launching its first foldable phone anytime soon.

At the Google I/O 2019 keynote, Google confessed that the company is excited about upcoming foldable smartphones that will be powered by its Android mobile operating system.

Queiroz said he doesn't think there's a clear use case for foldable smartphones yet. He feels foldable smartphones aren't ready for prime time yet and need to have much better use cases than simply a phone with a bigger screen.

Earlier patent applications had revealed some of Google's foldable smartphone prototypes. In an application, Google's foldable smartphone featured a display that would fold inwards. The design could be one of the several foldable prototypes Google may have tested.

The unique form factor of foldable smartphones may attract prospective buyers, but the first-generation foldable phones are going to arrive with expensive price tags, at least initially.

Google may be right when it says foldable smartphones aren't just ready yet. Samsung had to push the release date for its Galaxy Fold smartphone indefinitely after early reviewers reported that their screens were breaking apart within days of usage.

While Samsung and Huawei have already announced their first foldable smartphones, others like Motorola, TCL, ZTE, and Xiaomi are still reportedly working on their own foldable smartphones. By the end of this year, we should see a bunch of Android-based foldable smartphones.

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Further reading: Google IO 2019, Google Pixel, Foldable Smartphones, Galaxy Fold, Huawei Mate X

Harpreet Singh

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Harpreet is the community manager at Gadgets 360. He loves all things tech, and can be found hunting for good deals when he is not shopping online. He has written about deals and e-commerce in India for many years, as well as covering social media and breaking technology news. More