Google enters foldable market with US$1,799 Pixel phone to rival Samsung
BNN Bloomberg
Alphabet Inc.’s Google introduced a US$1,799 foldable smartphone, a new entry-level Pixel phone and a tablet for the home, its latest attempt to spark hardware sales in an arena saturated by Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co.
Launched at Wednesday’s Google I/O conference, the Pixel Fold is Google’s first entry into the growing foldables category and comes with a 7.6-inch main display and a 5.8-inch external panel. Google touts this as the thinnest foldable in the markets where it will be sold, which include the U.S., U.K., Germany and Japan.
The company also rolled out its first Pixel-branded tablet and a $499 Pixel 7a, trickling down its 2022 flagship phone’s features to a more affordable price point. The three devices use an in-house chip known as the Tensor G2.
The move into the pricier foldables category marks a strategy shift for Google, which has so far focused on undercutting the cost of rival devices. The Pixel Fold is Google’s most expensive handset to date, matching the price of Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Fold 4 and including high-end specifications like 512 gigabytes of onboard storage. Samsung remains the sales leader in foldables — with 79 per cent of the market last year, according to IDC — having kicked off the category four years ago with the Galaxy Fold.
