Forward-looking: While foldable phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 are now being accepted by consumers, their high prices remain a problem for many. But Google's entry into the foldables market will reportedly be cheaper than Samsung's rival device.
Rumors that Google is working on a foldable Pixel have been around for years---the company itself said it was working on prototypes back in 2019. An internal Google document suggested the folding Pixel would launch in 2021, but a report from November confirmed that the tech giant was instead targeting the second half of this year for a release date.
Earlier this month, we finally learned what appears to be the foldable's official name: the Pixel Notepad. And now 9to5Google reports that it will cost $1,400, citing two sources familiar with Google's plans.
Assuming the reported price is accurate and Google doesn't change it before the Pixel Notepad launches sometime in 2022, the phone will be $400 cheaper than the $1,799 Galaxy Z Fold 3. If the Pixel Notepad is on par with or better than Samsung's device, that price tag could make it a more appealing prospect.
The Pixel Notepad is expected to look more like Oppo's Find N than the Galaxy Z Fold 3 thanks to its shorter and wider shape, as opposed to being taller and narrower. It's also thought to use the same Tensor chip found in the Pixel 6 series but will forego the flagship's 50MP rear camera in favor of the Pixel 3 - 5a's 12.2-megapixel IMX363 sensor, alongside a 12MP ultrawide camera. There will also be two 8-megapixel IMX355s selfie cams, one on the front screen and one on the main screen.