Google confirms it's experimenting with a foldable Pixel phone

Image Credit: TechRadar

Google has been part of the foldable phone conversation ever since it announced support for Android on bendy devices, but now is the first time we've heard confirmation it's experimenting with the tech for its own Pixel devices.

It comes from an interview with Mario Queiroz, Google’s head of Pixel development, who spoke to CNET and confirmed the company has been making prototypes of a foldable Pixel.

Queiroz said, "We’re definitely prototyping the technology. We’ve been doing it for a long time. I don’t think there’s a clear use case yet."

Queiroz believes foldable phones are currently a feature that is "nice to have" rather than a must-have, so it's unlikely we'll see a Pixel phone with a foldable screen until the tech improves considerably.

When that'll be is difficult to know. Even though the company is experimenting with the foldable form factor, it's unlikely to be a major feature we see on a device like the Google Pixel 4.

Back in March this year, we saw a patent leak that suggested Google was working on foldable tech with a clamshell-like design. It's likely this was accurate, but it may be that the company is testing various types of design in its prototyping department.

If you don't want to wait for a foldable Pixel, the company just announced two more affordable alternatives to its flagship line that are called the Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL.

Via PocketNow

James Peckham

James is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.