Google Pixel Fold is delayed, but still expected in 2023

Since the Google Pixel 7 and the Google Pixel 7 Pro were unveiled last year, devices in the Pixel range have been been some of the hottest Android phones on the market. Users have flocked to the Pixel thanks to its intelligent design and useful AI-powered feature set.

Late last year, we saw a roadmap for the next three years of Google Pixel phones. That report suggested that the long-awaited Google Pixel Fold would come to market  around April/May 2023, at the Google I/O event. That made sense – Pixel Fold renders were leaked recently, along with a fairly comprehensive spec sheet.

But now, a report from Korean media outlet, The Elec, suggests that may have been too optimistic. According to the report, mass production for the Pixel Fold is unlikely to start until the third quarter of 2023. Samsung, who are known to be manufacturing the display for the Pixel Fold, are expected to begin that process around July/August.

It's a blow for foldable phone fans who are waiting for greater competition for devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Based on that manufacturing timescale, its reasonable to assume the Pixel Fold will be released around October, alongside the Google Pixel 8 range.

That does make more sense – releasing all three together would make it clear what the structure of the Pixel range looked like, rather than having one model pre-date others. Hopefully, it will also mean that the Pixel Fold gets any chip update seen on the Pixel 8 range – a Tensor G3, perhaps.

Whatever happens, I'm enthusiastic about it. The Pixel Fold comfortably made my list of 5 phones I'm excited for in 2023, and I maintain that it's an attractive proposition. It's likely that we'll still get a glimpse of it at Google I/O, similar to what we saw at the Pixel launch event with the Google Pixel Tablet.