First glimpse of radical new Google Android phone that rivals Samsung

While Samsung currently dominates the foldable smartphone market, a new teaser video reveals that the Korean tech company now faces a major rival. Goog‌le has just shared a brief eight-second clip, exposing its first foldable phone, believed to be officially called the Pixel Fold.

The US tech giant also officially confirmed what rumours have been saying for weeks, that the device will be showcased on May 10th, at its annual developer conference, Google I/O.

During the YouTube video, fans get to see the Fold in all of its glory including a premium design that’s covered in glass and aluminium.

Google gave no other information about the Pixel, however, documents seen by CNBC note that the device will have the “most durable hinge on a foldable” phone.

This appears to be a direct jab at Samsung, whose previous Galaxy Fold devices, including 2021’s Z Fold 3, have been criticised for being rather breakable, particularly at the hinges.

For those interested, the smartphone will reportedly set you back by around $1,700 (£1,371), making it a direct rival to Samsung’s $1,799 Galaxy Z Fold 4, which costs £1,649 in the UK.

Aside from this price, the Pixel Fold is also expected to outclass its Samsung rival in another important way – battery life – as the documents showed that the Pixel Fold would have a larger power pack that Google says will last for 24 hours, or up to 72 hours in a low power mode.

This added battery life could come at a cost though, as the Pixel will weigh 283g, which is 20g heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 4 (263g), making it slightly burdensome to wield.

Similar to Samsung’s latest foldable phone, it’s thought the Pixel Fold will have an IP rating for water resistance, and should comfortably fit in pockets, measuring 5.8 inches across.

Once you open the device, users are likely to face an impressive 7.6-inch screen, which is the same size as the display on Samsung’s competitor.

The device could also be powered by Google’s Tensor G2 chip, which is the same brain powering the company’s recent Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.

If you’re in the market for a high-end phone, Google will reportedly tempt you with incentives like a trade-in option to swap in a current Pixel, iPhone or an Android-powered phone for a discount on the Pixel Fold.

It is also planning to offer customers a free Pixel Watch, the company’s latest smartwatch if they buy the Pixel Fold.

This is a similar deal to what Samsung occasionally makes, offering customers a free Galaxy Watch with its folding phones.