Google’s Pixels have always been an interesting line to follow, but the company has treated them as an experiment up until 2021. That’s when Google launched the revolutionary Pixel 6 paired with its Tensor chip. This year saw Google iterate upon that with the Pixel 7, along with the launch of the much-anticipated Pixel Watch. Now, according to rumors, next year might be set up to be the best year for Pixels so far.
Reports from reliable sources paint a picture of a Google Pixel Fold, while the Pixel Tablet has already been announced, with the regular Pixels bringing up the rear. If Google plays its cards right with
The Pixel Fold is a device that’s all but guaranteed to debut as the best Pixel device of 2023. Also dubbed the “Pixel Notepad” in some reporting, it’s rumored to be Google’s first foray into the world of foldables. If true, this will see Google not only beat Apple to the folding punch, but also take the envious position of being one of the only Western phone makers selling foldables.
Say what you think about folding phones, and I certainly have, but there’s no denying they have an elegant allure. In conversation with my mom on the phone, I heard her enthuse about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 her friend had. It’s not worth giving up the Apple ecosystem for, mind you, but you could see her head turning.
Google has rarely been one to innovate with hardware. The company has almost always labored on the trail first carved out by others. Whether it came to Soli and face unlock or even something as out there as building its own chipset — someone else did it first. As with Apple, it doesn’t matter. Google creating a premium foldable experience while the American and European markets are still solely defined by Samsung could see the company’s hardware brand shine more brightly than it already has.
Of course, foldables remain a risky investment for companies and buyers alike. Even as Samsung goes all-in with them and pushes inviting trade-in deals to get customers started on the foldable treadmill, it’s still eclipsed by the S-Series in terms of sales. Despite it being years since their debut, foldables are still at the point where they could go the way of the MacBook and define an entire era of mobile computing. Or they could go the way of the Surface Pro and remain a niche form factor defined by one manufacturer and a handful of dabblers. For Google, the former would be ideal with the
The
It’ll need to have a strong pitch for the Pixel Tablet. Pixel phones offer helpfulness and powerful cameras over other
That may be beside the point, though. Former PC Mag analyst Sascha Segan believes the Pixel Tablet exists primarily to spur software development for the
Other than these — shall we say — moonshots, Google is also expected to launch the Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, and 8 Pro through 2023. These are known quantities that can be predicted without even the aid of leaks. The Pixel 7a would slot somewhere between the Pixel 6 and the 7 in terms of hardware, and the company will certainly put a Tensor 2 chip in there. As for the
While these devices aren’t anything special for Google, they are important. The Pixel 7a is the phone that’ll appeal to the masses, and it’ll also help bring Pixels back into public consciousness in the middle of the year. The
The Pixel line has grown from one device a year, to three devices a year, to this year’s five. And 2023 may see it balloon to as many as seven. Google has had many Pixel lineups before. The company would have a very powerful sales pitch. These Pixels have had over eight years to get good at making your lives better. Now, they’re there.
In a typically predictable fashion for unreleased Google hardware, the upcoming Google Pixel 8 series phones have been appearing in leaks almost every few weeks. After rumored marketing renders and camera details appeared online, tipster Yogesh Brar shared the core specifications of the Pixel 8 Pro.
The Pixel 8 Pro will reportedly feature a 6.7-inch QHD+ (1440 x 3120 pixels) LTPO OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, which is the same as the Google Pixel 7 Pro. That means you get a screen with a respectable sharpness of 512 pixel-per-inch and dynamic refresh rate adjustment.
Google recently released its first foldable device to the masses with the Google Pixel Fold. Though it’s far from perfect, I was pleasantly surprised with the device overall, and it’s become one of my favorite phones I’ve tried so far this year — though I think I’m one of the more favorable reviews in an otherwise mixed bag.
Of course, Google’s a little late to the foldable market, as Samsung has been the reigning champion for that niche for a few years now, especially for the U.S. Samsung is also having its next Galaxy Unpacked event on July 26, and we’re definitely expecting Samsung’s next generation of foldables with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5.
Google’s current-gen Pixel smartphones are rewarding from multiple perspectives. They don’t cost as dishearteningly much as Samsung or Apple flagships. You get a consistently impressive camera experience. Plus, the software is pristine Android with a ton of convenient tricks.
Where the Pixels falter is raw performance and some nagging chip-adjacent problems. It’s not entirely Google’s fault, either. But if you were hoping for a turnaround, you might want to revise your hope scheduling. According to The Information, the “first fully customized chip” from the Tensor division won’t be here until 2025.
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