Summary
- Google’s Pixel Fold 2 has a new look compared to its predecessor, with a redesigned camera bump and taller build.
- It sports a larger cover display and will be the thinnest foldable sold in North America, if these leaked dimensions are correctly
- The hinge design and inner screen are similar to the OnePlus Open, but the move to Tensor G4 means we might be waiting until the fall to see it.
Earlier this month, we got our first look at the design for Google’s upcoming Pixel Fold 2, and to say it was a shock feels like something of an understatement. A leaked early test model looked completely alien compared to last year’s foldable, with a new camera bump and a revised aspect ratio that made the whole thing look more in line with the OnePlus Open than anything branded Pixel. Now, we’re getting some follow-up renders that double down on this new look, alongside some details surrounding its refreshed size and shape.
As shared by OnLeaks and SmartPrix, these renders look straight out of Google’s EVT leak, allowing us to, perhaps, dial back some of those grains of salt previously applied to this design. It’s hard to blame anyway for being suspicious about this look, though — it’s hard to see the house style here, especially with the new squared camera bump. Throw in the new aspect ratio for the front screen (and, consequently, the inner display as well), and you’re looking at a fresh take on Pixel.
According to this leak, we’re looking at a cover display measuring in at about 6.4 inches. That’s a big increase from the 5.8-inch display on the original Pixel Fold, and even larger than the 6.31-inch screen on the front of the OnePlus Open. Folded, the device allegedly measures in at 155.2 x 77.1 x 10.54mm, a huge change from the 2023 model. It’s significantly taller and thinner than the original — by 15.5mm and 1.56mm, respectively — while also shedding about one and a half millimeters from its width.
That’s enough to make it the thinnest foldable sold in North America, besting the Open by more than a millimeter, while also bringing the dimensions much closer in line with last year’s OnePlus foldable. That device came in at 153.4 x 73.3 x 11.7mm, and I’ll let you do the comparisons yourself. Unfortunately, we don’t know the weight of this new unit, which was one of the weak points of Google’s hardware last year.
But this is a foldable, right? Enough about that outer screen — what about what’s inside? We’re looking at a 7.9-inch display this time around, up from 7.6 inches on last year’s model, and likely with a much more square aspect ratio to match those new dimensions. Unfolded, it measures in at 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.27mm. The bezels look noticeably smaller than last year’s unit, utilizing an in-display camera rather than building it around the screen for an uninterrupted experience.
As we noted with its previous leak, the new hinge looks more in line with what OnePlus used for the Open, complete with minimized side bezels that might make front case pieces feel flimsy and fragile. If Google is using similar techniques to reduce hinge weight, though, we could be looking at a significantly lighter smartphone than last year’s unit. Only time will tell.
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It sounds like it’s going to be a while before we actually get our hands on a unit ourselves. Recent rumors suggest Google is moving the Pixel Fold 2 to run on Tensor G4, suggesting a fall launch likely timed with the Pixel 9 series. Whether it’ll look out of place next to the unified designs of the next round of non-foldables remains to be seen. One thing’s for sure, though: the Moleskine feeling of last year’s Pixel Fold has, for better or worse, been put out to pasture.
