Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is great — but I’m holding out for Google Pixel Fold

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold iii is keen — but I'm holding out for Google Pixel Fold

(Paradigm credit: Waqar Khan | Remix via Nick Bush)

I've been using the Samsung Milky way Z Fold 3 for several weeks, and other than its impaired proper name, I'm rather impressed past it. Having a meaty tablet that y'all tin can easily skid into or pocket or purse is not bad. And the overall feel of the hardware is top notch, too.

And so it's no surprise that the Galaxy Z Fold three is one of the best foldable phones y'all tin can go correct now. But would I buy ane of my own? No. That's because I'm waiting to see if the Google Pixel Fold makes the jump from rumor to reality.

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For some time now Google has been tipped to be working on a foldable phone. And those rumors take stepped upwardly recently, suggesting a Pixel Fold could exist revealed at the upcoming Google Pixel Fall launch result on Oct 19.

At present, I'd take that with a pinch of salt. But the Google Pixel 6 has been well and truly leaked, with the search giant pretty much spilling the beans itself, meaning a surprise production at the next Google showcase could happen. And a new advertizement from Google would suggest there'southward some foldable news on the horizon.

Fifty-fifty if it'southward not revealed, at that place'due south a strong adventure that Google is indeed working on a Pixel Fold. And information technology's got me thinking what it needs to deliver to beat out the Galaxy Z Fold three and make folding phones truly compelling.

Google Pixel Fold: Slimmer and sleeker?

A photo of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 — (Epitome credit: Tom'south Guide)

Beginning off, let me address my biggest gripe with the Galaxy Z Fold three; it'southward too frickin' big. Apparently, making a device with two screens, one of which is tablet-sized, is no hateful feat and requires some handset girth. Merely oh male child, do you feel the Galaxy Z Fold iii in your pocket. And then much and so that I tend to put it in a backpack rather than slip it into the pocket of my jeans or glaze; that's hardly handy.

Then the Pixel Fold could offer a slimmer overall package. Google hasn't got a reputation for making super-slim phones — in fact, Samsung tends to be the one for that given how svelte the Galaxy S21 is — but the company is no stranger to highly-engineered devices; the Pixelbook, a high-end Chromebook, is 1 such case.

And Google has proven it can do more with less, given the Pixel 5 only has ii rear cameras but is still one of the best camera phones around. And then the Pixel Fold could draw on that expertise and perhaps come with one rear photographic camera that cuts down on the need for a lot of internal hardware and relies on Google'due south computational photography chops to deliver impressive photos.

Give the Pixel 6 is coming with Google's own Tensor chip, at that place'south a chance it could also utilise that slice of silicon in the Pixel Fold. Having a custom fleck would requite Google greater control over the internal hardware layout of a folding phone, such every bit handling cooling, meaning information technology can get smarter with packaging and make a slimmer folding device.

The Tensor chip advantage

an image showing the google pixel 6 tensor chip — (Paradigm credit: Google)

Speaking of Tensor, information technology could be the use of a custom bit that would give the Pixel Fold a competitive edge over other foldable phones.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 makes use of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 chipset, a high-finish chip found in many flagship Android phones. As such, Samsung's foldable phone will easily chew through benchmarks.

Withal, in real-world use, I plant that the Galaxy Z Fold iii tin occasionally feel less than screaming-quick. Maybe it's but my perception for using the seriously optimized iPhone 12 or the very fast Oppo Find X3 Pro, but when multitasking or trying to bounciness between using apps on the Galaxy Z Fold three's encompass screen and its tablet display, the telephone can occasionally feel a step behind my deportment. It's not a huge bargain, merely information technology lessens the experience I'd hope to become from a folding telephone.

This is where the Tensor could be an ace in the hole for Pixel Fold, or indeed other time to come Google phones. While nosotros don't know the official capabilities of the Tensor chip, Google has already talked up its potential to help a phone react better to how the device is used.

For example, if I were to open the Pixel Fold at eight a.thousand. on a Monday, the phone would open the Amazon Kindle app having learnt that I tend to read digital books and magazines when commuting. Equally, Tensor could better larn how I type on the touchscreen display, so when I'thousand borer out an e-mail at speed, the Pixel Fold's Tensor chip smarts could more than intuitively correct my rampant typos.

In essence, these smarts could be used to make information technology feel like a foldable phone that'due south working for me rather than needing me to adapt to its various functions; I've never constitute information technology easy to manage split screen apps on Samsung phones, for example.

Pixel Fold: Slicker software

An image of Android 12 — (Image credit: Google)

And that leads me onto the Pixel Fold's potential software. Like previous Pixel phones, it would be rubber to presume the Pixel Fold would make apply of Android 12 with the Pixel Launcher on elevation. That means a clean Android experience with a few extras on elevation that add to the feel rather than bloat Google's mobile operating arrangement.

I'd await any software for the Pixel Fold to be perfectly optimized past Google, with apps like Gmail, Chrome, Docs and and so on rebuild from the ground up to neatly piece of work across both a compact tablet brandish likewise every bit a standard phone screen. Whereas the likes of Samsung demand to rework their standard apps and rely on tertiary-political party developer back up to become apps to work on foldable displays; in my experience with the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the results thus far take been varied.

Google has already gone some fashion to enable developers to more hands design apps for foldables, and it is a key parter of Samsung for its foldables. But I reckon if Google does indeed make a foldable phone, information technology's development kit, optimizations and app tweaks will become more than prolific and embedded into the core of Android.

I've always found Pixel handsets to offer the very best Android phone experience around, and then I would expect the Pixel Fold to practice the same for folding phones. And the thought of super optimized apps on a folding phone really heave the appeal of such devices, especially if well-integrated gesture control is used.

Of class, all this could end upward being wishful thinking if it turns out that Google isn't working on a foldable phone; afterward all, in that location accept been a lot of rumors around a Pixel Watch and that has yet to materialize.

All the same, I'm hopeful that as more than foldable phones arrive, Google will make them equally intuitive and constructive every bit possible. That'll make them compelling phones for more people rather than expensive niche handsets.

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Roland Moore-Colyer is U.M. Editor at Tom's Guide with a focus on news, features and stance articles. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he's also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, ofttimes with a await of curiosity on his face.