Google's Unreleased Pipit Foldable Phone Design, Specs, and More
TapTechNews reports on June 30 that Google's entry into the foldable phone sector didn't start with the PixelFold. A year before the PixelFold was launched, Google had already prepared a prototype of a foldable phone, but it failed to hit the market for various reasons.
Recently, the spy photos and some specifications of this foldable phone codenamed pipit surfaced. The design of pipit is very similar to that of the PixelFold, with the same unique screen ratio, bezels, hinge and frosted glass back cover. The main difference lies in the camera module. pipit adopts a one-piece glass design similar to that of Pixel 6, while the PixelFold adopts a separated metal camera module similar to that of Pixel 7 Pro.
This pipit prototype appeared on a second-hand trading platform, and the seller tried to sell it. Potential buyers felt strange, so they went online for help and finally confirmed the identity of the device.
The leaked specifications show that this prototype will carry the first-generation Tensor processor, Exynos Modem 5123, and the main camera of IMX363 from Sony (this sensor was used in Pixel 3). Other camera sensors will be downgraded, and there is no telephoto lens. The size of the external display is slightly smaller than that of the PixelFold (66 x 128mm vs. 67 x 130mm), and the resolution is 1080 x 2100 pixels. However, the internal display remains the same as that of the PixelFold.
The exact reason why pipit was cancelled is still unclear, but its potential release time may provide some clues. If it were released, pipit would have appeared at the 2022 Google I/O conference along with the Pixel 6a and another cancelled Pixel tablet. This would make it one of the first batch of devices with Android 12L, which is Google's version optimized for large-screen devices.
However, the release of both the Pixel 6 series and Android 12 encountered vulnerability issues. Although Android 12L fixed some problems, the overall stability is still insufficient, and many functions also have to be postponed. Google is likely to decide to postpone the release of tablets and foldable phones in order to ensure software stability and make necessary hardware adjustments.
Despite being cancelled, pipit is not a completely failed project. It is reported that many Google employees used the prototype as their daily device, and the first-generation PixelFold also clearly drew on the software and hardware design of pipit.
TapTechNews noticed that Google will hold a press conference at its Mountain View, California headquarters on August 13 (1:00 a.m. Beijing time on August 14). In addition to the Pixel 9 series phones and the PixelWatch 3 smart watch, the PixelFold 2 is also expected to be released together. Let's look forward to it.