Google may have canceled/delayed the launch of the Pixel Fold but that doesn’t mean the search giant has terminated its efforts to produce a foldable device. Quite the contrary, it seems that Google is still working on a Pixel device for the foldable segment with a recent report stating that it goes by the bird-themed codename of “Pipit”.
Since it was also reported that Google was working closely with Samsung it was assumed that the Pixel Fold would take its inspiration from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 but it seems that this may not be the case. Instead, it’s being reported the Pixel Fold will be more similar to OPPO’s Find N foldable that features a wider aspect ratio than the narrow profile of the Galaxy Fold series.
The report comes from 9to5Google, whose investigation of the Android 12L beta revealed the presence of a couple of animations that explain how to insert a SIM card in a folding smartphone. The animations also feature references to the “Pipit” codename. Circumstantially, other animations within the Android 12L beta conform to the designs of other Pixel devices.
While the animations in the Android 12L beta shouldn’t be taken as gospel because Google could switch them out before the software is officially released, they do offer an insight into what the Pixel Fold design could be in its finished state.
As you can see from the animations above, the device shown would appear to more closely resemble the design of the OPPO Find N with the cover display’s 18:9 aspect ratio than the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s 24.5:9. This means that there will be more usable real estate than on the tall Galaxy Z Fold 3 which requires some thumb gymnastics when navigating. As an aside, it would also seem, rather predictably, that the foldable will also be powered by Google’s own Tensor processor.
Whatever the design turns out to be when or if the Pixel Fold comes to market, Google needs to ensure that the launch and subsequent support of its first foldable smartphone go better than the dumpster fire known as the Pixel 6 series with its multiple issues that have affected a number of users.
