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Remember how I mentioned in my previous video that I hadn't even started covering the possible Pixel Fold 2? Well, it's about that time. I'm not sure how I feel about companies switching over to earlier launches or announcements, but Google has definitely taken the cake. This isn't entirely new, as we saw the company tease the Pixel 6 series at Google I/O 2021, but then stick to a launch in October. I'm not exactly sure if the company plans to follow this approach again, but I honestly doubt it. With Samsung's subtle push to an earlier launch and OnePlus doing the same, Google also wants a piece of the pie before Apple dominates everything again with the iPhone.

Google is so aggressive about this launch that the company has pretty much spilled the beans on what to expect ahead of time. But they usually do that. I'm here with Pocketnow, and it's time for another deep dive.

Let's begin with the basics. Google has announced that it will show off the new Pixel 9 phones on August 13th at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time at the Made by Google event, which is oddly held in San Francisco for the first time ever. Usually, or at least since the Pixel 3, that I've been participating in, this has always been held in New York City.

Given the first teasers we saw, we were only expecting to see the Pixel 9 series that we saw teased in the imagery. But it seems the company wants to go all out, as it's also confirmed that another of the new phones will be the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. I know, who came up with this name? Can we just call it Pixel Fold 2 or Pixel 9 Fold? Imagine trying to tell your friend that you just got yourself a Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It just rolls off the tongue, I know.

We first knew about the name because in Google's event invite for the Pixel 9 Pro, there was also a link pointing to a site that mentioned both the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. I'm already getting tongue-twisted, sorry. But yeah, now that is pretty much the landing page for the new Pixels.

This supports the rumors that Google has been working on an upgraded version of its foldable, which, yeah, was already due for an upgrade since June. The only positive benefit to this new naming scheme is that it hints at Google going harder on the cameras, which were good on the Pixel Fold but quickly became overshadowed by the Pixel 8 Pro.

If we're honest, one of the biggest problems with foldables is not just that some are skeptical about their durability. It's also that you're paying nearly double the price of a flagship and for lesser cameras. Sure, we know there are space constraints, but try to convince an average user that they don't deserve the best of the best for so much more money.

Anyways, the linked site also showed new images of the Pixel 9 phones. The Pixel 9 family will sport a new design with a wide pill-shaped camera block on the back, replacing the old visor from the Pixel 6. Even if I'd call this more just mimicking the design of the new approach, listen, I'll prefer this any day over how sharp the visor was on the Pixel 8 series. Additionally, the Pixel 9 Pro will have flat sides similar to the recent iPhones instead of the rounded edges seen on earlier Pixel phones. While we can't see the size of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold yet, it is looking similar to the 9 Pro but with more noticeable rounded edges in the cover screen, giving it a different look compared to the Pixel Fold.

I actually have a few thoughts on this Pixel 9 Pro Fold's design. I'm seriously wondering if Oppo is collaborating with Google on its foldables. Companies rarely disclose who their ODM is for these kinds of things, but if we remember for the first Pixel Fold, it was made to mimic a shorter passport, which followed the exact same design mentality Oppo brought with their Find N and Find N2. Yes, I know it was taller, I know the bezels weren't even close to being the same, and Oppo provided better quality in the screen. The thing is, look at the images of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and tell me it does not look like a OnePlus Open or an Oppo Find N3. Yes, the camera module is flanked to the side instead of the center, but the curvier cuts within the chassis, which are then mimicked in the primary display, look a lot like the Open. Seriously, just look at the top design where the two parts meet the hinge, and you know you've seen this before. Also, this is clearly a taller aspect ratio, which again mimics the Open.

If you remember, Google did say they tested iterations of the Fold for three years before launching it, but given how poorly Google handles rumors, I have a serious feeling this was all under the Oppo chassis and just never left China. Obviously, the official images don't reveal much, so let's switch back to the unofficial ones, which pretty much leak everything else. The inner display has a much thinner bezel compared to the first Pixel Fold, which used its bezels to hide a lot of the internals in order to enable its hinge design and thinness. I know many people didn't like the big bezels on the original, given how they lagged behind trends, but I always considered it to be an ingenious solution to a more important problem. Though yeah, seeing thinner bezels now is great.

Now then, pc repair company look at the outer display. It's wider and taller than before, resembling more of a regular Pixel wrapped in a foldable chassis. But then, can I just mention my OnePlus Open references again? I mean, look at the antenna cutouts at the top and bottom. Look at the outer display design, and also look at the minimal hinge. I mean, seriously, the original Pixel Fold looked pretty different to the Oppo Find N, but this one is seriously not trying.

That said, if you remember at my hands-on of the original Fold, I did comment on how this phone just looked like a Find N but felt different in every way. I'm curious to see how things will pan out with this new model, as it could just be that the looks are here, but not the feel. That said, I wouldn't blame Google for simply using Oppo for this project. The OnePlus Open remains one of my favorite foldable designs ever, not just because of the looks but also because it's crazy light. So light that the Galaxy Fold 6 had to mimic the phone, at least in the weight. That's how disruptive it was. Now, I'm just hoping they also copy the software as well, because those multitasking tricks that came from OnePlus and Oppo were pretty sick. I think the best in the industry.

Obviously, the main highlight is the inner display for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It has symmetrical bezels on all sides, which aren't super thin but look balanced. The selfie camera is located in a hole-punch cutout in the right corner. And yes, I dare again say similar to the OnePlus Open. This placement should ensure that it doesn't interfere with display usability. I'll admit, I did like how the previous camera was built into the bezels of the previous Fold, but then again, you can't go minimal without some sort of compromise. Sadly, we don't have much information when it comes to the specifications of this panel, but if this phone is borrowing from the Open, we can totally expect an awesome display, which at the same time does a fantastic job at hiding the crease. Guys, anything is better than the reflective mess that we had on the Pixel Fold. Let's just admit to that.

Another thing, and this is just wishful thinking, but I don't know if you knew this, but the OnePlus Open does have stylus support. The problem is, it never left China. There, it was known as the Oppo Pen, which was an optional accessory for the Find N3 that also worked on the Open. Can you imagine if Google pulls a solution like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold Pen? That, in my opinion, is a must, as Samsung is honestly killing it with its general availability for the S Pen.

Now, as for color options, it does seem that Google wants to follow on the color scheme we saw before, which I did like a lot. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold will come in just two color options: Obsidian and Porcelain. Now, unlike the Pixel 9 Pro, which will be available in four colors, the Fold has fewer options. And listen, I get it. The target audience here is not teenagers or young adults. This is more for the business-like consumer, which, yeah, doesn't value color as much.

When it comes to specifications, the report reveals that all Pixel 9 models will feature the Tensor G4 chip, ensuring similar performance across the board, and especially for the AI features. Now, maybe more important is that the company has finally woken up and smelled the coffee about its RAM offerings. Even for the lower-tier models, the base Pixel 9 will have 12 gigs of RAM, while the 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold will come with 16 gigs of RAM, which seriously is the least any company should offer. I mean, look at Apple being all conservative about its RAM offerings for years, only to be stuck in a problem with its Apple Intelligence not being supported by the current iPhone 15 base models. With on-device AI being a crucial selling point for any product going forward, make sure any purchase decision you make right now involves enough RAM for it, and I mean 12 and above.

An interesting note is that the camera details in the marketing material differ from some of the previous rumors. The Pixel 9 is expected to have a 10.5-megapixel camera on the front and a rear 50-megapixel main camera and a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera. The Pixel 9 Pro will have a 42-megapixel front camera and the rear camera system consisting of 50 megapixels on the main, 48 megapixels on the ultrawide, and 48 megapixels on the telephoto. Now, for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the front camera is expected to be 10 megapixels. But then on the back, things get interesting: 48 megapixels on the main, but then 10.5 megapixels on the ultrawide and 10.8 on the telephoto. I know, I'm already skeptical of the Pro Foldable including barely scratched 4K video performance. We'll see how this goes as time will tell.

Also, this camera hump on this Pro Foldable is definitely an interesting change. Many complained that the Pixel Fold's visor didn't allow it to lay flat on a table. And listen, I always defend how no foldable is good at that, but then the Pixel Fold was the worst at it. I do like this new camera design but wonder why Google followed its choices, as we're even debating a periscopic lens here.

Now, as for pricing, your guess is as good as mine as to what Google will do. The company has been aggressive about pricing, but when it comes to storage options, they are pretty archaic at 128 gigs for the base and the Pro models. At a time when everyone is already jumping to 256 gigs for the Pro options, we're seriously hoping Google doesn't skimp out here, as we're also hoping that at least the previous prices remain for another year. Think about it: right now is when you need more RAM and storage. Right now is when I'll tell you that those higher-tier options are better. Google really needs to be aggressive about this too if they really want to bank on Gemini and people generating things on their device and not having to worry about storage, as if we're honest, those Google One prices are not great.

To conclude, can I just say this is probably the most excited I've been for a Pixel launch? I know Tensor G4 is not the company's final vision, still baby steps in the right direction. Still, I do love these new design options the company is bringing, in addition to how it continues to embrace change. For any of you that complain about Apple and Samsung just iterating on designs, you've got to admit that Google doesn't play this game at all. The company has been aggressively evolving its design year-over-year. If anything, I seriously wish more people would embrace what Google is doing, because it does serve what most power consumers ask for. Obviously, this is an average consumer market, and yet I do feel the company has brought so many great improvements to software that it does deserve more popularity than it currently has.

Whatever the case may be, I'm really excited for this Made by Google event. Stay tuned as we cover it in more detail coming soon. Let us know if you agree with our assessment in the comments down below, and while you're at it, follow us on social media and subscribe to our channel for more videos like this one. You can also follow me on my personal handles to see me want to love these Pixels more and more because they do sound great. Please give this video a thumbs up if you like what you saw.

I'm Ha, thanks so much for watching. We'll see you on the next one.

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