Pixel Fold said to debut at Google I/O 2023 with an eye-watering price tag

What you need to know

• A new leak from Jon Prosser claims Google will unveil the Pixel Fold at Google I/O on May 10. 
• The phone is said to be priced at $1,799, with pre-orders set to go live the same day as the announcement. 
• Google is also expected to provide more details in regards to the Pixel Tablet and Pixel 7a at I/O 2023.

Those of us who have been (im)patiently waiting for the oft-rumored Google Pixel Fold might not have much longer to wait. According to Jon Prosser, Google will unveil its first foldable phone at Google I/O 2023, which kicks off on May 10. 

Prosser didn't share much in the way of what the Pixel Fold will have to offer. However, he did reveal that the phone will be available for pre-order from Google's online storefront on May 10, with carrier availability set to come on May 30. Lastly, Prosser states that the phone will be officially released on June 27, giving Google a little less than a month between the announcement and release.

The Pixel Fold rumor mill has picked up quite substantially in recent weeks, with one of the most recent reports claiming that Google's foldable phone will use "a new type of OLED display." This is said to carry a codename of M13, but it's currently unknown how this will differ from the OLED display found on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4.

If you were hoping that Google would take a conservative approach to pricing, Prosser has some bad news. He claims the Pixel Fold will be priced at $1,799, the same price as the Galaxy Z Fold 4. 

This has been one of the biggest concerns when it comes to the Pixel Fold, as the phone is likely to be powered by the same chip as the Pixel 7 lineup. The Tensor G2 offers a much better experience than its predecessor. However, it simply doesn't compare to what the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 offers on phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. 

That's not to mention Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 is likely to land sometime in August, offering a refined foldable experience. Google has been working to improve its apps with better tablet support, which would be important when the Pixel Fold is opened. But Samsung offers quite a few extra tweaks and features to "manipulate" apps to work as you would expect, even on a foldable display.

Google I/O 2023 is set to kick off on May 10, and it could be even bigger than last year's event. Not only are we expecting to see the Pixel Fold, but the Pixel 7a and Pixel Tablet are likely to be announced. And maybe, Google will give us an early look at the Pixel 8 ahead of a fall release.

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