What you need to know
- In our latest poll, we asked our readers which foldable phones they were looking forward to most this year.
- The rumored Pixel Fold returned the most votes with 47%, followed by the Galaxy Z Fold 5 with 25%.
- Google is expected to reveal the Pixel Fold at its I/O developer conference in May.
There are tons of exciting foldable phones launching in 2023, a testament to the growing popularity of the form factor. While several have already been announced or hit the market, there are still a number of foldables in the pipeline for 2023. With that in mind, we asked our readers which upcoming foldable they were most looking forward to.
With more than 1,000 total votes in our latest poll, the rumored Google Pixel Fold took the top spot with 47% of the votes. It was followed by the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which claimed 25% of the votes. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 took third place with 8%.
The Google Pixel Fold has been heavily rumored for some time now and is set to be the biggest challenger to Samsung's larger foldable. Rumors suggest the phone will sport a much wider landscape design when folded out, as well as a wider external display with a more conventional aspect ratio.
It may also sport some impressive flagship specs, such as a 50MP triple camera setup, 120Hz displays, and the Tensor G2 chip powering Google's latest Pixel smartphones.
Rumors of the device being unveiled at Google I/O 2023 have started to circulate, and someone apparently spotted the phone being used in the wild, which only fuels the fire. However, even though many users look forward to Google's first foray into foldable phones, Android Central's Michael Hicks thinks it might benefit from waiting a little longer.
Hicks points out that Google doesn't have the best track record with hardware, which was only further proven by the Pixel 7 Pro's volume rocker falling off. Foldable phones are already pretty fragile devices due to the nature of the folding display, so Google will really need to get this right to avoid some of the problems older foldables have faced.
Additionally, the Tensor G2 chipset is plenty impressive, but it seems to pale in comparison to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in benchmarks. With the Tensor G3 expected to arrive later this year with the Pixel 8 series, that leaves the Pixel Fold in a potentially awkward spot if it launches this summer, especially with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 on the way.
With its foldable lineup, Samsung has already had plenty of opportunities for trial and error, and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is expected to result from what the company has learned over the years. It may sport a new waterdrop hinge to minimize the crease, a slimmer and lighter design, and Samsung is expected to keep the IP rating for water resistance, something most non-Galaxy foldables still don't have. On top of all that, it'll most likely be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
If Google is launching the Pixel Fold this summer, it will really have to prove that it has what it takes to challenge the best foldable phones, and it may mean offering more than just a cheaper foldable.
