Who's getting the new Pixel Fold?

[ras47]

All you early adopters are BOLD. I know every phone has issues and they're what's reported on forums. Not a lot of posts from folks whose devices are working just fine. But Google's Pixels seem to have more issues that most others. I ignore the whinging posts like "where's the November update?" I'm too old to fight with my mobile. These days I just want 5G, great battery life, and reliability. I go back to the days of the Palm Treo and getting it to sync with my Apple PowerBook. When I finally got a BlackBerry it was a revelation. No more issues - just reliability and insanely great battery life.

The Pixel Fold has some intriguing features but no way I'm buying a first generation product from Google.

 

[J Dubbs]

I preordered the Fold in the 512GB configuration (2019€ in Germany) and it will be my first foldable phone. I am still not 100% sure if I will really go through with the order though. There are some things that I like about the Fold, but I have some concerns too.
I like the design a lot, apart from the bezels.. I also like to see how well Android works on such a form factor.
I am worried though about the hinge and the fact that the Fold will not open to 180 degrees, at least no without putting pressure on the device, which I am not sure if it's a good idea..
The other thing that worries me is the battery life. I thing it will be mediocre and don't see how it will last all day.
I have an S23 Ultra and I am happy with the battery life. The Fold is not supposed to replace my S23, it should be used as a second device, more like an (expensive) experiment. I am not sure how I would use the device. I don't have a specific use case for a folding phone, but want to test the technology. Maybe I will return it in the 14 day period I have..
Durability might also be an issue, but I hope that Google will have built a device that doesn't break easily.

I changed my mind. I cancelled my preorder. I will wait for the reviews and then make up my mind. I am not sure about the grease and mainly the durability of the device.
I think it's better for me to just buy a Pixel 7 Pro and use it together with my S23 Ultra.
I am of course intrigued by the fold concept, but the device is just too expensive for me to experiment. Also, the first impressions of most YouTubers were concerning. They said that the device felt cheap, especially because of the main display.

That's a good call... from what I understand Google is using Samsung foldable screens, and with Sammy's current screen design it has a definite expiration date.... it will fail at some point, it just depends on how long you plan on keeping it.

That's the nature of the current folding screen technology, it's never going to last as long or be as durable as a slab phone screen. That's not to say the foldables are bad, you just have to buy one with reasonable expectations

My Flip 3 is still plugging along great, but I only use it occasionally because I know it's limitations. My slabs are my daily drivers. But I love using the Flip, and hope the day comes when I can use one 24/7 just like a slab, for years on end, without having to baby it

 

[the_boon]

That's a good call... from what I understand Google is using Samsung foldable screens, and with Sammy's current screen design it has a definite expiration date.... it will fail at some point, it just depends on how long you plan on keeping it.

That's the nature of the current folding screen technology, it's never going to last as long or be as durable as a slab phone screen. That's not to say the foldables are bad, you just have to buy one with reasonable expectations

My Flip 3 is still plugging along great, but I only use it occasionally because I know it's limitations. My slabs are my daily drivers. But I love using the Flip, and hope the day comes when I can use one 24/7 just like a slab, for years on end, without having to baby it

These foldables are often rated for hundreds of thousands of opening and closing...but that's in controlled environments with robots doing this repetitively.

eBay has quite a few Z Fold phones with broken inner displays. Anything from minor dead pixels to fully broken.
Again I personally wouldn't mind this happening as much on a Pixel Fold because even closed the phone is an amazingly compact device.

 

[Jeremy8000]

These foldables are often rated for hundreds of thousands of opening and closing...but that's in controlled environments with robots doing this repetitively.

Something I would be curious to know would be what would happen if they ran the same exact testing but in a different environment that might be less conducive to longevity. Perhaps testing in a very chilled, dry environment (though not sub-freezing temperatures) where the elasticity would be hampered.

 

[Morty2264]

Something I would be curious to know would be what would happen if they ran the same exact testing but in a different environment that might be less conducive to longevity. Perhaps testing in a very chilled, dry environment (though not sub-freezing temperatures) where the elasticity would be hampered.

They should do different tests under varying conditions!

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

They should do different tests under varying conditions!

But if they did that, they may have results that are harmful to profitability.

 

[Bkdodger1]

Only time will tell but the Google product manager is definitely very high on this hinge makeup of the pixel

 

[TheAngryToaster]

I changed my mind. I cancelled my preorder. I will wait for the reviews and then make up my mind. I am not sure about the grease and mainly the durability of the device.
I think it's better for me to just buy a Pixel 7 Pro and use it together with my S23 Ultra.
I am of course intrigued by the fold concept, but the device is just too expensive for me to experiment. Also, the first impressions of most YouTubers were concerning. They said that the device felt cheap, especially because of the main display.

What youtube peeps did you see that said it felt cheap. I don't recall that in any of them, I have watched them several times to convince me to not cancel my preorder lol.

 

[J Dubbs]

Only time will tell but the Google product manager is definitely very high on this hinge makeup of the pixel

One thing I like about Moto's folding design on their razr is the way they have the screen folding in a teardrop shape versus the conventional, sharper "creased" type fold of some of the other companies. One or two of the other Chinese manufacturers are using that trick as well if I remember correctly.

I think that, combined with better screen technology down the road, will be a big step towards making foldables closer to slabs in durability... although they're eventually going to have to find a way to make the screens harder as well somehow. Not sure how they're going to do that with a foldable screen though
It's going to be interesting to see what they come up with

 

[J Dubbs]

What youtube peeps did you see that said it felt cheap. I don't recall that in any of them, I have watched them several times to convince me to not cancel my preorder lol.

It's strange.... I've never had an issue with bezels...... ever, until I laid eyes upon those pixel fold bezels. For some reason I can't even understand, they drive me crazy ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

I'm sure I would adjust just like I have with other devices... but at first glance they definitely put me off. Maybe it's just the fact I've gotten used to my P6Pro and Flip... all screen all the time?

I guess I'm ruined

 

[the_boon]

It's strange.... I've never had an issue with bezels...... ever, until I laid eyes upon those pixel fold bezels. For some reason I can't even understand, they drive me crazy ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

I'm sure I would adjust just like I have with other devices... but at first glance they definitely put me off. Maybe it's just the fact I've gotten used to my P6Pro and Flip... all screen all the time?

I guess I'm ruined

They're 2017-2018 style bezels. Personally doesn't bother me at all, I'm way too hyped about the overall form factor which is actually truly compact AND wide when closed, something I thought we'd never see again.

 

[Chex313]

They're 2017-2018 style bezels. Personally doesn't bother me at all, I'm way too hyped about the overall form factor which is actually truly compact AND wide when closed, something I thought we'd never see again.

I still use a Pixelbook and agree with you Bezels are a contrived issue...The same way the Verge calls Google phones ugly, even tho to me every phone is a rectangle. Put a case on them and I am hard pressed to ever tell one from the other. Until I see the camera. Part of that is not caring one bit what phone someone else is using.

I like Pragmatism.

EDIT: I am a hypocrite tho as I prefer no bezels on my OLED Tv's

 

[mustang7757]

The pixels bezels are not that bad , my Samsung Fold 4 has almost no bezels so holding it you gripping the phone edges

 

[bkeaver]

The pixels bezels are not that bad , my Samsung Fold 4 has almost no bezels so holding it you gripping the phone edges

Agree plus I like the fact that the camera is in the bezel.

 

[Bkdodger1]

Definitely like the better camera beneath the bezels ..hated the under screen Sammy camera ..horrible ..

 

[TheAngryToaster]

It's strange.... I've never had an issue with bezels...... ever, until I laid eyes upon those pixel fold bezels. For some reason I can't even understand, they drive me crazy ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

I'm sure I would adjust just like I have with other devices... but at first glance they definitely put me off. Maybe it's just the fact I've gotten used to my P6Pro and Flip... all screen all the time?

I guess I'm ruined

You get use to it things like that. I hate the wasted spaced called the dynamic island on my pro max. It kills so much screen for very little functionality. The point is that I only notice it when I start talking about hating it haha.

I welcome the bezels especially on large device. It will give me some where comfortable to hold the phone with out having to worry about accidentally touching the screen.

 

[bembol]

I know it's not the same but after buying the Samsung Flip³, it was over excitement but I thought it was just poor battery life so I got the Flip⁴...

I was wrong, there's some about Foldables that just doesn't work for me I can't even pin point it.

To be fair I only bought it because of Samsung's great promotions.

I think I'm just done with $1,000+ phones.

 

[Bkdodger1]

I know it's not the same but after buying the Samsung Flip³, it was over excitement but I thought it was just poor battery life so I got the Flip⁴...

I was wrong, there's some about Foldables that just doesn't work for me I can't even pin point it.

To be fair I only bought it because of Samsung's great promotions.

I think I'm just done with $1,000+ phones.

I have to flip4 I think it's an excellent phone battery life also big difference from the flip 3...

 

[maverick7526]

I really wanted to, but I could not justify going from the 7Pro with a larger battery, and better overall cameras. If I had not broken by 6Pro, and bought a 7Pro I would have jumped on this immediately. I need to use my $200 Google store credit by Oct, so I'll probably get the 8Pro then. Possibly jumping on the fold 2 later on in the next year.

 

[Jeremy8000]

I really wanted to, but I could not justify going from the 7Pro with a larger battery, and better overall cameras. If I had not broken by 6Pro, and bought a 7Pro I would have jumped on this immediately. I need to use my $200 Google store credit by Oct, so I'll probably get the 8Pro then. Possibly jumping on the fold 2 later on in the next year.

Hmm... Went back and checked the fine print on that $200 credit, and it says "Google Store credit expires on October 12, 2023 at 11:59pm PT." The 7th generation is the only one that was released earlier than that in October, so we can only hope that the 8th gen is up for preorder before that date.

But when I go to my Google account and check the detail on my store credit, it says "Next expiration 4/27/24" - with that date corresponding to the 1 year anniversary of a credit granted a few weeks back for an issue I had with an accessory order.

That has me wondering if that credit expiration was removed...? Does yours show an expiration in your google store account?