The mechanism is moved out entirely from under the display to improve its dust resistance and decrease the device’s overall thickness, according to the company. The Pixel Fold, for example, moves on a custom-built 180-degree hinge. Other components unique to foldables also drive up the cost. The new Google Pixel Fold phone Justin Sullivan/Getty Images And the Google Pixel Fold has two: a 5.8-inch cover display and a 7.6-inch inner display. The flexible screen found on foldable phones is one of the biggest reasons why they cost so much.įlexible displays require more engineering and are more expensive to manufacture than traditional displays. Lowering the price could help boost traction, but manufacturers may struggle to do that anytime soon. According to ABI Research, foldable and flexible displays made up about 0.7% of the smartphone market in 2021, and in 2022 expected to fall just shy of 2%. Samsung currently dominates the category, followed by others including Motorola, Lenovo, Oppo, and Huawei. The higher price point is one of the factors limiting the size of the foldable market. And classic 90s-style pre-paid flip phones, which are suddenly trendy again, can cost as little as $20. Even foldable models from budget brands retail for well over $1,000 in markets abroad.īy comparison, the flagship iPhone starts at $799, less than half the price of the Pixel Fold. It has come down in price somewhat, but the latest version of the Z Fold still starts at $1,799 – the same as the Pixel Fold. When Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold in 2020, it cost $1,999.
The pricing problem isn’t unique to Google. “The fact you can buy a new Pixel, Pixel tablet and a Pixel Watch for less than the Fold and have various devices for use cases is a better value,” said Panton.
“Google their minds.” Another user said they’ve been saving up, knowing the price for a Pixel foldable phone would inevitably be high once announced. “My first car was $1800,” one user wrote on Twitter. But Panton wasn’t the only one who felt sticker shock. … price for a first generation device is astronomical.”Įarlier this month, Google became the latest tech company to unveil a foldable smartphone, with the promise of giving customers all the features they’ve come to expect in a phone, paired with a tablet-sized display. “I’ve influenced so much of my family to switch to Pixel – my brother and sister-in-law, mom and wife … and I had a coworker switch, too.”īut this is the first year he won’t be upgrading to Pixel’s latest offering: the Pixel Fold, a foldable smartphone that starts at $1,799. “I’ve owned practically every Pixel device,” said Panton, 33, who has posted hundreds of YouTube videos about Pixel phones and other tech products. He even credits the phone’s car crash detection tool with saving his life a few years ago when he was in an accident. The Knoxville, Tennessee resident loves the software, the camera, the virtual assistant, all of it. Chris Panton is what you’d call a Google Pixel super fan.
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