Amid another round of rumours that Apple is working on a foldable iPhone, newly leaked images suggest that Google is already miles ahead of the game with a second-generation Google Pixel Fold in the works. Samsung has set the standard of foldable smartphones pretty high, and this glimpse at a potential Google Pixel Fold 2 is looking less on-brand for Google and more like a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 if you ask me.
The leaked image, courtesy of Android Authority, was provided by an anonymous source and only shows the back of the assumed device. It's a little dark, but we still get a vague idea of the newly designed camera module which could either be a quad-cam setup or a rework of the previous triple-lens unit.
Some of the best camera phones on the market are made by Google, and the original Google Pixel Fold is no exception to this, with an impressive triple rear camera unit combined with Google's amazing AI photo features. This leaked design ditches the flat-lay visor camera bar on the previous Pixel Fold model for what looks like a raised-edge bumper design.
Some people hate having their phone cameras stick out like this, but from my understanding, it might actually be safer for your lenses to poke out a little in this way to avoid surface-level scratches – and usually, the bumper can absorb any impact caused by a drop or collision, the same way phone cases do.
The new leaked device also appears to have a slightly narrower form factor which could be an attempt to maintain a slimmer aspect ratio and boost resolution for streaming apps. I like the sleek black look too, which would definitely make a change from Google's usual pastel-colour handsets.
We know that it's early days yet and the alleged Google Pixel Fold 2 (if it really exists) might have some more tricks up its sleeve, so we're taking this leak with a pinch of salt until we get an official announcement. For now, maybe check out the best flip phones on the market instead.
Plus, we're now five years into the market without anything concrete from Apple amid tons of speculation. We don't hold much confidence that a folding iPhone (or even a folding iPad) will be announced anytime soon.
What about sliding phones? Remember those BlackBerrys with pop-out keyboards and twisting screens? Now that's something I'd buy. Which manufacturer do we predict will have the first sliding phone? Hint: It's not Apple.
