The Google Pixel Fold looks set to be one of the more exciting foldable phones of the year, and could arrive in time to challenge the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. That’s if it’s not hampered by delays.
As Android Police notes, Google appears to have fallen victim inventory issues with the Pixel Fold, as people who’ve put in pre-orders for the folding phone have noticed their shipping dates slip.
Announced at Google I/O, the Pixel Fold wasn't given a firm release date. But from people who secured pre-orders, the shipping date was flagged as June 27. Now those with pre-orders have noted that the shipping date has been pushed back to between July 3 and July 7.
Tech journalist Nirave Gondhia says that his Pixel Fold pre-order has fallen back into July, to which he observed that Google is wasting an opportunity to steal the thunder from the still-rumored Galaxy Z Fold 5, which we expect to launch in late July.
The #GooglePixelFold shipping is delayed again. When will Google learn - they had a month window before the Fold 5 came out to crush it, at this rate the #PixelFold is going to flop hard! pic.twitter.com/zCWatXOdIKJune 15, 2023
Google has no official comment on the shipping dates and delays, but we could posit that the search giant underestimated demand for the Pixel Fold.
While the Pixel Fold has a hefty starting price of $1,799, it’s shaping up to be one of the few true challengers for Samsung’s dominance of our best foldable phones list. And Pixel phones also tend to have their dedicated fans; people after the idealized version of Android, at least in Google's eyes, are likely to pick Pixel phones.
But it would appear that such fans may need to wait a week or so longer before they get their hands on Google’s first foldable phone. We’d not be surprised to see new pre-orders see their Pixel Fold shipping date come up as later in July.
Google is in good company when it comes to slipped shipping dates due to demands and inventory issues. Apple’s past couple of generations of iPhones has seen longer than usual shipping times close to their launch due to continued supply chain issues.
Yet with a strong suite of specs, including a wide front display, a huge 7.6-inch main screen, the Tensor G2 chip, and a trio of rear cameras likely to deliver Pixel 7 Pro quality photos, the Pixel Fold could be well worth waiting for, even in the face of the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
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