Sorry Aussies — following months of hype and a near-constant stream of leaks, it's been revealed that Google's highly anticipated Pixel Fold will not be launching in Australia, and has yet to receive any sort of Aussie release window for the future.
The search giant revealed the news to us under strict embargo in a Google I/O 2023 pre-briefing last week, stating that Australia is "not included in the select list of countries at launch."
Given that a local release of the Pixel Fold isn't currently on the cards, Google's Australian arm was unable to go into any further detail regarding the company's first foldable in our briefing, opting instead to focus on the new products we are getting, the Google Pixel 7a and the Google Pixel Tablet.
This isn't the first time Google has skipped Australia when rolling out a new device — Aussies also missed out on the Google Pixel 5a back in 2021. In that instance, the phone never actually made it Down Under, with the search giant ultimately opting to only release it in the US and Japan. Thankfully, we did receive its follow-up, the Google Pixel 6a, in 2022.
Of course, that precedent doesn't mean an Australian release of the Pixel Fold is entirely off the table — it's possible that us Aussies may end up getting Google's first foldable later in the year, though all we can do is wait and see at this stage.
Best Google Pixel Fold alternatives
While Google has decided not to launch the Pixel Fold in Australia, that doesn't mean you have to miss out on getting a foldable smartphone. Though the category is relatively young, there are a number of folding devices that are readily available for purchase in Australia. Here are the best foldable phones we've tested (and one we haven't had the chance to test yet) which could prove a good alternative to the Pixel Fold.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: "The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a fine evolution of the best foldable phone. And there are times I can see myself ditching my current smartphone for this beast. It can multitask like no other phone, and I can simply get more done in less time on the latest Fold versus my iPhone." Read our full review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: "The Galaxy Z Flip 4, much like the Galaxy Z Fold 4, doesn’t have a huge suite of changes. This year, Samsung focused on incremental improvements, such as the new hinge design and slightly larger battery. The flatter edges clean up the look, and the new chipset makes this one powerful little phone. Read our full review.
Oppo Find N2 Flip: "As things stand now though, the Find N2 Flip has brought us the next big evolution of the Galaxy Z Flip 4's clamshell-style foldable design, and everything works together excellently." Read our hands-on review.
Motorola Razr (2022): "The Moto Razr 2022 looks like a serious Galaxy Z Flip 4 competitor, though we'll need to confirm that for ourselves." Read more about it here.
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