 "Google to launch second-gen foldable device under Pixel 9 series: Report")
Google is reportedly planning to launch its next-generation foldable smartphone under the Pixel 9 series. Consumer technology news platform Android Authority has reported that Google is expected to change the naming scheme to integrate the fold and non-fold line under the 2024 Pixel series. According to the report, the next-generation Pixel Fold, which was supposed to be named “Pixel Fold 2” as per the previous nomenclature, would launch as the “Pixel 9 Pro Fold”. A change in the naming scheme would likely have wider implications than just a rebrand.
The first-generation Pixel Fold was launched at the 2023 Google I/O Developers Conference. According to the report, Google internally called it a “Mid-Year” and not a flagship. However, if Google integrates the Fold line with the mainstream Pixel line, there is a likelihood that the company would treat the device similarly to its other flagship smartphones.
It is also likely that the company would make the “Pixel 9 Pro Fold” available in more markets, including India. The “Pro” suffix also suggests that the next-generation Pixel Fold would carry some of the hardware and features from the Pixel 9 Pro smartphone.
The upcoming Pixel Fold smartphone would likely be powered by the upcoming Tensor G4 chipset, which is expected to power the entire Pixel 9 series. For reference, the first-generation Pixel Fold was powered by the Tensor G2 chip.
Apart from the next-generation foldable, Google is reportedly planning to launch a new smaller-sized “Pro” model in the Pixel 9 series. According to news reports, the smaller Pixel 9 Pro would boast a display of the size of the vanilla Pixel 9 model. It would be joined by a “Pro XL” model, which would have a bigger display. If true, the Pixel 9 series would encompass four models – the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The Pixel 9a may join the series on later dates, but there is no confirmation or news on its existence as yet.