This is the canceled Pixel Fold that wasn’t good enough for Google

The Google Pixel Fold was launched relatively late compared to first-generation foldable devices from other manufacturers. By the time it finally launches in mid-2023, Samsung has just launched the fifth iteration of its book-style foldable phone (and debuted a second look with the more popular Galaxy Z Flip line) and several other companies. also debuted. However, this situation could have been completely different – Google actually had another prototype ready a year before the original Pixel Fold, but decided to scrap it because it wasn’t “good enough”, Google’s head of design for hardware products revealed. Ivy Ross, in a 2023 episode of the Made by Google podcast.

While the existence of this canceled smartphone is a pretty well-known fact, we’ve never actually seen it in photos or learned the full specs, but that changes today. Photos of what appeared to be a mysterious Pixel Fold-like device first surfaced in a quiet XDA forum thread (sadly the original images are now gone, but we have copies), prompting muted speculation that it was either a fake or an early prototype. Thanks to an anonymous source on Google Android Authority we can confirm that this is actually our first look at the canceled Pixel foldable codenamed “pipit” and its specs.

Before we begin, it’s worth noting that the devices codenamed “pipit” and “passport” rumored to be canceled foldable Pixel devices are actually the same devices. Although they were different projects at some point, they eventually converged into a single device that continued to be called “pipit”.

The canceled Pixel Fold has an eerily familiar look; the only thing that clearly sets it apart from the final version is the (mostly) seamless glass bezel running the full width of the device, very reminiscent of the Pixel 6. The released Pixel Fold has a smaller camera island made of polished metal, matching the look of the Pixel 7 Pro .

Other than that, the form factor hasn’t changed much. The unusual aspect ratio is the same, the frame and hinge look about the same, and even the frosted glass back was already there (the carbon texture on the top of the device is simply a skin added by the seller).

(Apologies for the image quality of the photos below. This is the best we could salvage from the deleted photos in the thread.)

Unfortunately, the unit discussed in the thread has a broken internal screen, so we can’t compare it to the first generation Pixel Fold. However, it is fair to assume that it looked similar, if not identical.

Unmissable specifications

If the “pipit” were to be released, it would arrive a few months after the Pixel 6 series, so of course its specifications are a generation behind compared to the first generation Pixel Fold, which built on the basic configuration of the Pixel. 7. Instead of Tensor G2 with Exynos Modem 5300, the device was shipped with the first generation Tensor and Exynos Modem 5123, which was notable for how many problems it had.

Similarly, the device had an older camera setup. While the first generation Pixel Fold was more like the Pixel 7a with its improved cameras, the “pipit” had a much older setup with the rather ancient Sony IMX363 that debuted on the Pixel 3 back in 2018! The other sensors are similarly downgraded and the telephoto lens is completely missing. I’ve put together a comparison of camera specs below.

Another area where the “pipit” differed from the released Pixel Fold was the external display. The device still had a slightly smaller display at 66 x 128mm compared to 67 x 130mm on the Pixel Fold. The resolution was also slightly different, 1080 x 2100 pixels versus 1080 x 2092.

However, one thing that has surprisingly remained the same is the internal display — it has remained a completely unchanged panel. Interestingly, however, Google has developed a prototype version of the device that supports stylus input. While the idea seems to have been eventually scrapped – the last prototype featuring the concept was the “PIPIT EVT 1.0 Stylus”, while other versions of the device made it to the much later DVT stage – it’s still interesting to see Google exploring something like this.

While the Pixel Fold that ended up on store shelves is an improvement over the Pipit, it seems rather incremental, which begs the question: What happened? Why wasn’t “pipit” good enough?

Of course, this is purely speculation, but we can make a good guess by looking at the larger context in which it would be released. “Pipit” would be announced at Google I/O 2022, right alongside the canceled Pixel Tablet with the first generation Tensor (codenamed “tangor”; the device that eventually shipped is “tangorpro”) and the Pixel 6a. This would also make it one of the first devices to run Google’s big-screen-optimized version of Android – the 12L. It really couldn’t have been better, so why didn’t it?

The launch of the Pixel 6 series was a mess. A good part of it was the buggy version of Android 12. While the Android 12L release fixed some things, it was still far from stable. Not only that, but a lot of features have also been dropped, making it 12L less than it should be.

It’s likely that Google decided to push both its tablet and foldable device back a year to make sure the software was ready and to tweak the hardware where necessary. What we ended up shipping still wasn’t perfect by any means, but it’s probably better than what we’d see if Google continued with “pip”.

Even though “pipit” was canceled, it was successful in a way: our sources tell us that many Google employees used the prototype units as their everyday devices, and the first-generation Pixel Fold was definitely based on the hardware and software created for the canceled prototype. Hopefully, the upcoming Pixel 9 Pro Fold will continue this generational improvement.