The Google Pixel Fold does not unfold completely, but don't be alarmed
A couple of days ago, Google finally revealed its first foldable phone — the Pixel Fold — and comes as the direct competitor to other book-style foldables like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 4 (and upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5), and the Oppo Find N2, with a potential to become one of the best foldable phones to buy in 2023.
Given that we are talking about a foldable phone here, one would expect it to unfold the whole way, resulting in a larger display that is completely flat (minus the crease in the middle of course). But that doesn't seem to be the case with the Pixel Fold, as popular YouTuber Michael Fisher reports in a tweet after his hands-on experience with the phone.
1) The "not folding flat" thing:
— Michael Fisher (@Captain2Phones) May 11, 2023
Pixel Fold *can* fold flat (or nearly flat). But you need to really bend it to get it there – too much for comfort.
Explanation I was given (by an engineer, not PR): they used a high-friction hinge for rigid positioning. This was the tradeoff. pic.twitter.com/0RGBTrMu4E
It seems the Pixel Fold does not go completely flat when unfolded, at least not by default. First of all, let's not forget that there is a camera bar that's preventing a 180-degree angle, to begin with, but that is not the only reason Google's foldable cannot unfold completely. After a chat with one of Google's engineers, Fisher was told that they opted for "a high-friction hinge for rigid positioning," resulting in this quirk.
It's important to point out, though, that the Pixel Fold is not the only book-like foldable phone that cannot completely unfold. Both the cameras, as well as stiff hinges are two factors that play into a similar result with phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Oppo Find N2. So we can't really judge Google here.
It is thanks to this stiff hinge design, and some other factors, that Google can pull off higher durability and cool software features that allow users to utilize the Pixel Fold's ability to stand on its own.
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