Google has been working on a foldable smartphone for quite a while. The company first confirmed that it was "prototyping foldable displays and many other new hardware technologies" all the way back in May 2019. But, at the time, it shared no plans to bring a foldable smartphone to the market. We saw references to the foldable Pixel device again in August last year when a leaked internal Android document mentioned a device codenamed "passport." Although the document didn't reveal much about the phone itself, it did suggest that the phone would hit the market in Q4 2021. Now that we're just months away from the rumored launch date, more Pixel Fold leaks have started popping up online.

According to a new report from The Elec, the rumored Google Pixel Fold will feature a 7.6-inch foldable display from Samsung Display with an ultra-thin glass (UTG) layer. This falls in line with a previous report from the publication, which suggested that Samsung Display would supply OLED panels to Google, OPPO, and Xiaomi. It's worth noting that another Korean publication, ETNews, hinted in late May that Samsung was seeking buyers of its UTG and that Google could be interested.

Last month, The Elec also reported that Samsung Display will begin production of foldable displays for Google and other brands in October and that the Pixel Fold release could still happen in Q4 2021. Based on the reports mentioned above, we suspect that Google could announce the Pixel Fold along with the Pixel 6 series later this year. At the moment, Google hasn't shared any official information about the foldable device, but we expect to learn more in the months leading up to the launch.

Along with information about the foldable Pixel phone, the latest report from The Elec sheds light on a host of other upcoming foldable devices. It claims that Xiaomi, Honor, and OPPO are also working on foldable phones with UTG. These devices will likely hit the market later this year or early next year. This falls in line with a previous Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) report, which claimed that foldable/rollable smartphone shipments would see a surge in Q4 2021.

Featured image: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2