Google I/O: $1,800 Google Pixel Fold, AI Updates and More

[daveathall]

Many on here will be changing tack and eating humble pie when Apple makes the holy grail foldable, the words "take my money" will be set on all the legion of Apple users on their keyboards in anticipation. Many will even claim that Apple have waited to "get it right" by removing a lot of the flagship facilities.

 

[Frantisekj]

The intelligence features are impressive. Apple is so far behind its hilarious.

That being said, $1800 for a foldable is also equally hilarious.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/01/tech/geoffrey-hinton-leaves-google-ai-fears/index.html

 

[The Game 161]

I’m not totally against a foldable, but… with this pricing, it makes absolutely no sense.
You can literally buy an iPhone 14 pro, an iPad Mini and a small tablet bag to carry them both in… and still be $300 plus away from the pixel fold.
To me that’s just a better deal in every way.

That's the point foldables mean you don't have to do all that. It can fit in your pocket.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

I may be in the minority on the Apple Fan side...

Please Apple - release a foldable like this. I so desperately want to stay in the ecosystem, but for me, this type of foldable is so handy. Had the Fold 4 for a few months but could't justify one Android device in my see of Apple and it not integrating.

Doesn't mean all iPhones have to fold, but I would love them to offer it as an option.

Apple is betting everything on its Glasses and headset, no need for big, foldable displays when you can have virtual ones that are much bigger.

Should be the future of smartphones/computers unless it’s a weak UI and device interface.

Plus, foldables are inherently prone to breaking or atleast wearing down due to all the moving parts involved. Very not like Apple to design something with so many moving parts.

Apple’s design always strive for something that’s as seamless and close to feeling like a single, solid object as possible.

Taking away headphone jacks, charging ports, and replacing physical buttons with haptic ones. That’s what Apple is going for.

Apple is also not going to compete in a market that’s already as mature as the foldables is now. Especially not since it would only be another crease & hinge device just running iOS.

Apple will only consider doing foldables if its AR/VR product(s) fail.

 

[The Game 161]

Let’s hope Google has better luck with their foldable phone than Samsung
In any case seeing is believing
Let’s see if the Google flip has beat the problem of the crease in the screen showing. As we all know Samsung hasn’t beat the problem yet

Samsung will be releasing fold 5 with a new hinge this year to heavily reduce the crease. Crease in day to day usage is a non issue in most cases

 

[Steve121178]

I wasn't really impressed with any of the hardware although their new tablet and speaker combo looked really good value for money.

What did impress me was anything they talked about that was relating to software/AI. Google are so far ahead of Apple that it's embarrassing.

Apple are going to need a phenomenal WWDC just to try and stay in the game.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

What do you think crapple will charge for theirs?

Nothing.

Apple will never do a foldable.

Well, not unless some tech arrives that can have the folded out display look and feel as solid as on a non-foldable display -No plastic-eyness, no crease, no degradation in image quality compared to non-folding iPhones.

Apple is moving towards a virtual interface with AR glasses or something like that. It’s not going to try to improve upon Samsung’s design and having it run FoldableiOS.

Apple has more than enough capital to make a huge bet on something that’s not on the market yet.

Glasses/headset is going to be that.

 

[Xand&Roby]

“$1800 is too expensive”: why is an iPhone Pro Max 1Tb at 2139€ cheap? Considering that it does exactly the same things as an SE.

We have already been on the foldable trip with the Nokia Communicator: excellent devices, limited in weight, in batteries, in bulk. Today's foldables are for those who want to have a tablet with them but don't have the courage to take it with them.

I'm afraid Apple will fall too, I hope not, it would be the end of iPad mini for an iPhone junk.

For everything else it seems to me that we are always at the same point as 30 years ago: it's old technology, you can pack it as you want. Phones are produced over a century ago, those functions must be integrated into wearables and the concept of an object to be held in your hand must be exceeded. I can't believe that my grandchildren, after my children, will still have to use outdated tools invented by my victs. Enough.

 

[petvas]

I have to say that I am tempted by fold phones. I wouldn't want to use them as my standard phone though. I would prefer to have an iPhone or/and a S23 Ultra and then have a fold as a second device. It's just too expensive though...
I am just not ready to give up on standard phones...
Anyway, the only thing that I ordered was the Pixel Tablet. I love the concept and the idea behind it. It could replace my iPad Pro, which I use only as a tablet, nothing more..

 

[d686546s]

Apple is betting everything on its Glasses and headset, no need for big, foldable displays when you can have virtual ones that are much bigger.

Should be the future of smartphones/computers unless it’s a weak UI and device interface.

Maybe further down the line, but for the life of me I can't seriously imagine lots of people going about their day with AR glasses (within the state of what is currently doable) to augment their devices.

Look at something like the Nreal Air. They'd be great to play console games on the couch or even for some work stuff, but I would not want to have to carry them or wear them for extended periods of time. They need to become much slimmer, work more seamlessly and last longer, among other things.

I have no idea how this will evolve over the next 10 years or so, but in the short term I can't see myself using AR glasses for things I currently want to use a foldable for.

Plus, foldables are inherently prone to breaking or atleast wearing down due to all the moving parts involved. Very not like Apple to design something with so many moving parts.

Apple’s design always strive for something that’s as seamless and close to feeling like a single, solid object as possible.

I mean, my MacBook has a hinge and moving parts. The rumoured AR glasses you are buying into are said to have an external battery pack and cables.

 

[peter.black]

Please no, I hate the trend of phone going into $2000... I just need a phone to message, GPS and lookup. Nothing else and stop adding things for entertainment purposes I don't need!

I don't play games on phone, stop making more powerful to drain battery.
I don't watch movies on phone, stop making big phone.
I don't take photography with my phone, stop making it so expensive and huge camera bump.
Stop stop stop!

I'm just guessing, but possibly you might not be in their target audience?

 

[1291030]

That being said, $1800 for a foldable is also equally hilarious.

I agree, you can almost get two monitor stands for that price 🙃

 

[1291030]

You cant help but worry, that whilst apple is busy researching which new iPhone colour to wow the world with, fairly irrelevant apple silicon spec bumps, or AR/VR glasses that are niche AF. The competition is going hard. Really hard.

 

[DarthDon]

Why pay 1800 bucks to google, when you can fold any android phone with a big hammer...

 

[DarthDon]

If a phone could unfold into an entire computer, I'd buy it for $2,000.

But what Google has to offer here is just completely ridiculous.
I totally understand why Apple does not have any foldable product in their lineup.

With a large scrap press, however, you can squeeze any computer to the size of an Android phone.

 

[DarthDon]

At least we will be able to set an alternative assistant here in the EU, and replace that Siri crap by something that works.

Lauterbach's Intelligenz und Olaf Schubert's Stimme 🤣

 

[andreyush]

$1800 for a plastic display with crease in the middle WOW.

 

[Chazak]

Where is the outrage from anti-Apple trolls over the price tag?

When Apple crossed the $1k barrier, the outrage was palpable and vicious.

 

[floral]

The Fold looks good, except it runs a year old, weak (worse than 2019's iPhone 11), "Exynos" in disguise, Tensor G2 SoC for $1800.

Wow, really worse than an A12..?

 

[floral]

$1800 for what amounts to (the Android/Google version of...) an iPhone and an iPad Mini in one device, with cellular and 512GB of storage. $1800 is a steal.

Math time :3 (Specs are estimated to par around the A12 chip)

iPhone 11 w/256gb: $400
iPad mini 5 w/256gb +Cellular: $500

Total price of Apple equivalent: $900
Google Pixel Fold: $1800

Is double the price worth it to merge them? Maybe, idk.

 

[Wildkraut]

Lauterbach's Intelligenz und Olaf Schubert's Scholz's Stimme 🤣

LOL would at least be funny, but unreliable and stupid as Siri currently is.
But please with Trump Duck lips as a Symbol that pops up at the bottom the iPhone 🤣

 

[anthorumor]

Happy Apple is staying safe with their iPhones, but the OP iPads leave a lot to be desired.

 

[one more]

“$1800 is too expensive”: why is an iPhone Pro Max 1Tb at 2139€ cheap? Considering that it does exactly the same things as an SE.

You have answered your own question. $1800 is an entry price to this Google foldable, whereas Apple’s current entry price to an iPhone, if we go by your SE example, is $429.

Even if you take Apple’s latest and greatest (14 Pro Max), you can get it for $1099. This is a more fair comparison, as not many people go for the maxed up 1 Tb model.

Apple have not been shy with their prices either, bordering on ridiculous (hey Mac Pro set of wheels!), yet it is indeed quite a steep entry price on Google’s part.

I mean, in two years time max this thing will either wear out or will use its cool factor, IMO, and its resale value might not be so appealing either.

 

[MacWiz_007]

Math time :3 (Specs are estimated to par around the A12 chip)

iPhone 11 w/256gb: $400
iPad mini 5 w/256gb +Cellular: $500

Total price of Apple equivalent: $900
Google Pixel Fold: $1800

Is double the price worth it to merge them? Maybe, idk.

Nice comparison. I bet you'd be a real asset when it's trivia night at your local bar! 🤣

 

[d686546s]

You have answered your own question. $1800 is an entry price to this Google foldable, whereas Apple’s current entry price to an iPhone, if we go by your SE example, is $429.

I'm not defending the price here, but that's a disingenuous comparison (which you seem to acknowledge in your next paragraph.

The Fold is not an entry level device, the 6a and 7a are and they cost nowhere near $1,800.

Even if you take Apple’s latest and greatest (14 Pro Max), you can get it for $1099. This is a more fair comparison, as not many people go for the maxed up 1 Tb model.

Fair enough.

Apple have not been shy with their prices either, bordering on ridiculous (hey Mac Pro set of wheels!), yet it is indeed quite a steep entry price on Google’s part.

It is roughly in line with what Samsung is charging for their Fold though.

That is, and on that I think we agree, way way way too much.