Pixel Fold.. Smartphone makers like it when their devices have enough visual cues to adhere to a common design language. Who knows, maybe a little brand awareness never hurt anyone? The long-bar camera array has turned into one of the simplest ways to identify any current Pixel smartphone in the wild, as it’s one of the few features you can see on a phone from a distance. The fact that the Pixel Fold 2 rumors suggest that Google may be significantly altering its well-liked smartphone portfolio is why this is such a huge issue.
Yes, the leaks of the Pixel Fold 2 reveal a significant change from the device’s present long-bar camera architecture. Instead, a two-tier array aligned on one side has been chosen. What does it mean, not to go overly dramatic? Will this more standard camera array be seen on future Pixel smartphones, or is the Pixel Fold 2 just a unique gadget constrained by the limits of a folding smartphone? Well, further conjecture is the only certain way to find out.
New camera array revealed by Pixel 2 leaks
Long live the long bar! The long bar is dead.
Some rather official-looking leaks of the Pixel Fold 2 were made public online last month, revealing some of the design decisions made for the foldable smartphone. If the images are accurate, the gadget has undergone significant changes from its first incarnation, including a bigger internal screen for an even better tablet-like experience, a new aspect ratio, and a redesigned hinge (however a recent report from renowned analyst Ross Young appears to contradict the renders).
But it wasn’t all. Along with all these additional hardware options, the Pixel Fold 2’s left-justified two-row array camera design is a major departure from the Pixel, more like the design of an iPhone. Given that the lengthy bar has been a feature of Pixel devices since the Pixel 6 in 2021, this is a very major move for the brand.
Do foldable gadgets need a certain configuration of cameras?
Is the Pixel Fold 2 limited just by its hardware?
Large alterations, such as camera array designs, usually portend a more significant shift from a brand. For instance, Samsung used their recognizable traffic light arrangement for the Galaxy S21. Many of the company’s lower-end phones now feature the three cameras arranged in a row that were formerly found on the top left.
Therefore, it’s not a great stretch to speculate that the Pixel series will undergo a significant overhaul over the course of the next year in light of this latest camera array leak. Indeed, the leaks of the Pixel 8a do not reveal any changes to the camera—it still has the lengthy bar. That’s hardly surprising, however, given the a series has always adopted the design of its more expensive counterpart, which is often delivered six months ahead of schedule.
Google seems to be using the foldable Pixel 9 as a design leader for next products, if the leaks of the device that we have seen so far are accurate. The Pixel 9 seems to have a similar design to the Pixel Fold, which debuted a camera hump on the rear that is more of a block than a smooth curve. In light of this, it’s plausible that the Pixel 10 may eventually adopt elements of the speculated Pixel Fold 2 design.
However, we must not overlook the fact that it is all foldable. Since the hinge mechanism and the intended thinness of the device are the source of some of the technical limits of foldable smartphone technology, which is still relatively new. You have to give up certain things in exchange for these phones’ decent cameras. Rather than being a clue that the whole range is about to see a change in camera design, this might very well be the rationale for the Pixel Fold 2’s distinctive array of cameras.
Furthermore, specifications-wise, foldable smartphones often don’t acquire the same cameras. Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip have cameras that aren’t as good as the flagship models; this is either a technological need or a cost-cutting strategy for the very expensive gadgets.
All of this means that, in terms of the Pixel lineup’s camera array scenario, we can only make educated guesses. For the time being, all we can do is speculate as to whether the Pixel Fold 2 is a sign of things to come or only a temporary modification made for the sake of technology.
