Google Pixel Fold could lack this major camera feature

Pixel Fold Concept
(Image credit: Waqar Khan | Remix via Nick Bush)

Update: The Google Pixel Fold has once again been tipped for an 2023 release. This time Q1 of next year is on the cards.

Google could have a novel way of dodging the notch on its internal screen on the upcoming Pixel Fold (or possibly Pixel Notepad) foldable.

Like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series, Google’s foldable is expected to be a smartphone that opens up to reveal a larger tablet canvas. For its internal cameras, Samsung initially opted for a notch with the first two generations, before including a (slightly subpar) under-screen camera for the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

According to the Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, there will be no notch on the Pixel Fold’s internal screen. The language barrier makes it hard to read exactly how, so judge for yourself. “The inner screen has a full screen without a hole, and the ultra-micro-hole camera is on the frame,” the post reads, when put through Google Translate.

Does that mean there’s going to be a tiny camera embedded in the bezel, or no camera at all when it’s open? It can be read either way, but whichever it ends up being, it doesn’t sound like we’re going to have an unsightly notch of any kind.

Personally, as someone who uses the selfie camera on his phone maybe twice per year, I’d be very happy for a foldable to simply skip it altogether. I’d much rather have more screen real estate, and if I really needed a selfie, I could always close the phone and take one that way.

On the other hand, if you’re a business user looking to jump into a video call with multiple people, then it would certainly be handy to use tablet mode and see more faces at once. But if it really is a micro camera in the frame — something backed up by an earlier leak that promised 50MP, 12MP and 8MP cameras on the handset — then the quality may be questionable. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Either way, this may go some way to explain what the mysterious icon found in the Google code last week means. Perhaps the arrow is instructing users to flip their open phone over in order to take a selfie.

The mysterious Google Camera 'Jupiter' icon

(Image credit: Google Camera / 9to5Google)

Elsewhere, Digital Chat Station seems to suggest that while the rear of the handset will match the Pixel 7’s design (presumably with the familiar camera bar included), the front will be closer to the Oppo Find N foldable. The inner folded screen is described as “relatively small-sized” which sounds a little ominous given the hidden tablet form factor is the whole point of this kind of foldable.

Hopefully we’ll find out more about the Pixel Fold this year. Although it wasn’t mentioned during Google I/O in May, when even next year’s Pixel tablet got an outing, display analyst Ross Young believes it’ll be a 2022 product. Perhaps it’ll be teased this fall, when the Pixel 7 and Pixel Watch are officially unveiled. We'll just have to wait to find out.

TOPICS
Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.

Read more
Pixel 10 Pro concept video
Pixel 10 Pro concept video imagines crazy camera redesign
Google Pixel 9a render
Google Pixel 9a leak just confirmed a major design change — here's the new look
Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Pixel Watch 3
What to expect from Google in 2025 — Pixel 10, Android 16, Pixel Watch 4 and more
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 tipped for a huge outer screen upgrade — here’s what we know
Leaked render of the Google Pixel 9a
Pixel 9a leak reveals Google's budget phone keeps this disappointing design feature
galaxy z fold 6 vs. Galaxy s24 ultra
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 tipped for a massive camera upgrade — here's what we know
Latest in Google Phones
CAD renderings of the Google Pixel 10 Pro
Latest Google Pixel 10 leak could make you want to skip it altogether
Google Pixel 9a render
Google Pixel 9a pre-orders could come with a free Google TV Streamer — what we know
The camera assembly on the Google Pixel 9
The latest Google Pixel update is breaking fingerprint scanners — but there may be a fix
Google Pixel 9a render
Google Pixel 9a will have to fix one crucial thing to hold off its low-cost rivals
Google Pixel 5 review
Google Pixel 10 lineup leaked in new renderings — here's what they look like
Pixel 9a vs Pixel 8a
Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a: Biggest changes to expect
Latest in News
iPhone 17 Air render
New leaked iPhone 17 dummy units show off super-thin iPhone 17 Air with this surprising design tweak
Simone Ashley and Hero Fiennes Tiffin in "Picture This" now streaming on Prime Video
Prime Video top 10 has 3 must-watch movies — including a bubbly romcom starring 'Bridgerton's' Simone Ashley
(L-R) Josh Hartnett as Cooper and Ariel Donoghue as Riley in "Trap"
Netflix top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now
NYT Strands on a cellphone
NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #379 (Monday, March 17 2025)
iOS 19 logo on an iPhone
Apple WWDC 2025: iOS 19 and everything we know so far
Siri
Siri 2.0 features reportedly only working ‘two-thirds to 80% of the time’