#Foldable Google Pixel May Come in 2022 With Downgraded Camera

We’ve seen no shortage of rumors regarding Google’s upcoming foldable smartphone. Some code has leaked that suggests that the phone is still in the works and features a downgraded camera compared to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

9to5Google shared the details of the latest Google Pixel foldable leak, and basically, some code was discovered in the Google Camera app that provides some detail about the device. The somewhat hidden code suggests that the Pixel foldable, which is now codenamed “Pipit,” will feature a 12.2-megapixel IMX363 sensor as its main camera. This is a sizable downgrade from the camera offered on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

In fact, the IMX363 is the same camera used in the Pixel 3 through Pixel 5 phones, so it’s definitely a step backward.

Outside of the primary camera, the code also suggests a 12-megapixel IMX386 sensor that’s likely to be the ultrawide shooter and two 8-megapixel IMX355 sensors that’ll take the selfie load. There are two selfie lenses so the phone can take those self-portraits whether it’s closed or open.

It’s not uncommon for the early crop of foldable phones to feature weaker cameras than their flagship counterparts. Samsung uses a far lower resolution camera on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, for example. Most buyers look at the large screen and novelty offered by a foldable phone and less at the cameras.

As far as the 2022 release date, there’s a snippet of code that reads “isPixel2022Foldable,” which certainly implies that we’ll see the phone next year. Additionally, with the upcoming release of Android 12L, it would make sense for Google to have its own phone to take advantage of the OS.

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