Here’s an early prototype of the Google Pixel Fold that nearly made the cut

Although the Google Pixel Fold was launched just over a year ago, it feels like we’ve been talking about the foldable for a long time. This is because Google has been working on the Pixel Fold for a while now, and there was even a prototype codenamed “pipit” that surfaced in early 2022, although it was shelved later. We never got the chance to look at this early version of the Pixel Fold that came so close to release. But thanks to an XDA forum post, we can finally see it in the flesh.

These images were originally posted to the XDA forum by user fredito1212, although the images have since been taken down. Thankfully, Android Authority managed to save them just in time, giving us a glimpse of what could have been Google’s first foldable. The publication also confirmed through an anonymous source inside Google that this is indeed the Pixel Fold (pipit) that was talked about in 2022.

The “pipit” prototype vs the Google Pixel Fold

We must note that most of these images are of relatively low quality, but at least one (pictured above) is in decent condition to figure out some of the details. This version of the Pixel Fold was expected to launch alongside the Pixel 6 series in 2022, which explains the design similarities with the 2022 Google flagship. However, the company decided to make further refinements to the device and push its release to 2023.

A few notable hardware differences

While Google opted for a metal-based camera island with the final version of the foldable, the prototype has a Pixel 6-esque glass-based camera bar that spans the width of the device and wraps around the edges. Android Authority clarifies that the carbon fiber-like pattern just above the prototype’s camera island is likely a skin.

We’re also learning that this prototype’s outer display was marginally smaller at 66 x 128mm compared to the Pixel Fold’s screen dimensions of 67 x 130mm. Interestingly, Google decided to stick with the same inner display on the Pixel Fold as the prototype. Another noteworthy attribute that didn’t make the final cut is stylus support, with Google seemingly testing the waters and ultimately deciding not to ship it.

On the hardware front, pipit reportedly featured the first-gen Google Tensor chipset, although the company eventually went with the Tensor G2 on the final version of the Pixel Fold. Meanwhile, the prototype carried the Exynos Modem 5123, which was notorious for causing issues with the Pixel 6.

The camera setup wasn’t of high pedigree, either. One of the rear cameras is a 12MP Sony IMX363 unit, which has been around for a long time, as the site notes. There’s no telephoto camera onboard either, with the prototype using the Sony IMX386 (12MP) as the ultrawide sensor.

Speaking on the Made by Google podcast weeks after the Pixel Fold’s announcement last year, Ivy Ross, the company’s head of design for hardware products, said that an earlier prototype of the foldable was shelved because it was “not good enough yet.” Given what we know about this prototype’s hardware today, this was definitely the right call.