Pixel Fold 2's rumored jump to the Tensor G4 could push its launch back
What you need to know
A rumor suggests the Pixel Fold 2 could jump to the Tensor G4 from the Tensor G2.
The device is also rumored to arrive with 16GB of RAM, and if true, would be the most RAM a Pixel device has ever launched with.
Speculation states the Tensor G4 will only offer "minimal" upgrades over the Tensor G3 as Google prepares for its TSMC switch in 2025.
A batch of rumors regarding Google's Pixel Fold 2 suggests big changes could be on the horizon.
Information obtained by Android Authority from an unnamed source states the Pixel Fold 2 may skip Google's Tensor G3 SoC. Allegedly, the new foldable has been in testing at Google "for the last couple of months" and has recently adopted the 2024 Tensor G4 chipset instead.
The source continued to state Google's latest Fold 2 prototype features 16GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The publication adds a jump in RAM would be a welcome one, considering there aren't any Pixel products that have gone that high. Typically, Pixel phones ship with a maximum of 12GB of RAM, like the original Pixel Fold and the Pixel 8 Pro.
It's speculated there could be other RAM/internal storage variants, but that remains to be seen.
More importantly, it's purported that Google is in the earliest stages of EVT (engineering validation testing). The source spoke of these changes in Fold 2's prototype stage, which is the beginning, leaving four more stages to complete. Assumptions are that Google may not have its next foldable ready in time for I/O 2024, which is when it launched the first one in 2023.
If true, and if we're to expect the Tensor G4, then the Pixel Fold 2 could launch later in the year, potentially near the Pixel 9 series.
There were rumors back in October that Google's Tensor G4 SoC could be built off Samsung's 4nm process. It was reported Google made contact with the Korean OEM to use its 4nm, SF4P process, one that's said to only offer "slight" upgrades over the Tensor G3. Samsung used this new process for its Exynos 2400 chip, and it brought about a "1.7x increase in CPU performance and a remarkable 14.7x boost in AI performance."
This chip was previously mentioned to arrive for the Pixel 9 series (which makes sense), but it'll be worth seeing if the Pixel Fold 2 rumors prove truthful.
On the other hand, another rumor suggests that Tensors, including the Tensor G4, could gain a unique boost. Supposedly, Google plans to upgrade all Tensor phones to Linux kernel 6.1. This plays a pivotal role in maintaining performance and security for mobile phones. Moreover, the Tensor G4 is rumored to arrive with Linux kernel 5.15 but should gain this 6.1 boost sometime after.
Google's I/O 2024 is three months away, and if teasers pick up for a May launch, it's likely this Tensor G4 rumor will become moot. It's also worth mentioning that the Tensor G4 is Google's final chip to lean on Samsung's tech, as it's already begun testing the Tensor G5 ahead of its TSMC switch.
Google Pixel Fold
Wider is better
The Pixel Fold was crafted to feel as if you were holding a simple passport in your hand when folded. But open it and you're immediately immersed in its 7.6-inch fluid internal display. Google has packed all of the Pixel-exclusive amenities users have come to expect from the company, as well.
