Google Makes the Pixel Fold, Tablet, and 7a Official

Google spent most of the AI keynote talking about AI, but it announced the latest Pixel devices at the end. However, Google didn’t need much time because this hardware has leaked more times than we can count. Now, the Pixel Tablet, Pixel 7a, and Pixel Fold are all official.

All three devices run on Google’s Tensor G2 chip, the second generation of Google’s custom ARM silicon. This is the same chip that powers the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, but even the budget-minded Pixel 7a gets the same processor. The Pixel 7a is a little more expensive than last year’s A-series model at $499 with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, but it brings a raft of improvements.

The camera sensor has gone from 12MP to 64MP with a sensor Google says is 72% larger. There’s still an ultrawide and a selfie camera (both 13MP), but there’s no telephoto zoom. The Pixel 7a also adds wireless charging for the 4,385mAh battery, which is slightly smaller than the 4,410mAh cell in last year’s phone. The 6.1-inch OLED is the same size and 1080p resolution as the 6a, but the 7a has full support for 90Hz refresh for smoother animations.

The Pixel Tablet marks the first time since 2015 that Google has released an Android tablet. This time, it comes after two years of improving large-screen features in the OS. In its first full demo, Google showed how the 11-inch Pixel Tablet could run split-screen apps with Android’s new taskbar and proclaimed it had optimized more than 50 of its apps for tablets. The Pixel Tablet will retail for the same $499 as the Pixel 7a, but it comes with the magnetic charging stand when you pre-order. That accessory makes the tablet into something of a smart display, and like smart displays, you can cast to the tablet (a first for an Android slate). Inside, it has 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM.

Lastly, there’s Google’s first-ever foldable, the repeatedly leaked Pixel Fold. This device has a 5.8-inch 1080p OLED on the outside and a 7.6-inch 2208 x 1840 folding OLED inside. Both displays support 120Hz refresh rates, too. The device appears to close flatter than Samsung’s foldables, but there was still a visible crease on the main display during Google’s demos.

Google wants a staggering $1,799 for the Pixel Fold with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, which is in the same neighborhood as Samsung’s foldables. However, Samsung has been doing this for a few years, and its devices have held up well. Google says it tested the hinge to ensure it’s the most durable one on the market—we’ll see about that. Even Samsung couldn’t predict what people would do to its foldables when they first launched. Google further claims the Fold has the best camera setup of any foldable phone, but that’s easier to believe. Pixel cameras are amazing, and the Fold has a good selection of lenses with a 48MP primary, 13MP ultrawide, and a 10MP 5x zoom.

The Pixel 7a will ship in a few days, but the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold will arrive next month. You are invited to pre-order both of them, though.