9to5Google has come up with what looks like an internal Google document mentioning some Pixel phones which are still unannounced. One of them being a foldable. It remains to be seen whether these phones will actually see the light of day.
It takes a while before a phone becomes reality. Designing, tweaking and manufacturing takes months, sometimes a year. So it's not surprising that Google is already discussing the next generation of Pixel phones. Still, this document teaches us something new, namely code names and a rough timetable.
Anyone who follows Google's Pixel line knows that they have a tendency for using names based on fish. For example, the Pixel 4a has code name 'Sunfish' while other models have more exotic names like 'Blueline', 'Walleye' and 'Flame'. According to 9to5Google the Pixel 5a will be codenamed 'Barbette' and there are also models named 'Raven', 'Oriole' and 'Passport'. With this, Google seems to break with its tradition because these are not known fish species. A little further on in the document we are reassured because the final (fish) name is still coming and this is just an internal name.
Google 'Passport'
However, we are mainly interested in the 'Passport', which should be the first foldable Pixel to be released somewhere in the fourth quarter of 2021. Anything can still happen in the meantime, so don't blame Google if it's going to be different in the end. The Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 should be released in October and in the second quarter of 2021 we can expect the Pixel 5a. Again, everything is subject to change.
The end for Pixel 4
And even before the Pixel 5 is announced, Google will stop selling the Pixel 4 and 4 XL. With this, Google further fuels the rumour that the sales numbers were not very good. Both devices, which were the first to use radar for its interface, never received good reviews. Battery life was too low, functions too gimmicky, the price too high and (not unimportantly) the device broke relatively easy during the bending test of JerryRigEverything. And so at Google they prefer to forget the Pixel 4 as quickly as possible.
