What’s claimed to be a prototype foldable cellphone from Google seems to have been put up on the market on-line, and it offers us some perception into the event course of for the Google Pixel Fold.
Android tipster Mishaal Rahman noticed the itemizing and posted the pictures, taken from eBay, on X, They present a tool codenamed ‘Jumbojack’, which is believed to be one in every of two early Google foldable cellphone prototypes; the opposite one was reportedly known as ‘Passport’.
The experimental telephones have been possible made to check Android working on a foldable cellphone earlier than Google proceeded with the Pixel Fold, which debuted in 2023.
The publish exhibits what seems to be like a modified Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 working Android 12L, a variant of Android 12 made for tablets and foldable gadgets.
Rahman wrote of their publish on X: “That is allegedly ‘jumbojack’, a prototype Google used to check the Android software program expertise on foldables earlier than that they had working Pixel Fold prototypes. The {hardware} is Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 whereas the software program is Android 12L. Somebody naughty put this up on the market on-line.”
The odd codename is regarded as a reference to the Jumbo Jack cheeseburger from US fast-food retailer Jack within the Field, in accordance with 9to5Google, which first grew to become conscious of the prototype’s existence in 2021. On the time the codename was believed to be a reference to a clamshell-like design akin to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Jumbojack seems to be one thing of a Frankenstein mixture of elements, together with thicker prime and backside bezels, wanting extra like the ultimate design of the Pixel Fold than the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Going by this, there is also different modifications beneath the hood, relying on what Google was testing, which can have been omitted from the Pixel Fold’s ultimate launch.
That is allegedly “jumbojack”, a prototype Google used to check the Android software program expertise on foldables earlier than that they had working Pixel Fold prototypes. The {hardware} is Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 whereas the software program is Android 12L.Somebody naughty put this up on the market on-line👿 pic.twitter.com/9GbTWj1CU4February 14, 2024
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Rahman did point out that the cellphone was listed on eBay however not how a lot it was being bought for, and the itemizing seems to have disappeared. Nonetheless, it’s in all probability greatest prevented, because it could possibly be a stolen prototype, and one which Google would possible shut down remotely in consequence.
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The cellphone additionally wouldn’t maintain a lot worth to anybody apart from collectors, and would possible characteristic much less performance than the Pixel Fold as a result of its older, and presumably unfinished, {hardware} and software program.
Jumbojack is an attention-grabbing piece of tech historical past, by no means actually supposed to be used or to see the sunshine of day outdoors Google. And from a better look we are able to’t actually glean any hints at what to anticipate from the rumored Google Pixel Fold 2.
Talking of which, it’s been hinted that the second-generation Pixel Fold may arrive concurrently the very a lot rumored Google Pixel 9. This is because of Google apparently ready to equip its subsequent foldable cellphone with a strong Tensor G4 chip to assist it compete with different chipsets just like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, as discovered within the OnePlus 12.
An upgraded Pixel Fold may find yourself as one in every of our prime picks for greatest foldable telephones, very like its predecessor.
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