Amazon to start selling the Google Pixel Fold on July 18, right after Prime Day

One week after Amazon Prime Day, the Google Pixel Fold will go on sale at the retailer

As demonstrated by our Google Pixel Fold unboxing, Alphabet’s first foldable phone isn’t getting (or deserving) high praise. Nevertheless, we can now report that a new US retailer has put the latest $1,800 Android foldable up for sale today. You’ll just have to wait one week after the Amazon Prime Day date to actually get it.

Yes, Amazon just started accepting orders for the Pixel Fold, and that’s significant because it’s the first US retailer to begin selling it outside of the Google Store and American carriers. Not even Best Buy – which is selling the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro as well as the Pixel 7a and Pixel Watch – is selling the new Pixel Fold at this time.

You won’t be able to receive the Google Pixel Fold from Amazon just yet – it’s still in a pre-order phase with text suggesting that “This item will be released on July 18, 2023.” That’s one week after Amazon Prime Day, so if you’re interested in buying this expensive phone, don’t spend all of your money.

That July 18 date is also almost a month after the Google Store and US carriers like AT&T and Verizon have had exclusivity over the foldable phone. T-Mobile suggests that it’ll open up pre-orders “soon” through its local stores and online shop.

Why people may wait to buy Pixel Fold at Amazon

Yes, it’s readily available from the Google Pixel Store and two American carriers, but people may be waiting to buy the Pixel Fold for three reasons. First, there are several news reports that this phone isn’t as durable as other foldable smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the new Moto Razr+.

Second, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is expected to launch in late July, according to the Samsung Unpacked keynote that’s scheduled to happen in Seoul, Korea. A lot of people are going to want to have a look at the year-over-year changes Samsung is making to its foldable phone before deciding to pick up the Pixel Fold or its chief rival.

Third, loyal Amazon shoppers with the brand’s credit card know they can get 5% back on purchases, and the $1,800 Google Pixel Fold represents $90 in savings. That’s not a bad chunk of change to pocket when buying a newly released smartphone.

I recall from my days covering the PS5 restock that people would spend weeks trying to buy the PlayStation console, but narrowly limit themselves to one store like Target because of the 5% purchase on the Target Red Card. Loyal shoppers will wait out a discount, even if it takes a month to save their hard-earned money.