Google has already tested prototype folding phone models and tested long-lasting folding screens, but no folding version of the leading Pixel phones, or the cheaper Pixel 3A phones, should be expected anytime soon.
"We're certainly testing prototype models of technology, and we've been doing it for a long time, but I do not think we have a clear use case yet," said Mario Queiroz, head of Pixel's Pixel development at Google.
"We're testing collapsible prototype models and many other new hardware technologies, and we have no product-specific ads to release at this time," Quiriz said.
"Foldable phones are useful for people who want bigger screens, but this feature alone will not be enough to stimulate consumer interest," he said. "Foldable technology has to be more innovative.
Google's folding phone test was a surprise, as the company unveiled its integrated support for folding screens in its Android operating system last November, before Samsung officially unveiled its Galaxy Fold phone in the same month.
Samsung may have the first retractable phone, but that does not stop other companies from researching technology, and technology companies operating in the hardware industry rarely assert that they are testing new designs.
There has been a lot of talk about the shape and quality of new devices since Asian handset manufacturers began to unveil official folding products. The future of smart phones was shaped by the ability to turn a smartphone into a tablet.
Samsung and LG introduced the improvements to the original models of scalable displays long before the official unveiling of the products earlier this year, and explained how folding screens work.
In March, reports emerged that Google had obtained a patent for folding phone technology through a shell-like design, confirming that the company was testing different types of design in its prototype department.
Mario Queiroz said Google has no plans at the moment to roll out a folding product on the market, and that the company is currently focusing on new members of the Pixel family, Pixel 3A and Pixel 3A XL.
Google's experience in folding phones comes as phone makers struggle in all areas, with premium phone prices rising, and Google said last week: Pelephone sales are lower this year than last year, due to pressure in the smart phone market.
Google's opponents are also under pressure. Apple said last week it had sold fewer iPhones year after year, while Samsung struggled with disappointing phone revenues.
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