When the Google Pixel Fold price started to leak, I admit I was dubious. This was Google, after all, and its Pixel phones are priced very competitively, so why would the Pixel Fold be any different? I was holding out hope that the rumors were wrong and we’d all be pleasantly surprised by a significantly cheaper retail price. Then the bombshell was dropped at I/O: $1,799. Dollar-to-pound/euro, it’s even more expensive in the UK at £1,749 and Germany at €1,899. Ouch.

So what gives? We’ve been pondering this for a while here at Android Authority and we think there are a few explanations to this pricing strategy. First and foremost, foldable phones are still expensive to make, especially if you’re going to go out of your way to design the hinge and display a little differently, as we noted in our hands-on with the Pixel Fold.