Foldable smartphones are the hot new trend in mobile right now, with companies like Samsung and Huawei already unveiling phones with foldable screens and other companies rumored to be working on foldables. Now Google has confirmed that it's working on a foldable of its own.

Google has confirmed that it's working on foldable phone prototypes. Don't expect a foldable Pixel 4 later this year, though, because the lead developer of Google's Pixel phones says that there's not a clear use case for foldables quite yet.

"We're definitely prototyping the technology. We've been doing it for a long time," said Mario Queiroz, head of development of Pixel phones told CNET. "I don't think there's a clear use case yet," he added.

Queiroz went on to explain that foldables need to be more innovative than simply offering a device that can unfold to give you a larger screen. "The use case is going to need to be something where you go, 'Hey, I definitely need to have this.' Right now, you don't need to have a foldable. It's kind of a 'nice-to-have,'" he said.

It comes as no surprise to hear that Google is prototyping foldable phones. Not only did the company work closely with Samsung on the Galaxy Fold, but Google is building foldable support and features into Android Q. Plus, patent filings have shown that Google has put some thought into foldable devices. Until the technology matures, though, it seems unlikely that we'll see a Google foldable come to market.