Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold: A Game-Changer in the Foldable Phone Market

One of the best foldable phones I've tested is not made by Samsung or OnePlus

Despite the price and branding, the camera system doesn't match the other Pixel 9 Pro phones. If my week of testing the new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has taught me anything, it's that sequels can, in fact, be better than the original. After a rocky start with last year's Pixel Fold, Google has gone back to the drawing board, etched out a new foldable that is more polished, user-friendly, and feature-packed, and is hoping that you'll buy into its $1,799 master plan again. For me... it almost succeeds. It's only been a week, so I'm not 100% sold on Google's foldable phone just yet. Still, after re-using the Pixel Fold in preparation for this review, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels much easier to recommend to enthusiasts than its predecessor, with upgrades in arguably every way, from the slimmer, taller display to the brighter panels to the Tensor G4 chip that powers Google's other flagship phones this year. These three aspects alone may be enough to entice Pixel Fold users to make the switch. I certainly would. Also: I replaced my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with the Pixel 9 Pro XL for two weeks - and can't go back Of course, the new look won't be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you prefer the shorter, boxier design of last year's version. Google likes to compare the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with the Pixel 9 Pro, both of which field 6.3-inch Super Actua displays. Once you factor in the former's side hinge, thicker bezels, and folded screen, however, the two don't feel as close as the numbers suggest. I wouldn't call the Pixel 9 Pro Fold a great one-handed device, but its thin design -- which gives me Microsoft Surface Duo vibes -- certainly helps. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's thinness also helps make the eight-inch internal display all the more glorious when unfolded. This is the closest you'll ever come to the "tablet in your pocket" dream. I know we're talking decimal points between the Pixel, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the OnePlus Open, but the dimensions of the Google phone truly feel like an Android tablet when open, and I love it for streaming YouTube videos and TV shows, playing games, and multitasking. Also: Why the $799 Google Pixel 9 is the real star of this year's Android phone lineup Notice I didn't mention "movies" in that sequence. That's because the wider, 21:9 aspect ratio of most films means the letterboxing (black bars that fill any dead space) on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's squarish display is very prominent. It's more-letterboxing-than-the-actual-video prominent. Fortunately, the speakers are loud and clear, and the ability to unfold completely flat means the center crease is less noticeable this year, reducing any visual distraction. For multitasking, you're limited to split-screening two apps, with Google still against you having three or more apps open at once -- whether through split layouts or floating windows. This remains the Pixel's biggest setback against competing phone-to-tablet foldables, especially when Samsung and OnePlus are being more adventurous with their big-screen capabilities. Because of this limitation, the Tensor G4 chip naturally handles the most "extraneous" workflows on this device. That's not to say that Google isn't trying with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The 16GB of RAM, Tensor G4 chip, and breadth of Gemini-powered AI features make it clear that the device was built for the times. Also: Every Google Pixel 9 model compared: Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold In fact, I've enjoyed using Google's latest AI services on the big screen even more than on its Pixel 9 Pro, for at least three reasons, as listed in below: In my testing, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold remained functional even when I held it beneath the summer sun. The 2,700 nits of brightness on this year's model is a major win, especially when compared to the Pixel Fold's mere 1,450 nits, which made text illegible outdoors. I've also noticed the refresh rate remaining mostly at 120Hz, with less throttling than on the standard Pixel 9, even as I'm updating a game in the background or scrolling through a Reddit feed full of videos and images. The user experience on the Pixel has been very smooth. If you were hoping to experience the cutting edge of camera tech with the $1,800 Pixel 9 Pro Fold, you'd be just as disappointed as those who hoped for the same last year. That's because the new Google foldable carries nearly every sensor from the previous Pixel Fold, including the 48MP main lens and 10MP selfie cameras. The ultrawide and telephoto lenses are down to 10.5MP (from 11MP) but field similar apertures and capturing capabilities. The funny thing is, even with the year-old hardware, the Pixel still shoots the most natural-looking, well-contrasted photos and videos of all the foldables I've tested. Also: The camera accessory I recommend to most people is not a tripod or microphone Still, compared to the new Pixel 9 Pro series, the Fold falls flat in detail and color reproduction. See the image sample below, which compares the output from the 48MP and 50MP wide sensors on the Fold and 9 Pro, respectively. The colors captured by the Fold appear more washed out (read: the flower petals are a lighter shade of pink). When zooming in, you can really see where details get lost, like on the flower tag. Instead of buffing the hardware, Google has added new software features like Made You Look, Add Me, and Video Boost to expand the Pixel 9 Pro Fold camera system's capabilities. Made You Look displays dynamic animations on the outer screen to get the attention of your subject -- ideally, a toddler or pet -- as you capture the photo. It almost works. Because the rear cameras on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are not directly above the outer display, subjects often stare more rightward, appearing as if they're distracted by a passerby. I also wish you could use Add Me, which stitches two images captured by two different people to include everyone in the same photo, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is in Tabletop Mode. Being able to set the phone still would make the framing of the photos nearly identical. You wouldn't need an AR overlay to guide the framing, significantly reducing user error. Instead, the feature now requires that you click twice and hope that the AI will piece everyone together. Also: Why Pixel phone's enhanced Astrophotography mode is perfect for snapping the night sky Lastly, the 4,650mAh battery on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has been enough to get me through a day, with roughly 18% to 20% left. That's about average by today's flagship phone standards but much better than last year's Pixel Fold, which I found myself recharging before nighttime. It helps that the outer display feels more like a traditional smartphone's, meaning I've felt less of an urge to open up the phone and use the more power-consuming inner display. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has nearly everything a Pixel user could want in a foldable, from the simplistic user experience to the reliable camera system to the seven years of software support. I'm a fan of the new, slimmer, and lighter design, which earns the title of being the thinnest foldable in the US. Under a $1,800 magnifying glass, however, it's hard not to nitpick all the ways Google could've made the phone better. Having the same (if not similar) camera system as the other Pixel "Pro" phones would be a start.

Your Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold questions, answered

After months of rumors and leaks, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is finally here. Ahead of our review of Google's foldable reinvention, I'm here to answer the questions that Android Police readers left for us last week. While I won't be able to get to every topic -- again, full review coming very soon -- this should give those commenters, and readers across the internet, a good idea as to what to expect from the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. If you didn't get a response in for this round, keep an eye out during product launches for your questions. In fact, you can ask anything about the Pixel Watch 3 right now. Related After a week with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, I'm finally starting to get foldables They don't make sense, until they do 4 11 How's the battery life hold up under real world conditions? Asked by Mark and Adam By far the most pressing question asked by our readers, and it has a fairly simple answer. It's about what you'd expect from a Tensor G4-powered foldable. All three regular Pixel 9s impressed us with some pretty rock-solid battery life, and unsurprisingly, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold follows suit. But I'd also say it depends on which display you're using more often. On days where I have the device unfolded more than folded, my screen-on time is vastly shorter than if I prioritize the main screen. Still, I usually end up with around 5 hours of screen-on time, which is a little shorter than what I've seen on my smaller Pixel 9 Pro. I haven't had to recharge in the middle of a day yet, if that gives you any idea of my real world testing, though I've come close to considering it. I wish this device charged faster than its max of 27W -- this is an $1,800 "Pro" phone, Google, get it up to speed -- but overnight charging hasn't been an issue. I'll have a few occasions before my final review to really put the Pixel 9 Pro Fold through its paces, though, especially as far as longevity is concerned. 10 Which AI features are actually useful to everyday users? Asked by Mark My thoughts from the Pixel 9 Pro review I wrote apply to this phone. Pixel Studio is either ironically hilarious or a total nightmare, depending on how you approach it. I haven't used Pixel Screenshots nearly as much as I anticipated -- turns out my screenshots aren't all that interesting. Gemini continues to improve, though it has gotten some really basic questions embarrassingly wrong, like the amount of time between Wednesday afternoon and kickoff for Thursday Night Football (which it said was 15 hours, lol). My take on the Pixel 9 series matches most of the rest of the industry: These are really good phones, and also, there's a bunch of AI tools here you probably won't use. I'm really curious to see the state of Pixel -- and Google -- in five years, because if these apps can't quite get their hooks in me, I'm not sure they're gonna get their hooks in non-enthusiasts. 9 How's the hinge and internal screen quality compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6? Asked by Frank This is an interesting question, because previously, Google was well behind the competition. With the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the hinge feels on par with both Samsung and OnePlus, in ways that might be too similar to really put on paper. But hey, let's try anyway. First, let's revisit the original Pixel Fold's hinge, which does have at least one big benefit over other foldables. No matter what angle you placed those two displays at, it would never shut open or closed. The obvious downside here, of course, came from its inability to fold open at 180 degrees without being forced, but hey, that's generation-old hardware at this point. Let's talk about what's working now. To my fingers, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's hinge feels closest to the OnePlus Open's, though with just a little more rigidity as you open the main display. The magnets feel quite good, delivering a more satisfying feeling than what you get on the Open, an effect that is far more in line with the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Samsung's phone, however, has a springiness that I don't quite feel on Google's latest foldable, something that you may or may not like. If you're between the two phones, it's worth trying out both in person. I will say, Google's hinge has far less wiggle between the two halves of the phones than Samsung's delivers, which might be a turn-off for some. I haven't been particularly impressed with the fit and finish on the Korean giant's output in 2024, and I'd say this is another prime example. As for the internal screen quality, I'd say the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 6 are about even. Both are bright and punchy, both still have noticeable creases, and both are less reflective than their earlier counterparts (though not as anti-reflective as the Open). One thing that did take me aback as I compared these two panels, though, was just how much larger the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels. If you're looking for an expansive foldable display, the Pixel is the one to get. 8 How's the Pixel 9 Pro Fold work with wireless charging stands? Asked by 2JZ_NOS I don't have a Pixel Stand on hand -- it wouldn't work anyway, and it sounds like it might be too late to buy one -- but I do have a Spigen-brand wireless charging stand on my desk, and I'd say it's a mixed bag. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which starts charging immediately, I have to hold the Pixel 9 Pro Fold up about half an inch from the stand's lip, wait for it to start charging, and then set it down. It does charge at this point, but it's really finicky. It's clear the alignment of these coils isn't great; maybe Google should've considered adding, I don't know, magnets or something. 7 How's durability and performance? Asked by APMember I'm not sure how much I can speak to durability. I've propped it up in my shower to listen to podcasts, as I do with practically every phone I've ever held, and as you'd expect from an IPX8 phone, I've had no issues. I haven't dropped it yet (though I've come close -- the thing nearly crashed onto a cement sidewalk before I caught it like a bar of soap), and I'm hoping I never do. If you're concerned about drops, definitely get a case for this one. Performance is a little easier to answer, since I've been using Tensor G4-powered phones for nearly a month now. This chipset might not be the leap in performance some buyers were hoping for, but I'm personally thrilled with its battery performance and thermals. Granted, both of those things are worse on the Fold than the regular Pixel 9 Pro, thanks to its foldable design. You will feel this phone get warmer than its non-folding siblings, and there's not much you can do about it. 6 How is the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's utility over the regular Pixel 9? Do you really ever unfold it, and if so, why? Asked by Jeff Great question. I wrote about this in its own article, but part of my review process with this phone has been attempting to meet it on its own level. When can I use the big screen to my heart's content, and more importantly, when can't I? No matter how usable the front display is, I find I'm still pretty frustrated when an app doesn't scale well on the display people are actually buying this phone for. It's been five years, Android devs -- time to get up to speed. 5 Does it support display output? Asked by Benjamin It does! Plug and play, baby -- all you need is a USB-C to HDMI adapter and you're good to go. 4 How's media consumption on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold -- especially reading books, playing video games, and gaming? Asked by Robert I owe friend-of-the-site Michael Fisher -- aka Mr. Mobile -- for this one, but the Kindle app finally supports dual column reading on the main display in portrait mode. I can't tell you how annoying it was to have to rotate every previous foldable to achieve a true book-like setup, but finally, the future is now. And hey, shamless plug, he told me this fact on this week's Android Police podcast, which you can listen to below. Related The Pixel 9 Pro Fold makes a three-gen jump on the Android Police podcast But will it be enough to lap Samsung and the rest? Likewise, video is mostly good, especially in portrait mode, where the speakers are aligned to fire up and down rather than left and right. That might sound like a downgrade, but turn the device to landscape and it's a poor experience. If you're holding the phone, your hands are bound to cover at least one of the adjacent centered speakers. Gaming is, for me, a real disappointment. I don't play a lot of mobile games, and those I do enjoy just don't scale well on the main display. I got back into Pokemon Go this summer as a way to get outside and moving, and I've really enjoyed coming back to the game for the first time since, like, 2019. But practically every menu is unreadable on the main screen. Likewise, I recently picked up Dragon Quest V after hearing a pretty loving, in-depth discussion on the podcast Into the Aether, and I'll be waiting to play it until I switch back to the Pixel 9 Pro. It just doesn't support the foldable display. Really, it's going to depend on what you're looking to play. At the very least, the 6.3-inch outer screen means you'll always have a backup if something doesn't scale the way you'd expect. 3 How does the camera compare to that of the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 8 Pro? Asked by Justin My earliest impressions are pretty mixed, which isn't too surprising for a foldable. In good lighting, you can expect that standard Pixel look from the primary lens, but once you start shooting in darker environments, the results get a little dicey. For example, I've noticed quite a few of my 5x samples are actually captured using digital zoom, not the dedicated lens on the back of this device. Night Sight is also a problem here, as my campfire photo sample below proves. I'm still in the middle of my review period, and I'll have plenty of additional thoughts in the coming weeks, but here's where my current thoughts lie: If you're planning on buying the Pixel 9 Pro Fold for its camera, make sure you temper your expectations. The shot quality here is much more in line with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 or OnePlus Open, though without the Hasselblad color science of the latter that I enjoyed so much last year. I don't think anyone's going to be fully unsatisfied with the shooter here, but don't go in expecting shots at the level of Google's other "Pixel 9 Pro" phones. 2 Can we get a camera comparison with the non-foldable Pros? Asked by Jeff This is coming soon -- keep an eye out in the coming weeks. Lots of camera tests to hit with these phones, and back-to-back review periods haven't made it easy. 1 Is it worth upgrading from the OG Pixel Fold? Asked by David Unfortunately for your wallet, yes. I, of course, mean this in the most financially literate way possible -- you should not upgrade from your Pixel Fold without scoring a good trade-in deal. If you don't have the money, don't stress it, as I imagine the Pixel 10 Pro Fold (ugh, are we really sticking with this?) will deliver an even more enticing package than this one. But if you aren't happy with your Pixel Fold, especially when it comes to thermal performance, build quality, or weight, all three of those things are improved on this year's model. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Google's foldable series has a new name. The successor to the 2023-released Pixel Fold is the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, starting at $1,800. It boasts a bigger eight-inch Super Actua inner display, paired with a 6.3-inch outer display, and is powered by Google's new Tensor G4 chipset. Paired with 16GB of RAM, it's significantly faster -- and more power-efficient -- than its predecessor. $1799 at Google Store$1799 at Best Buy$1799 at Amazon Related 10 essential Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold takeaways from my first week with the phone Spoiler alert: Google's new foldable is great 1

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is here: My 10 essential takeaways after a week

Just a couple of weeks after Google launched its first couple of Pixel 9s into the wild, it's time for us to turn our attention to the big boy. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn't just a successor to last year's Pixel Fold -- it's practically a reinvention in every way. I've had the device for nearly a week now, and while we aren't ready to deliver a full review just yet (all in due time), here are the ten changes you need to know when jumping from the Pixel Fold to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Spoiler alert: even OG Fold owners might want to think about upgrading. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Google's foldable series has a new name. The successor to the 2023-released Pixel Fold is the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, starting at $1,800. It boasts a bigger eight-inch Super Actua inner display, paired with a 6.3-inch outer display, and is powered by Google's new Tensor G4 chipset. Paired with 16GB of RAM, it's significantly faster -- and more power-efficient -- than its predecessor. $1799 at Google Store$1799 at Best Buy$1799 at Amazon 10 It's the thinnest foldable you can (probably) buy During its announcement, Google was quick to label the Pixel 9 Pro Fold as the thinnest folding phone on the market. That's not exactly true -- both Honor and Xiaomi have devices that are under 10mm thick when folded shut -- but this claim does hold water in markets where you can actually buy Google's new phone. Side by side with the 11.7mm OnePlus Open and the 12.1mm Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, the 10.5mm Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels absolutely svelte in comparison, even to the non-tech enthusiasts in my life who have held this device. The result is the first North American foldable that feels thin enough to fit comfortably in most pockets. This is a big phone, don't get us wrong, but considering its just two millimeters thicker than the Pixel 9 Pro XL, we're finally slipping into standard smartphone territory when it comes to folding phone bulk. There's a chance the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels chunky in just a couple years' time, but for now, this is as sleek and slim as you can (probably) buy. 9 It's a lot lighter than the first-gen Pixel Fold One of my biggest complaints about the original Pixel Fold -- and believe me, I had plenty of complaints -- came down to its weight. At 283 grams, Google's first folding phone was one of the heaviest devices released in 2023, well above competitors like Samsung and OnePlus. And while both of those companies still offer lighter options than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, at 257 grams, this phone is no longer uncomfortable to hold in one hand for long periods of time. It's not perfect, of course, and I hope Google continues to try and reduce the overall weight of its future foldables. But if you've been concerned about the original Pixel Fold's weight, rest assured that this one is a lot more easy to manage. 8 Both displays have an all-new -- yet undoubtedly familiar -- aspect ratio Google tried a unique approach with its first-gen Pixel Fold, delivering a wide cover display to allow for a book-esque interior display. The end result was a display that felt pretty similar to what Samsung had been using on its own foldables, only opening in landscape by default rather than portrait. This year, Google dropped that approach entirely, instead opting to go for something closer to the OnePlus Open's squared design. In fact, this design appears to be heavily inspired by OnePlus. From the outer 6.3-inch screen to its hinge, take it from someone who's used the OnePlus Open a lot over the last 12 months -- this phone feels really familiar. But thanks to the larger left-side bezel along the outside of the phone, Google managed to boost the main foldable display to a whopping 8 inches, and it's a decision that really impacts how and when you choose to open the 9 Pro Fold. Related I wish the Pixel 9 Pro Fold felt as flagship as Vivo's X Fold 3 Pro Vivo's latest foldable is a true flagship too 3 7 Those displays look a hell of a lot better, too It's not just the shape that' s new. One of the biggest problems with the original Pixel Fold was that its displays, well, weren't very good. Maybe that's not fair -- the outer display was perfectly fine, if not quite as bright as the Actua-branded displays that would appear on the Pixel 8 series a couple of months after its launch. But the interior folding panel was absolutely terrible, delivering a reflective, plastic-like experience that only managed to look good in darker environments where tuning out imperfections was easy. That experience is completely changed here. While I still prefer the matte approach OnePlus took with the Open, this panel feels more in line with what we've come to expect from Samsung's best. It's still got a pretty deep crease, and I would've preferred a matte bezel rather than the glossy border surrounding this screen, but really, these are nitpicks. Unlike with the original Pixel Fold, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a screen you can actually use outdoors, and that's all that matters. What a relief. 6 A new camera bump that feels unique from Pixel This year, the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL all have camera bumps that feel inspired by last year's Pixel Fold. So, naturally, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold deviates from the pack, with a new rectangular module. While it might not look like the rest of its 2024 siblings, it does manage to retain some of that Pixel 9 magic, thanks to its dual pill-shaped camera modules. Frankly, though, I miss a wider camera bar -- it would've left my finger somewhere to rest while using the phone. As for how those cameras fare in daily use, you'll have to wait for my full review. My earliest impressions leave something to be desired, especially compared to the Pixel 9 Pro I used for two weeks prior to swapping to Google's foldable. Whether I'll be more impressed in the days to come remains to be seen. 5 Google's hinge feels smooth, sturdy, and opens completely flat I hated the hinge on the original Pixel Fold. It felt stiff in the worst way possible and failed at what all foldables should be able to pull off without breaking a sweat: opening 180-degrees. Thankfully, Google got it right this time. This year's hinge is tight enough to allow the phone to open at most angles, but glides open and shut without any problems. Throw it in tent mode, prop it up like a laptop, or turn it into an expansive 8-inch tablet -- the choice is yours. 4 Tensor G4 keeps this phone from getting too hot For all of my problems with the Pixel Fold, none frustrated me more than its processor issues. Tensor G2 was nearly an entire year old when Google released its first foldable, and its tendency to overheat in devices like the Pixel 7 Pro or Pixel 7a were well-known. Throwing a hot, inefficient chipset into a thinner chassis was down to cause problems, and indeed, I experienced some real headaches when it came to keeping the Pixel Fold cool. Largely speaking, those problems are gone with Tensor G4. While I still think Google's custom silicon runs a little hotter on average than the latest and greatest from Qualcomm, it's a massive year-over-year improvement. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold does get warmer on average than the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup -- again, you can thank the thinner chassis for that one -- but so far, I have yet to feel the device become too hot to touch, or throttle performance to the point of becoming unusable. The same can't be said for this phone's predecessor. 3 Google's foldable experience feels much more robust this year Google spent much of the Pixel Fold's first year rolling out new software features in an attempt to bring the software experience up to par with its competitors. While I still think Samsung and OnePlus provide a much more robust foldable experience -- specifically when it comes to multitasking -- the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels feature-complete at launch. Moving apps to the front display with a simple swipe, pinning the taskbar using a long-press shortcut, and app pairs that make it easy to reopen your favorite split-screen software are all great examples of how Google has thought about this big screen a little more carefully than in its previous generation. There are a couple of new additions, too, like Made You Look, which could become your favorite way to make your child smile before snapping a photo. Related My favorite foldable of 2023 may just be my favorite foldable of 2024, too This OnePlus Open is looking absolutely fire 2 2 But this is still an AI-first phone This might feel like a more fully-functioning foldable, but Google's attention is still squarely aimed at AI. All of the tools we loved/hated/tolerated on the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup have made their way here. Gemini -- and Gemini Live, of course -- are a key component of the device, and Google's new AI-powered weather app gets a big-screen layout that feels destined to arrive on a future Pixel Tablet successor. Pixel Screenshots is here too, giving you an easy way to dig through your collection of saved snapshots. On the other hand, controversial image generation tools like Pixel Studio and Reimagine in Magic Editor are also here, and I'm sure they'll continue to be as controversial as more and more users get their hands on them. While practically all of these apps are easily ignorable -- if not uninstallable, much to my chagrin -- Google wants you to think of AI when you think of Pixel. Whether that's going to shake out for the company long-term remains to be seen, but it's very much the reality of using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. 1 Excited to buy it? You'll find it in a whole lot more places The first-gen Pixel Fold was available in just four regions: the US, UK, Germany, and Japan. With its successor, Google is opening up its folding phone experience to a lot more places -- though, unfortunately, it's not quite as widely available as the rest of the Pixel 9 trio. Starting September 4th, you'll be able to buy the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in (deep breath) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK, and the US (with the exception of Puerto Rico). It's a much larger launch for a phone that actually feels ready for primetime -- let's just hope you can find it in stock. I'll have much more to say in AP's full Pixel 9 Pro Fold coming soon, and I'll have even more thoughts coming later today. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Google's foldable series has a new name. The successor to the 2023-released Pixel Fold is the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, starting at $1,800. It boasts a bigger eight-inch Super Actua inner display, paired with a 6.3-inch outer display, and is powered by Google's new Tensor G4 chipset. Paired with 16GB of RAM, it's significantly faster -- and more power-efficient -- than its predecessor. $1799 at Google Store$1799 at Best Buy$1799 at Amazon

I replaced my Pixel 9 Pro with Google's $1,800 foldable for a week - and can't go back

Despite the price and branding, the camera system doesn't match the other Pixel 9 Pro phones. If my week of testing the new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has taught me anything, it's that sequels can, in fact, be better than the original. After a rocky start with last year's Pixel Fold, Google has gone back to the drawing board, etched out a new foldable that is more polished, user-friendly, and feature-packed, and is hoping that you'll buy into its $1,799 master plan again. For me... it almost succeeds. It's only been a week, so I'm not 100% sold on Google's foldable phone just yet. Still, after re-using the Pixel Fold in preparation for this review, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels much easier to recommend to enthusiasts than its predecessor, with upgrades in arguably every way, from the slimmer, taller display to the brighter panels to the Tensor G4 chip that powers Google's other flagship phones this year. These three aspects alone may be enough to entice Pixel Fold users to make the switch. I certainly would. Also: I replaced my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with the Pixel 9 Pro XL for two weeks - and can't go back Of course, the new look won't be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you prefer the shorter, boxier design of last year's version. Google likes to compare the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with the Pixel 9 Pro, both of which field 6.3-inch Super Actua displays. Once you factor in the former's side hinge, thicker bezels, and folded screen, however, the two don't feel as close as the numbers suggest. I wouldn't call the Pixel 9 Pro Fold a great one-handed device, but its thin design -- which gives me Microsoft Surface Duo vibes -- certainly helps. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's thinness also helps make the eight-inch internal display all the more glorious when unfolded. This is the closest you'll ever come to the "tablet in your pocket" dream. I know we're talking decimal points between the Pixel, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the OnePlus Open, but the dimensions of the Google phone truly feel like an Android tablet when open, and I love it for streaming YouTube videos and TV shows, playing games, and multitasking. Also: Why the $799 Google Pixel 9 is the real star of this year's Android phone lineup Notice I didn't mention "movies" in that sequence. That's because the wider, 21:9 aspect ratio of most films means the letterboxing (black bars that fill any dead space) on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's squarish display is very prominent. It's more-letterboxing-than-the-actual-video prominent. Fortunately, the speakers are loud and clear, and the ability to unfold completely flat means the center crease is less noticeable this year, reducing any visual distraction. For multitasking, you're limited to split-screening two apps, with Google still against you having three or more apps open at once -- whether through split layouts or floating windows. This remains the Pixel's biggest setback against competing phone-to-tablet foldables, especially when Samsung and OnePlus are being more adventurous with their big-screen capabilities. Because of this limitation, the Tensor G4 chip naturally handles the most "extraneous" workflows on this device. That's not to say that Google isn't trying with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The 16GB of RAM, Tensor G4 chip, and breadth of Gemini-powered AI features make it clear that the device was built for the times. Also: Every Google Pixel 9 model compared: Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold In fact, I've enjoyed using Google's latest AI services on the big screen even more than on its Pixel 9 Pro, for at least three reasons, as listed in below: In my testing, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold remained functional even when I held it beneath the summer sun. The 2,700 nits of brightness on this year's model is a major win, especially when compared to the Pixel Fold's mere 1,450 nits, which made text illegible outdoors. I've also noticed the refresh rate remaining mostly at 120Hz, with less throttling than on the standard Pixel 9, even as I'm updating a game in the background or scrolling through a Reddit feed full of videos and images. The user experience on the Pixel has been very smooth. If you were hoping to experience the cutting edge of camera tech with the $1,800 Pixel 9 Pro Fold, you'd be just as disappointed as those who hoped for the same last year. That's because the new Google foldable carries nearly every sensor from the previous Pixel Fold, including the 48MP main lens and 10MP selfie cameras. The ultrawide and telephoto lenses are down to 10.5MP (from 11MP) but field similar apertures and capturing capabilities. The funny thing is, even with the year-old hardware, the Pixel still shoots the most natural-looking, well-contrasted photos and videos of all the foldables I've tested. Also: The camera accessory I recommend to most people is not a tripod or microphone Still, compared to the new Pixel 9 Pro series, the Fold falls flat in detail and color reproduction. See the image sample below, which compares the output from the 48MP and 50MP wide sensors on the Fold and 9 Pro, respectively. The colors captured by the Fold appear more washed out (read: the flower petals are a lighter shade of pink). When zooming in, you can really see where details get lost, like on the flower tag. Instead of buffing the hardware, Google has added new software features like Made You Look, Add Me, and Video Boost to expand the Pixel 9 Pro Fold camera system's capabilities. Made You Look displays dynamic animations on the outer screen to get the attention of your subject -- ideally, a toddler or pet -- as you capture the photo. It almost works. Because the rear cameras on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are not directly above the outer display, subjects often stare more rightward, appearing as if they're distracted by a passerby. I also wish you could use Add Me, which stitches two images captured by two different people to include everyone in the same photo, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is in Tabletop Mode. Being able to set the phone still would make the framing of the photos nearly identical. You wouldn't need an AR overlay to guide the framing, significantly reducing user error. Instead, the feature now requires that you click twice and hope that the AI will piece everyone together. Also: Why Pixel phone's enhanced Astrophotography mode is perfect for snapping the night sky Lastly, the 4,650mAh battery on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has been enough to get me through a day, with roughly 18% to 20% left. That's about average by today's flagship phone standards but much better than last year's Pixel Fold, which I found myself recharging before nighttime. It helps that the outer display feels more like a traditional smartphone's, meaning I've felt less of an urge to open up the phone and use the more power-consuming inner display. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has nearly everything a Pixel user could want in a foldable, from the simplistic user experience to the reliable camera system to the seven years of software support. I'm a fan of the new, slimmer, and lighter design, which earns the title of being the thinnest foldable in the US. Under a $1,800 magnifying glass, however, it's hard not to nitpick all the ways Google could've made the phone better. Having the same (if not similar) camera system as the other Pixel "Pro" phones would be a start.

I tested Google's $1,800 Pixel 9 Pro Fold for a week, and I'm ready to ditch Samsung

Despite the price and branding, the camera system doesn't match the other Pixel 9 Pro phones. If my week of testing the new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has taught me anything, it's that sequels can, in fact, be better than the original. After a rocky start with last year's Pixel Fold, Google has gone back to the drawing board, etched out a new foldable that is more polished, user-friendly, and feature-packed, and is hoping that you'll buy into its $1,799 master plan again. For me... it almost succeeds. It's only been a week, so I'm not 100% sold on Google's foldable phone just yet. Still, after re-using the Pixel Fold in preparation for this review, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels much easier to recommend to enthusiasts than its predecessor, with upgrades in arguably every way, from the slimmer, taller display to the brighter panels to the Tensor G4 chip that powers Google's other flagship phones this year. These three aspects alone may be enough to entice Pixel Fold users to make the switch. I certainly would. Also: I replaced my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with the Pixel 9 Pro XL for two weeks - and can't go back Of course, the new look won't be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you prefer the shorter, boxier design of last year's version. Google likes to compare the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with the Pixel 9 Pro, both of which field 6.3-inch Super Actua displays. Once you factor in the former's side hinge, thicker bezels, and folded screen, however, the two don't feel as close as the numbers suggest. I wouldn't call the Pixel 9 Pro Fold a great one-handed device, but its thin design -- which gives me Microsoft Surface Duo vibes -- certainly helps. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's thinness also helps make the eight-inch internal display all the more glorious when unfolded. This is the closest you'll ever come to the "tablet in your pocket" dream. I know we're talking decimal points between the Pixel, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the OnePlus Open, but the dimensions of the Google phone truly feel like an Android tablet when open, and I love it for streaming YouTube videos and TV shows, playing games, and multitasking. Also: Why the $799 Google Pixel 9 is the real star of this year's Android phone lineup Notice I didn't mention "movies" in that sequence. That's because the wider, 21:9 aspect ratio of most films means the letterboxing (black bars that fill any dead space) on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's squarish display is very prominent. It's more-letterboxing-than-the-actual-video prominent. Fortunately, the speakers are loud and clear, and the ability to unfold completely flat means the center crease is less noticeable this year, reducing any visual distraction. For multitasking, you're limited to split-screening two apps, with Google still against you having three or more apps open at once -- whether through split layouts or floating windows. This remains the Pixel's biggest setback against competing phone-to-tablet foldables, especially when Samsung and OnePlus are being more adventurous with their big-screen capabilities. Because of this limitation, the Tensor G4 chip naturally handles the most "extraneous" workflows on this device. That's not to say that Google isn't trying with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The 16GB of RAM, Tensor G4 chip, and breadth of Gemini-powered AI features make it clear that the device was built for the times. Also: Every Google Pixel 9 model compared: Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold In fact, I've enjoyed using Google's latest AI services on the big screen even more than on its Pixel 9 Pro, for at least three reasons, as listed in below: In my testing, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold remained functional even when I held it beneath the summer sun. The 2,700 nits of brightness on this year's model is a major win, especially when compared to the Pixel Fold's mere 1,450 nits, which made text illegible outdoors. I've also noticed the refresh rate remaining mostly at 120Hz, with less throttling than on the standard Pixel 9, even as I'm updating a game in the background or scrolling through a Reddit feed full of videos and images. The user experience on the Pixel has been very smooth. If you were hoping to experience the cutting edge of camera tech with the $1,800 Pixel 9 Pro Fold, you'd be just as disappointed as those who hoped for the same last year. That's because the new Google foldable carries nearly every sensor from the previous Pixel Fold, including the 48MP main lens and 10MP selfie cameras. The ultrawide and telephoto lenses are down to 10.5MP (from 11MP) but field similar apertures and capturing capabilities. The funny thing is, even with the year-old hardware, the Pixel still shoots the most natural-looking, well-contrasted photos and videos of all the foldables I've tested. Also: The camera accessory I recommend to most people is not a tripod or microphone Still, compared to the new Pixel 9 Pro series, the Fold falls flat in detail and color reproduction. See the image sample below, which compares the output from the 48MP and 50MP wide sensors on the Fold and 9 Pro, respectively. The colors captured by the Fold appear more washed out (read: the flower petals are a lighter shade of pink). When zooming in, you can really see where details get lost, like on the flower tag. Instead of buffing the hardware, Google has added new software features like Made You Look, Add Me, and Video Boost to expand the Pixel 9 Pro Fold camera system's capabilities. Made You Look displays dynamic animations on the outer screen to get the attention of your subject -- ideally, a toddler or pet -- as you capture the photo. It almost works. Because the rear cameras on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are not directly above the outer display, subjects often stare more rightward, appearing as if they're distracted by a passerby. I also wish you could use Add Me, which stitches two images captured by two different people to include everyone in the same photo, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is in Tabletop Mode. Being able to set the phone still would make the framing of the photos nearly identical. You wouldn't need an AR overlay to guide the framing, significantly reducing user error. Instead, the feature now requires that you click twice and hope that the AI will piece everyone together. Also: Why Pixel phone's enhanced Astrophotography mode is perfect for snapping the night sky Lastly, the 4,650mAh battery on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has been enough to get me through a day, with roughly 18% to 20% left. That's about average by today's flagship phone standards but much better than last year's Pixel Fold, which I found myself recharging before nighttime. It helps that the outer display feels more like a traditional smartphone's, meaning I've felt less of an urge to open up the phone and use the more power-consuming inner display. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has nearly everything a Pixel user could want in a foldable, from the simplistic user experience to the reliable camera system to the seven years of software support. I'm a fan of the new, slimmer, and lighter design, which earns the title of being the thinnest foldable in the US. Under a $1,800 magnifying glass, however, it's hard not to nitpick all the ways Google could've made the phone better. Having the same (if not similar) camera system as the other Pixel "Pro" phones would be a start.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review: The most comfortable foldable yet

I may never have the combination of deep pockets and genuine interest that'll motivate me to purchase a foldable phone. But if I ever do, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold would most likely be at the top of my list. Google's debut foldable, last year's Pixel Fold, was a respectable enough effort, but its hefty form factor kept it from greatness, especially compared to the competition (i.e., the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5). This year, however, Google may have taken the top spot with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, a renamed successor to the Pixel Fold with better displays both inside and out, plus a killer redesign that makes it the most comfortable foldable I've used yet. Sure, I'm not a huge fan of Google's recent AI push, but if you ignore that stuff, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold might be the winner of the whole Pixel 9 family. Just as long as you can swing $1,799 -- and don't mind missing out on a few premium Pixel 9 Pro features. Just like the Pixel Fold, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1,799. Here's what that gets you: The only other option when you buy a Pixel 9 Pro Fold is 512GB storage, which balloons the price up to $1,919. It's a little puzzling that there's no 1TB option, considering the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers that. One key trend you'll notice with Pixel 9 Pro Fold is that it's the most expensive phone with "Pixel 9" in the name, but it's missing a couple of key premium bonuses that you'd get with a Pixel 9 Pro. While the other three Pixel 9 phones all feel iterative in terms of hardware redesigns (sporting new flat edges and a different camera visor on the back, but changing little else), the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a pretty substantial change from its predecessor. Here are the exact dimensions: When folded, the new foldable is both taller and more narrow than the old one. Aside from that, Google has made it remarkably light and thin. The weight is the most noticeable difference; Google shaved nearly an entire ounce off of this phone from year to year, going from 9.98 oz to 9.1 oz. With a shocking 0.2-inches of depth when unfolded (and only 0.4-inches when folded), combined with the new lighter weight, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is easily the most comfortable foldable I've ever held. It feels fantastic to use in either configuration, notably moreso than the Pixel Fold did. Last year's model was just a little too wide and heavy for use as a regular phone when folded, but Google totally fixed that this year. I found myself using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in its folded configuration most of the time, barely even noticing I was holding a foldable. One ding against the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's design is the choice of colors. You just get Obsidian and Porcelain, or black and white, in other words. Boring! Like any foldable in this form factor, the Pixel 9 Pro XL has two displays. Here are the exact specs for each: Both of these displays top out at 2,700 nits of peak brightness, which is the same as the Pixel 9 and is remarkably nice for when you're outside in direct sunlight. I really don't have a bad word to say about either screen here. The internal Pixel 9 Pro Fold screen is absolutely massive, moving up from 7.6-inches to 8-inches, making it ideal for reading or watching things. Everything looks crisp, smooth, and colorful. It's just fantastic. The same goes for the external display. Honestly. I preferred reading articles on that to reading them on my regular iPhone. Google bumped the external display up from 5.8-inches to 6.3-inches, making it identical in screen size to the Pixel 9. This adds to the notion that you feel like you're using a regular flagship smartphone when the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is folded, rather than using a weird bulky thing that's a little uncomfortable whether folded or unfolded, as was the case with the original Pixel Fold. One of the better aspects of the Pixel Fold was its suite of useful and intuitive foldable UI features. Google didn't reinvent nor even really change the wheel here, as far as I can tell. When unfolded, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold still lets you swipe up from the bottom of the screen to pull up a customizable taskbar full of your most commonly used apps. You can tap an app to open it normal-style, or drag two apps up from the taskbar to have more than one open at once. The display is certainly large enough for multitasking, just as the Pixel Fold's was. Essentially, what worked well a year ago still holds up today. The only really unique new addition worth mentioning is "Made You Look," a frankly adorable feature that is one of the most useful applications of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's outer display in photography yet. The idea is that you unfold the phone, activate the rear camera, and pick from one of a few cute little animations to play on the outer screen. The subject of your photo (ideally, a small child) will look at the animation, at which point it will do something fun and make the kid smile while looking directly at the camera. I have to be honest: I don't have any kids, so testing this in the real-world is challenging. But I got hands-on with it at a Google event and it works as advertised on adults, so I imagine it might work on children, too. Unfortunately, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold suffers from the same AI nonsense as every other Pixel 9 phone. I wrote about this at length in my Pixel 9 review, so I don't want to repeat myself too much. I'll keep this brief: Google keeps leaning on generative AI features, largely having to do with photography, that I feel take the zest out of life. Having the ability to take a photo of a road and turn it into a river is cool, but it's not as cool as just taking a photo of a river. The same goes for using the new "Add Me" feature to create group photos that never happened; a fake will never count as much as the real thing. Rinse and repeat for things like using AI to write text messages or emails for you. The Pixel 9 family uses AI to do all of these things and more. Aside from a new Pixel Screenshots app that is a legitimately useful searchable database of all the screenshots you've ever snapped, these are all just party tricks with very little real-world use. Performance-wise, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is right in line with the other Pixel 9 phones, in that daily usage feels fine, but the metrics don't paint a super pretty picture. Compared to the other Pixel 9 phones, the Fold is looking great. Its 4,706 Geekbench multi-core score is the highest of the bunch, as one would expect and hope from the most expensive phone in Google's lineup this year. The only problem is that 2023's Samsung Galaxy S23, which isn't even the newest Samsung flagship, has a higher score at 4,977. I don't really know what to make of this, especially considering the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels great to use on a practical basis. I never noticed any slowdowns; apps loaded quickly. And the phone never got hot on me, which was a problem with the Pixel Fold. I trust my gut on this; I can confidently say the Pixel 9 Pro Fold performs just fine, but the numbers aren't particularly kind to it. On the surface, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's battery life doesn't look as good as its Pixel 9 brethren, but that's not actually the case. That's according to our testing, anyway, which involved looping a TikTok video on the internal display at 50 percent brightness until the battery died. This took 16 hours and six minutes, which is a couple hours short of where the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL landed using the same testing. My only hypothesis here is that the bigger internal display uses more battery life. Considering that this is a device with two displays and thus a lot more screen real estate to render at all times, I'd say 16 hours is actually really good. Another weird blip for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the camera array. Specs-wise, it's basically the same as last year: I think it's strange that the less expensive Pixel 9 Pro has, at least in terms of megapixel counts, a better camera array. That phone has a 50MP wide lens with 48MP ultra-wide and telephoto lenses. It's also capable of 30x zoom, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is only capable of 20x zoom. Both phones have access to all of the same camera algorithms and AI features, at least. Even if the specs aren't remarkable for the price, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold does produce some good shots. Having 20x zoom is better than having no zoom. The ultra-wide lens is real nice, too. After sunset, Night Sight is still able to produce quality low-light shots, though I didn't notice any particular improvements over last year. Night Sight works with Portrait Mode, too. I'm not a foldable guy at heart -- and I likely never will be. But if that changes, Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold is at the top of the podium -- for now. That's almost entirely because of how comfortable it is to hold. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is so light and thin that you almost forget it's a foldable. Combine that with bigger and better displays inside and out, and you get a device that looks and feels incredible to use. Sure, I don't love Google's suite of AI features, but they're easier to ignore on a phone that has a gigantic inner display that you can use for watching movies and reading books. I wish its storage and camera features were at least on par with the Pixel 9 Pro, but those couple of complaints aside, Google made a heck of a jump from year one to year two of its foldable experiment.

Pixel 9 Pro Fold review: A grown-up, glowed-up foldable

Google's camera and battery performance make up for minor shortfalls in software. Growing up. It's something we all do, and devices do too. While there's been very little innovation in mainstream smartphones lately, foldable phones have been maturing over the last few years and finally seem to be coming into their own. It's like they're in the young adult phase of their lives, while the conventional "candybar" handset has largely been figured out. At least, on the outside, anyway. If foldables are the products, then companies like Samsung and Google are the parents, and each of those two has taken a different approach. Samsung has been more experimental, letting its baby flail around in the playground, falling off swings and cracking its face. Google appears to have been more careful, perhaps sheltering its product before releasing it for the first time last year. And let's not talk about the elephant in (or missing from) the room -- Apple is probably waiting till its foldable is mature enough to skip straight to high school before exposing it to the world. All that is to say the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels like a glowed-up young adult, ready for reality. Though it would have been more apt to call this the Pixel Fold 2 (since it's only Google's second foldable), I can see why the company wants us to think of it as part of the 9-series. With the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the entire Pixel 9 lineup feels refined and well-equipped to take on the competition. And maybe even win our hearts. One of my favorite things about the Pixel foldable is its aspect ratio. Compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which my colleague Sam Rutherford has described as more like a skinny baton, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels more like a conventional phone when folded. In fact, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is so much an extension of the Pixel 9 series that its 6.3-inch external display is pretty much the same size as the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro. But because that panel is encased in a frame designed to house a hinge for the flexible internal screen, the Fold actually looks more similar in size to my iPhone 15 Pro Max. When I picked them both up, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold felt a bit heavier, but I guessed that it was probably close to the iPhone 14 Pro Max in weight. I was wrong -- the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is actually 17 grams heavier than the iPhone 14 Pro Max and 36 grams more than the 15 Pro Max. More importantly, at 257 grams (9.06 ounces), the Pixel foldable is 18 grams heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It may not be the lightest foldable around, but the Pixel 9 Pro Fold certainly ranks among the thinnest. When open, its profile measures just 5.1mm (0.2 inches) thick, while Samsung's Z Fold 6 is slightly thicker at 5.6mm. Numbers alone don't tell the entire story. Small dimensions look nice on paper, but the way the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels to hold is a significant part of its evolution. Last year's model felt a little unfinished, with a bit of a duct-tape vibe to its construction. This time, the device feels solid, thanks to its "aerospace-grade high-strength aluminum alloy" and "matte back with satin metal frame." The external screen and rear are covered with Gorilla Glass Victus 2, helping it be more scratch-resistant. Of course, as is usually the case with foldables, durability is a concern and something that we can only gauge with time. The good news is, Sam recently published a durability report after , and the device not only withstood the wear and tear of daily life, but also survived being in the general vicinity of an active toddler for 12 whole months. Some quick final notes on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's design: If you're right-handed, you might appreciate that the bottom right corner of the phone (when folded) is slightly curved. It rests nicely against your palm and is marginally more enjoyable than the experience for those who are left-handed, who might not like the sharper angle of the bottom left corner. I used the Fold in both hands and didn't find this a major issue, but our videographer Hayato Huseman did not like the design for left-handed use. I also have a minor complaint that the device is hard to open without first getting a fingernail in between the two halves, but I expect this will get easier in time. More annoying is the slight creak every time I open the phone, but this got smoother over time. On occasion, there's also a mildly concerning rattle when I shake the Fold, which is something my friend Julian Chokkattu at Wired brought to my attention, so it sounds like a problem that isn't unique to our unit. I've asked Google if this is an issue with just our review samples or if it's more widespread and according to the company "this is expected behavior that's due to the telephoto camera VCM. You will likely notice this on Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL as well." I will say that I hear a similar (though less pronounced) sound when I shake my iPhone 15 Pro Max the same way, so this could just be the optical image stabilization system moving about. Gather up, aspect ratio nerds, have we got an adventure in intricate numbers for you! Though last year's Pixel Fold had a 5.8-inch external display with an awkward 17.4:9 aspect ratio, this year's model is much more intuitive. It's the same 6.3-inch 20:9 screen as the standard Pixel 9, making it a more familiar size and shape. I'm a little bummed that it has the 1,080 x 2,424 resolution and 60-120Hz adaptive refresh rate of the base Pixel 9, as opposed to the sharper panel on the Pro (which goes down to 1Hz), but it's not a huge problem. Sam pointed out that there is the teeniest change in the Pixel Fold's internal screen. The original was just under 5.875 inches wide when held in landscape, and while the new Pixel Fold's interior display is the same size in the same orientation, in portrait mode it's actually 5.625 inches wide. This means the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's internal display has an almost square 1:1 aspect ratio that's 8 inches wide diagonally, which is larger than its predecessor's 7.6-inch panel. This doesn't dramatically improve things when you're viewing widescreen content, and Sam would even call it a "very tiny downgrade" in that scenario. The new screen dimensions will make more of a difference when you're gaming and multitasking than watching videos. The tweak appears to be more for compatibility, and I still had to live with empty space on either side of videos (in both portrait and landscape orientations) when I played YouTube clips in fullscreen mode. I should point out that the internal display does actually go down to 1Hz, but has a lower pixel density thanks to its 2,076 x 2,152 resolution. I wasn't ever blown away by either display, though, and merely found them perfunctory. They both go up to 2,700 nits of peak brightness, and are easy enough to read in sunlight, though the front screen can get up to 1,800 nits with HDR while the one inside only goes to 1,600 nits with HDR. Google's original foldable already had better cameras than Samsung's latest, offering a longer optical zoom, sharper pictures and superior low-light performance. So though it's slightly disappointing that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn't come with many hardware upgrades, what it does bring is still greater than the Z Fold 6. In fact, Sam says the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has the best cameras on any foldable you can buy in the US. Google has kept the main sensor at 48 megapixels and upgraded the ultra-wide camera to enable macro focus. You'll still find a 5x optical zoom on the telephoto camera, which is longer than the 3x option on Samsung's Z Fold 6. What's interesting is that with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google had to tweak its camera hardware to "fit our unique ultra thin architecture," which is a fairly impressive engineering feat. When it came down to actual pictures, the Pixel consistently outshot the Z Fold 6, with Sam going as far as to say it's "generally a tier level higher." Colors are brighter and more accurate, and the telephoto hardware makes a noticeable difference in zoomed-in shots. That's even before using Google's Zoom Enhance software, too. Given Samsung has been using the same sensor for the main camera for the last three years, that doesn't seem surprising, but it's certainly a shame that those who shelled out $1,900 for the Z Fold 6 are stuck with poorer specs here. It's strange too, considering Samsung's main sensor is a higher-res 50MP. It's worth noting that Google's primary hardware update also gave the Pixel 9 Pro Fold more of an edge, since being able to use its ultra-wide camera as a macro shooter made its close-up shots better than Samsung's. Plus, Google continues to lead in low-light photography, producing sharper, more vibrant and better exposed images than the Z Fold 6. In fact, software is where the Pixel cameras continue to shine. Google added new features like Add Me and Made You Look this year, with the latter being an exclusive to the Pro Fold. Makes sense, since that uses the internal and external screens. While you have the camera app open on the inside, tapping an icon above the shutter button lets you choose between dual screen, rear camera selfie or Made You Look. Selecting the last one brings up four options of different cartoon animations, and the respective character appears on the outside display. The chicken, or fish, or blob will dance around and make noises to get the attention of your subject. This is meant to work predominantly on children, though I imagine it'll also pique the curiosity of cats and dogs. I tried it out mostly on adults, and got a slew of pictures of my friends looking incredulously at the camera. Basically this works for people aged one and up! When you're ready to edit your pictures, you'll find the same suite of tools that are on the Pixel 9 Pro. That means things like Magic Editor, Reimagine and Autoframe are also available to spruce up your shots. I won't retread ground we already covered in that review, but like we mentioned before, these generative-AI features are somewhat effective but occasionally problematic. I like using it to create more bushes or greenery in the background so I can center my friends in a candid photo, but find it concerning that Reimagine could be used to , according to The Verge. If you can stay away from the problematic AI tools, though, it's heartening to see that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold can deliver photos that are as good as the ones I got from my iPhone 15 Pro Max. After all, you're paying $1,800, you should be getting flagship-level cameras. Neither Sam nor I have had more than a week with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, so it's a little too early to talk about longterm performance and daily use. In general, though, so far we've noticed the new Fold runs smoothly and coolly, just like the other Pixel 9 Pros. That's largely thanks to the Tensor G4 processor and built-in vapor chamber, and of course, maybe I just haven't had the Fold long enough but it never got too warm. I enjoyed watching YouTube with Threads open next to it on the internal screen, and the larger canvas also made Instagram pictures easier to scrutinize. I wish more apps were compatible with the bigger format, though, since my recent favorite games like Fruit Merge don't expand to the full width and instead sit in the middle, flanked by two bars of empty space. It's also strange that flexing the screen, which is supposed to automatically switch compatible apps into a half-and-half layout, only works in landscape mode. That means if you open YouTube, bend the Pixel 9 Pro Fold slightly and flip it so the rear camera is on the top left corner, you'll see videos take up the top half of the display. The bottom portion is where the title, description, comments and other videos sit. This layout is intuitive, and makes sense in the landscape orientation where the clip you're watching is propped up for easier viewing. I just wish there was an equivalent when you're holding the Fold in portrait mode that would make the comments take up the right half of the display instead of the awkward column it currently uses. Sam's experience with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 leads him to find Samsung's taskbar "a touch better for power users," since you can set it to always stick around no matter what app you're on. This makes it easier to launch apps in splitscreen or just jump between tasks. It's also worth noting that Google doesn't support stylus input, while Samsung does, and the latter's DeX multitasking software is handy for productivity. The Pixel Fold doesn't have such an interface where apps appear in floating windows, though I do like when compatible apps display extra columns or sidebars when they're on the bigger screen. Still, these are generally minor quibbles that feel easy enough to solve with software updates you might receive over time. If you're not a power user or itching to use a stylus with your foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a solid option over the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The Pixel 9 series has been delivering seriously good results on our video rundown battery test and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is no exception. When running on just the external display, the Fold clocked 27 hours and 9 minutes, which is basically the same as what the standard Pixel 9 got. When using just the interior screen, the Fold lasted 23 hours and 22 minutes, which is impressive for how much larger the panel is. Those numbers are about two to three hours better than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which notched 25 hours and 19 minutes when folded and 20:07 when open. The new Pixel Fold also beat its predecessor and the OnePlus Open, as neither of those even passed the 20-hour mark on our test. Although the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is only Google's second foldable device, it's already come a long way. It both looks and feels better than before, with a size and shape that is more similar to a standard phone when closed. When open, the device is easy to hold and provides a roomier canvas for light multitasking and gaming. Plus, compared to its main competition in the US, the Pixel Fold 2 (spiritually anyway) has a superior camera game and longer battery life. It's also $100 cheaper than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, though it's still pretty pricey at $1,800. Google's foldable line still has some quirks to work out, but that's all part of growing up. For a device that's only been around for two generations, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a solid foldable for anyone looking to dip their toe into flexible phones that can double as tablets.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold could be perfect if Google listens to me

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is undeniably an excellent smartphone, but I found a few frustrations, have some nagging questions, and maybe some suggestions for Google. This is the closest we've come to a true folding tablet. I say that because the foldable Super Acuta Display is, at 8 inches, the largest you can get in a foldable. The not-quite-square display is a good fit for most apps. It's a size that's only possible because of the 6.3-inch main display, which is as large as a standard flagship smartphone (see the Pixel 9 Acuta display for proof). It's an impossibly thin tablet (5.1mm) and a not-too-thick folded smartphone. The foldable phone has substantial power in the new Tensor G4 CPU, which runs games like PUBG without issue and handles editing four 4K video streams at once. It makes on-device Gemini AI-powered image generation a breeze (no people for now, though). I had a party, making it create an image of two pickles playing pickleball. It's the best foldable I've ever used in many ways, but I'm not ready to hand it the crown, at least not yet. It has this huge foldable screen, but it tops out at two apps. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 can run four. Okay, it's more practical to run three since the fourth just floats on top of your other three screens, but still, it significantly outstrips the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. A hidden 8-inch screen in the pocket cries out for at least some sketching. I've certainly done my share on the smaller Z Fold 6's 7.6-inch flexible display. Google, however, couldn't squeeze in a digitizing panel, so there's no digital stylus support. I can draw on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but it's with a dumb stylus, and since I can't rest my hand on the screen, my strokes are far from sure. The device can run hot. I did some gaming with Asphalt 9 Legends Unite and noticed how the back near the camera array immediately got warm. It seems to me that Tensor chips always run hot, perhaps so they can keep up with the Qualcomm Snapdragons of the world. According to Mobile Editor Phil Berne's fantastic Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review, the Tensor G4 is just a tick behind the Z Fold 6's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy; the differences are negligible regarding real-world performance. I guess I can live with a bit of heat to get the performance I want from a foldable, but I wonder if more or less comparable performance is possible without the heat. Generally, I like the camera selection on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It certainly outdoes Samsung when it comes to the main screen's drill-through camera. The Z Fold 6 has just a 4MP camera on the inside, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has 10MP. Google's foldable also has a better zoom, 5X versus 3X on the Z Fold 6. I took a lot of photos with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. They're good, and color- and clarity-wise, they are mostly on par with the Z Fold 6 and even the iPhone 15 Pro Max. I'm not sure, though, I appreciate all the offers to transform images with AI. Part of the problem is that I wonder if this trend of erasing what bothers us is good for photography in general. Google invented the Magic Erase feature, and it is being copied by everyone, including Apple. Depending on the size of the offending object or person, it works well. If you try to zap something too big, the AI struggles to fill the space naturally. Small objects and people way in the background are a breeze. But to what end? Is changing reality what we want from our photos? I always thought we were documenting something with our photography. Now it's less documentary and more painting. I used Zoom enhance quite a bit (it, like some of the other AI tools, is buried two levels deep in the photo Editing app under "tools). As promised, it can enlarge and enhance small details from most photos. At a glance, the results look good. Close examination reveals images that look very generated. I did a Zoom enhance with a photo of a lizard in my backyard, and when I looked closely, I saw that its head now had the same texture as the paving stone underneath it. I've seen a lot of this where the AI makes an educated guess about what it can't perfectly discern or create. I'm less of a fan of this than I thought I would be, and if I were to point to a truly useful photography update, it would be the revised Panorama. It offers better guidance than I've seen on anyone else's panorama feature, inserting pauses into the process and then stitching the whole thing together in a way that cuts down on image anomalies typically part of smartphone panorama output. Finally, there's the camera array. No, I'm not talking about the cameras, which are generally good. Instead, I'm bothered by the substantial metal island surrounding the cameras. Why so much excess metal, Google? Google sent a case that smooths out the big step to that raised island, but if you like your phone unadorned, you might be bothered by that massive bump. None of this makes me want this foldable any less. It's a thin and powerful multipurpose handset that's great for reading, photography, working on images, browsing the web, email, playing games, watching videos, or using it as a regular handset. Gemini in my pocket is fun, but I do not plan to live my life inside an AI, and I will probably use it as sparingly as I did Google Assistant before. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the best foldable Google has ever made. It's a mix of incredible design leaps, rich AI, some disappointments, and a few missing features. Google, though, is on the right path, and I can't wait to see what's next.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review: Huge makeover meets more AI

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate. Google's first stab at a foldable phone with the Pixel Fold wasn't quite a home run, but it at least gave consumers another option besides Samsung's foldables. With the Pixel Fold successor, however, there's a lot more pressure because the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold competes against break out devices like the OnePlus Open -- as well as the recently released Galaxy Z Fold 6. Using this opportunity to improve upon the shortcomings of last year's Pixel Fold, Google has given its newest notebook-style foldable phone a makeover, as well as a name change to better align with the other Pixel 9 phones in its lineup. Beyond the hardware improvements, Google's banking on new AI features to hopefully propel the Pixel 9 Pro Fold over its foldable rivals. In my Pixel 9 Pro Fold review, I'll tell you if all the new changes are enough to give this device that prestigious title of best foldable phone. Now that the novelty of foldables has dissipated, it's going to take the Pixel 9 Pro Fold a whole lot more than just flexing to convince people it's worth the money. Pixel 9 Pro Fold preorders are available right now and it will go on sale starting on September 4 in just two plain colors: Obsidian and Porcelain. I wish that Google offered at least a third color option, just to give people something else to consider even if there are several, brightly colored Pixel 9 Pro Fold cases available for this device. I also think it's a tough position with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's base starting price of $1,799 with 256GB of storage. While that's easier to swallow than the outrageous $1,899 cost of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, it's nowhere close to the OnePlus Open's lower cost of $1,699 -- which is made better with sales and trade-in offers that get the price down to as low as $1,399. It's also worth noting that the OnePlus Open comes with a whopping 512GB of storage with the base model, making it tougher to justify the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's value. Almost instantly the moment I first saw it, I thought to myself that this should've been the original design for the Pixel Fold. I'm struck by the improvements, specifically by the new aspect ratio, sturdier hinge design, subtle crease, and the smaller bezels around the main display. There's also the new camera arrangement on the back, which ditches the horizontal bar in favor of a rectangular cutout. Even more impressive is just the overall solid construction of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which was one of the criticisms I had about the original Pixel Fold. It didn't feel as polished, so I'm ecstatic that it feels much more substantial. It's also one of the skinniest and lightest foldables around at just 0.2-inches unfolded and 0.4-inches folded, while tipping the scales at a modest 9.1 ounces. Everything about the design of the Pixel Fold 9 Pro is fantastic, including its IPX8 rating, but it's still shy of matching the stylish looks and incredible construction of the OnePlus Open. Just when I thought we couldn't get any bigger screens in foldables, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold does exactly that by exceeding the screens found in rivals like the Z Fold 6 and OnePlus open with its 8-inch 2076 x 2152 Super Actua Display. The OLED-based panel looks stunning, crisp, and detailed -- like it should for its price. I much prefer its size this time around thanks mainly to how its outer 6.3-inch Actua Display sports a 20:9 aspect ratio, which makes the inner screen more square when it's unfolded. Due to this, apps fit better when they're running side-by-side on the inner screen. But what's most compelling about the new display is that it's leaps and bounds brighter than its predecessor. In our benchmark testing, the 8-inch Super Actua Display hits a peak brightness of 2,319 nits -- more than double the Pixel Fold's brightness, which is impressive. Sure, it doesn't quite reach Google's claim of 2,700, but it's close. As a result, I'm able to see the screen much more easily on a sunny day than any other notebook style foldable out there. Honestly, it's a visual treat to the eyes whenever I play a 4K HDR clip on YouTube because it's accompanied by rich colors and wide viewing angles. There's simply no other foldable with a brighter screen than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and for that I need to give Google credit here because it's very rare that our testing gets close to a phone maker's rating. For a foldable phone, Google doesn't skimp out on the cameras with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. On paper, the specs seem all too familiar -- a 48MP main camera, 10.5MP ultrawide, 10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and a 10MP selfie shooter. However, there are some minor differences related to their apertures and field of views that benefit the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. In addition to a robust camera system, I really enjoy the Pixel camera app because of the shooting modes it offers. New this year is the introduction of the Made You Look feature, which displays these animated cartoons on the cover screen to attract the attention of kids and keep them looking at the camera long enough to get a decent shot. I tried it on my young nieces and nephew with great effect. Other camera features new this year include a revamped panorama mode (that also works with Night Sight) and the Add Me feature that uses augmented reality and AI that allows the photographer taking the photo to be part of the photo later on. I've tested this as well and the guidance it tells me with the help of AR ensures the photo's framed perfectly. For your everyday shots taken in the daytime, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's main camera gets the job done -- although I don't see a big improvement from the Pixel Fold. The photo above illustrates this as the dynamic range performance looks identical with the shadowed parts of the DSW building, the bright sky, and the textures of the brickwork around the store. Unless I pixel peep, the only improvement I see is how there's less noise in the shadows with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The 10.5MP ultrawide camera offers a wider 127-degree field of view (versus the 121-degrees of the Pixel Fold), so it's able to capture more of the scene -- making it better for group photos. Not only do you see more of my backyard in the shot above, but the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's ultrawide brightens up the shot better to expose the details in the tree's branches. Another win for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is how much more suitable it is for capturing selfies with its 10MP front-facing camera. Not only is the quality vastly better than the inner screen selfie camera, but it's slightly wider with an 87-degree field of view. That's the only meaningful upgrade because it captures the same amount of detail around my face and in the shirt I'm wearing in the selfie above. I'm still on the fence about how Google changes the way panoramas are shot with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but I can't complain too much because the end result is much better than the Pixel Fold. That's because not only does it capture more details of the tree in my backyard in the photos above, but it also evens out the exposure throughout the scene -- whereas the Pixel Fold looks too overexposed. In the zoom department, I hardly notice anything different at 5x zoom, but there's clearly something going on at 20x zoom. Whatever new image processing algorithms it's using, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold sharpens the image, whereas the Pixel Fold has some softer qualities about the sign above. Low light doesn't see any major gains for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which is a shame because this is the way newer phones manage to convince people they have better cameras. It suffers from the same distorted colors I see with the Pixel Fold under pitch black conditions, which you can see from the shot of my backyard. The tree in the middle is still smeary, but not as smeary. This is the one area where Google could've taken the lead on, especially coming after the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Compared to the OnePlus Open, it's nearly a deadlock with most of the photos I've taken -- but a slightly better performance in the zoom department. But I'm disappointed that there aren't bigger gains overall, which means that existing Pixel Fold owners shouldn't drop the foldable for this one if cameras are important to them. Video recording tops out at 4K 60 fps, the same as before. Unlike the other Pixel 9 Pro devices, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn't make the leap to 8K recording. Despite that, I can clearly make out how it captures sharper details than the Pixel Fold with the sand in the foreground of the video above, as well as how it stabilizes the footage to reduce shakes while I'm panning. Last year's Pixel Fold was in a predicament because it launched before the Pixel 8 lineup, which kept it stuck with an older Tensor G2 processor. This time, though, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is powered by the newer Tensor G4 chip and paired with 16GB of RAM. Not surprisingly, these two upgrades give it a marked improvement in just about every synthetic benchmark test we threw at it. Both its single and multicore scores in Geekbench 6 are substantially better at 1,956 and 4,813 respectively. It finished way ahead against the Pixel Fold, but the Tensor G4's still way behind the scores put up by the Z Fold 6's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. But I think most people wouldn't realize that with all the superficial stuff, like navigating around the interface and juggling a few apps at once -- since it still delivers the same instant responses and fluid actions that I love seeing in high-end phones. When it comes to graphics processing, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's still nowhere as smooth as the Galaxy Z Fold 6 with 3DMark's Wild Life Unlimited test. The 55.72 fps rate it averages in the test pales in comparison to the smoother 112 fps rate of the Z Fold 6, while also coming up short to the OnePlus Open's average of 84.8 fps. Luckily for me and the games I play religiously, I don't see any major hitches to the gameplay in Age of Origins -- even when there's intense action happening on screen. Google's silicon has yet to eclipse what Qualcomm and Apple has shown us, but I'm not bummed by this because quite frankly, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels and performs like a champ with the things I do on the daily. Side-by-side apps multitasking is no problem here as I'm able to effortlessly watch a YouTube clip while scrolling through Instagram, or jotting down an email reply in Gmail while playing Age of Origins on the other. Usually whenever a phone ends up getting a smaller battery than its predecessor, it's because of it trying to be thinner and lighter. Of course that's the case here with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's 4,650 mAh battery, which is smaller than the 4,822 mAh battery of the Pixel Fold. Lucky for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the Tensor G4 appears to be much more power efficient. In our battery benchmark tests, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold manages to last 11 hours and 36 minutes in one pass of our test -- which is more than an hour longer than what the Pixel Fold eked out. There's no denying that it's a win for Google here, but I was hoping for a longer lasting time because of how the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL both achieved significantly longer times than their predecessors. But to be fair, it actually lasts longer than the time posted by the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and just a smidge short of the OnePlus Open's time. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold features 21W wired charging through its USB-C port and in our testing yields 18% of battery with 15 minutes of charging, which then reaches 38% in 30 minutes. That's actually short of the Pixel Fold's reach of 23% and 47% with 15 and 30 minutes of charging respectively. Apart from its foldable nature, there's actually not a whole lot separating the software between the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the other Pixel 9 devices. That's a good thing because it shares the same set of new Pixel 9 Pro AI features that work really well and are intuitive to use. I won't rehash them all here because I detailed all the AI features in my Pixel 9 Pro XL review -- like how Add Me is helpful in capturing photos to include the photographer into the photo, Gemini Live's more natural conversation skills, and the magical powers of Reimagine. These AI features truly set it apart from other foldables, mainly because they're simple and intuitive to use. There's also more focus around generative AI and how it changes up the way I edit photos. For example, Pixel Studio lets me create custom images all through descriptions I provide in a text prompt. There's also the Reimagine feature that's part of Magic Editor, which realistically adds new elements to my photos by simply describing what I want. And finally, I love how the Call Notes makes it a breeze for me to remember what went on with phone calls because it transcribes and summarizes them for me. Quite frankly, the AI features are what makes the Pixel 9 Pro Fold special among foldable phones. However, I'm curious if Google will ultimately roll out these new AI features to the Pixel Fold. Samsung did exactly this a few short months after the launch of its Galaxy S24 phones by brining its Galaxy AI features to the Galaxy S23. What I'm actually surprised most about is by how little Google has done to improve the experience for being a foldable phone. On one hand, there's still side-by-side apps multitasking that works nicely -- including the ability to perform drop and drag actions, like attaching a photo from Google Photos to an email I'm writing in Gmail. There are still anomalies with certain apps, especially when I start an app with the outer screen and then decide to use them with the inner screen -- like how some games still need to be refreshed in order to work properly -- but this isn't just a Pixel 9 Pro Fold problem. There's also no movement to how it multitasks with its main display, which is still done by bringing up the taskbar by swiping from the bottom edge of the screen. Even though it's helpful to have side-by-side apps, I wish it copied the Open Canvas feature that the OnePlus Open offers to dynamically arrange up to 3 apps simultaneously. Sure, not everyone will need to juggle three apps, but it's handy for those situations. My problem with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is that it's unable to store multiple side-by-side apps in memory, which limits its productivity. Furthermore, there's also not much movement in leveraging tent mode to optimize apps when it's folded halfway. Some of the native apps work in this mode, like YouTube and the camera app, but I've yet to come across any third party app that's optimized for it. Again, it's not just a Pixel 9 Pro Fold problem -- it's an Android thing. Apart from that, the software doesn't differ all that much from the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro Fold. This includes a year's worth of Gemini Live, the updated Video Boost Mode, Pro Controls with the camera, and even all the same AI features. The only exclusive feature is the Made You Look feature. It's also launching with Android 14 instead of Android 15, but still gets the same 7 years of major software and security updates. Seriously, this is exactly what the original Google Fold should've been from the start because the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is much more polished in every way. Its new redesign makes it look and feel like a more modern foldable, but I was expecting so much more to justify its $1,799 cost. All of the new AI features certainly elevate its worth, but it would've been much more satisfying to see it getting more exclusive features -- just to give it a bit of distinction over the slate Pixel 9 Pro models. I'm also disappointed that the camera upgrades are minimal at best and how the overall software experience doesn't change all that much functionally. Google addresses many of the shortcomings of the original, but the bar has been set higher by other foldables like the OnePlus Open and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. Needless to say, it's much better than its predecessor, but still comes up short of matching the value that its contemporaries offer.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review in Progress

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold brings a lot of updates and improvements over last year’s model, but it still has some work to do. I’ve said it several times before. I like big phones, and I can not lie. I’ve been on the big phone bandwagon since the first Samsung Galaxy Note launched way back in 2011. Hell, I was even on board with Lenovo and Google’s AR monstrosity, the Phab2 Pro. So you’d think I would have embraced foldables with open arms. But something is holding me back, a few somethings actually. There’s the exorbitant $1,800 (to start) price tag. That’s a lot of money to ask for any phone. For that kind of money, it needs to be the most powerful smartphone, foldable or otherwise, and with its Tensor G4 processor, it’s simply not. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold can hold its own, but man, Apple, and Qualcomm continue to produce stronger chipsets. Performance aside, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has so much going for its gorgeous displays, some of the best AI features currently available, and some great cameras. I’m just annoyed Google didn’t go as far with the camera upgrades as it did with other Pixels in the line. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn’t the foldable for me, but there’s a good chance it’s the one for you. Editor’s Note: Stay tuned to this review. We’re currently running the battery test and a few more performance tests. Once we have the results, we’ll update this review with a full score. View at Best Buy I love ostentatious tech. And when it comes to smartphones right now, there’s almost nothing more ostentatious than unfurling your device. Because you don’t open the Pro Fold, you don’t unfold it; you unfurl it. And when you do, you’re met by a flexible, ultra-thin glossy piece of glass for the display. Like its predecessor, there’s a slight crease in the middle of the panel, demarcating where the hinge meets. It’s a little jarring at first, but crease-blindness quickly sets in. The phone’s frame is made of aluminum, while the hinge is of “multi-alloy steel with an Aerospace-grade, high-strength aluminum alloy" cover. The exterior display has a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover. The rear panel is also Gorilla Glass; however, it’s matte instead of glossy. The rear-mounted camera sensors jut out in a rectangular module with rounded corners. The only other thing on the back is the shiny G, designating this as a Google device. Regarding buttons and ports, you have the power and volume buttons on the right and the USB-C port and nano SIM slot at the bottom. Unlike the other phones in this lineup, the Pro Fold is devoid of fun colors as it’s only available in Obsidian and Porcelain. This is a major problem I have with a lot of OEMs. Does the fact that I’m paying damn near $2,000 for a smartphone mean that I suddenly don’t like color? Does premium automatically mean that the color must be business casual? Yes, it’s a stately and elegant device, but I demand a Rose Quartz foldable! Moving on, the Pro Fold has a durability rating of IP8 for water resistance. As with most foldables, the Pro Fold lacks a dust ingress rating due to the hinge. Speaking of the hinge, it runs the length of the phone’s seam and protrudes ever so slightly. Due to its glossy finish, it’s an absolute fingerprint magnet. While I appreciate the hinge’s sturdiness, letting the device open and close with a soft snap, I wish there was a divot somewhere along the sides to make the device easier to open. As it stands, I almost need two handsâ€"one to hold it in place and the other to open it. Sure, I can jam my thumb in between and force it open one-handed, but by the time I’m finished, the screen will have unsightly smudges. At 9.1 ounces, the 6.1 x 5.9 x 0.2 inches unfolded, the Pro Fold maintains Google’s claim to be the thinnest foldable in the land. It’s lighter and slimmer than last year’s model (9.9 ounces, 5.5 x 6.25 x 0.23 inches). When compared to its contemporaries, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (8.4 ounces, 6 x 5.2 x 0.22 inches unfolded) and the OnePlus Open (8.4 ounces, 6.04 x 5.63 x 0.23 inches unfolded), the Pro Fold still has a chonk factor. What’s better than one screen? Three. I’m never going to turn down a bigger screen; that’s part of the reason I fell in love with phablets in the first place. The 8-inch, 2076 x 2152 OLED Super Actua display has a lot to like. It’s slightly bigger than last year’s model (7.8 inches) and has an adaptive refresh rate, or as Google calls it, Smooth Display. Depending on the activity, the phone will adjust the refresh rate to between 1-120Hz because you don’t need 120Hz when you’re just reading an article or comic. To the naked eye, the panel is an explosion of color. I watched a 4K Dolby Demo video, and it was stunning. From iridescent blue peacock feathers to crisp winter whites and deep emerald greens, the screen was a joy to look at. My only gripes are the bezels, which are a bit too thick for my tastes, and the letterboxing when watching a video or looking at pictures. Of course, you can expand whatever you’re looking at, but you’d often lose big parts of the picture. Gaming, however, is another story. No matter what I played, whether it was Honkai: Star Rail or Diablo Immortal, the game took up the entirety of the screen. While I expected Star Rail to be bright and beautiful with plenty of neon-hued effects, I was really impressed with how well the phone dealt with Diablo Immortal’s dark atmosphere. Although the atmosphere was gloomy, I could see every disgusting crevice of a monster as it unhinged its bloody maw to spew brackish material my way. It was a grisly, beautiful sight. I used the phone to read a few comics and the early a few chapters of "Children of Virtue and Vengeance." I also read through some of my favorite news sites and watched more than a few game theory videos. Multitasking was a blast with two big screens to work on instead of the half screen I’m relegated to with my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Speaking of which, as nice as the Pro Fold’s massive screen, it’s missing something â€" a pen. As a huge S-Pen user, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is begging for a stylus. All I wanted to do was to launch one of my coloring book apps and let loose. And while I could use my finger, this type of activity would be better served with a stylus with 4,092 levels of pressure sensitivity. It seems only natural as foldables tend to target heavy productivity uses. But enough about the massive interior screen. There’s a gorgeous screen on the front of the Pro Fold that’s begging for some attention. At 6.3 inches, the front Actua display is only slightly less massive than its interior counterpart. But that doesn’t mean it’s less pretty with its 1080 x 2424 OLED panel and 20:9 aspect ratio. And just like the larger interior screen, the front screen is plenty bright. Google claims all three displays support up to a maximum of 1,800 nits for HDR content with a peak brightness of 2,700 nits for everything else. View at Best Buy Walking around the neighborhood, the front display was my main driver. And what I can say is that it worked just like a regular phone touchscreen because, well, it is a regular screen. Sure, it has some fancy features it can employ, including Made You Look, a camera feature that summons an interactive picture designed to make a grumpy kid or adult break out into a smile for that perfect shot. Next up you have Dual Screen Preview and Rear Cam Selfie. The former allows the subjects of your next shot to see how they look before you snap the shot, while the latter will enable you to use the rear-facing camera for a higher-res selfie. It can also be used during Google Meet Calls. And finally, there’s a dual screen Live Translation mode so both parties can have an unstilted conversation. I’ve always been a faithful Android owner; before that, I was all about Palm. Needless to say, I’m pretty well versed in Android and all its ins and outs. And then came the Pro Fold with its iPhone-esque gesture controls instead of my beloved home, recent, and back buttons. For a few minutes, up was down, left was right, and I was straight-up discombobulated. But even this old dog can learn some new tricks. It only took a moment to acclimate myself to the new world order. Soon, I was swiping up to dismiss apps to the best of my abilities. And as seamless as the gesture controls are, I was relieved to see my good old buttons hiding out in the Display settings menu. What I didn’t see, and won’t until October, is Android 15. Although this is a new Pixel phone, I can access the beta version of the operating system. For this review, I am stuck with Android 14. Since it’s a Google Phone, the company has promised seven years of OS and security updates. That’s much longer than OnePlus, which only gives the Open, the company’s foldable, which only gets four years of Android updates and five years of security updates. AI this, AI that. Google has one of the more robust offerings out of all the current phones pushing AI. Yes, there are photo-editing apps aplenty, but what Google’s doing with Magic Editor is wild. We’ll start tame with Auto Frame which uses generative AI to reframe your shot. Have you ever thought you took the perfect shot, only to discover you were zoomed too far? If you have any new Pixels, you can use Zoom Enhance to bring those far-away details with up to 15x zoom. But the star of the show has to be Reimagine. Using one of your photos, Generative AI, and a couple of well-thought-out words, Reimagine can swap out the background to just about whatever you want. And for the folks that are always taking the picture but never in it, try the Add Me feature, which lets you take the picture, switch places with someone in the original pic, and have them snap another pic with you in it. From there, Add Me stitches the two images into one group shot. I used Pixel Studio to create some prospective logos for an upcoming project and was impressed by the results. They’ll be a good reference point for a graphic designer. Google is also using Pixels to continue making the case for Gemini Advanced. Although free, Google plans to charge $20/month to access its AI. So, what will $240/year get you? A chattier digital assistant. After you pick your preferred voice, you can gab it up with Gemini in real time. Gemini can help you organize screenshots and calls by recording and summarizing them via the Pixel Screenshots and Call Notes features. And while that’s all well and good, there’s the issue of privacy. For Gemini to work its magic. You have to consent to Google keeping a record of your calls, screenshots, and other user-generated content. It’s going to be something to consider in the coming months. Another of my ongoing issues with foldable phones is that OEMs aren’t differentiating us from their higher-tier devices. It’s even worse with Google, as even the entry-level Pixel 9 has the same processor as the Pro XL and the Pro Fold. I mean, come on, guys, work with me here. For a $1,800 phone, give me the most powerful chipset you can and at least adjust the clock speed, especially since the processor has to support three screensâ€"Le sigh. Still, the foldable endured my abuse and emerged relatively unscathed. I launched nearly every app on the phone and opened 30 tabs on Google Chrome, and I didn’t notice any real slowdown. I played about an hour of Honkai: Star Rail, and while I didn’t get any stutter, the phone’s rear panel only took 10 minutes to heat up. The Pixel line has made a name for itself in the smartphone camera arena. So much so the company felt comfortable keeping the 48-megapixel main camera (Æ'/1.7 aperture) and 10.8MP 5x telephoto (Æ'/3.1 aperture) rear cameras. However, the ultrawide camera got a bump to 10.5MP (Æ'/2.2 aperture) from last year’s 10.8MP sensor. It’s nice, but it's kind of a letdown seeing that Google outfitted the other Pixel 9s with 48MP ultrawide cameras. On another note, the front and interior cameras were upgraded from 8MP to 10MP. For my photo testing with the Pro Fold, I walked around my neighborhood, catching some of the artwork. The Pro Fold takes great pics without using Google’s prodigious editing tools. The Pro Fold's images looked more natural than those of other cameras, such as the iPhone 15 Pro Max. They didn’t have that lurid glow from an oversaturated HDR shot. I took a few close-up shots of my puppies napping on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Once you get over their sheer cuteness, you’ll notice the finer details, such as their whiskers and individual brindle patterns. In an awake shot of Natasha, you can see her light gray eyes. I used the wide and ultrawide cameras to capture some street art around the neighborhood; as expected, the ultrawide captured more scenery than a regular wide shot. However, no matter the lens, I got rich color and crisp details. In one of my favorite shots, you can see the jagged edges of the peeling paint. In a shot of a door with designs sculpted around the arch, you can see pockmarks and small fissures throughout the structure. You can see plenty of detail in most of my plant life shots, such as leaf veins and spines. Although I would have loved a more powerful telephoto sensor, the Pro Fold can snap pretty good shots in the right condition. The shot of the train passing by was taken two city blocks away. Once the train passed, I took another few shots of the artwork on the side of the building and was impressed with the level of detail the camera captured. The camera didn’t do as well from farther distances or at night, as my shot of the Manhattan skyline was blurry in places. The individual building lights looked like shiny blobs. I captured three selfies: one with the rear camera, one with the external front shooter, and one with the interior camera. The rear selfie shot was the best, as my skin and hoodie looked the best. You can even see one of the rubber bands holding one of my locs in a twist sticking out. Google’s promising all-day battery life from the Pro Fold and its 4,650mAh battery (we’ll see about that). It’s worth noting that the other Pixels in this generation have larger batteries. The Pro XL has a 5,060mAh battery, while the Pro and Pixel 9 have 4,700mAh. While I’m currently running the battery test, what I can tell you is that I got about 10 hours out of the phone before I had to put it on the charger. However, keep in mind that I was pushing the phone on some heavy-duty tasks, including taking a lot of photos and videos and gaming for over an hour. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a great foldable that improves and builds on the foundation set by its predecessor. It’s thinner and lighter, but it’s still one of the heaviest foldables on the market. The AI features for photo and video editing are impressive, as are the ones designed for productivity and organization. I’m unsure if people will pay $20/month for the pleasure. Each of the displays is vibrant and dazzlingly bright. And although the Tensor G4 processor can’t hang with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it can still handle your work and play load. Just be mindful of that rear panel's potential to get noticeably warm. As usual, the cameras are one of the best things about the Pixel device. I wish we could have gotten a more substantial upgrade on the telephoto camera. And as a selfish want, foldable makers need to start seriously thinking about adding pens to the mix. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a great choice for anyone looking for a great camera, compelling AI, and multiple beautiful screens capable of so much multitasking. But I’m not ready to make the $1,800 investment. Maybe next year.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review: a much more fitting foldable | Stuff

Beaten by the competition in several key areasMultitsking feels restrictive compared to rivalsStill eye-wateringly expensive Don't call Google's second stab at a foldable smartphone the Pixel Fold 2. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is such an overhaul from that shaky start it has earned a new name, along with styling more in keeping with the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup. It's much more than a prettier face, though: a new form factor, the latest-gen Tensor chipset and extensive Gemini AI upgrades all make the cut. Landing at the same $1799/£1749 as its predecessor, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn't break new ground for affordability. A largely unchanged set of rear cameras and modestly sized battery mean it's not a total transformation, either. But in a year where Samsung's best effort saw the most minor of refreshes, will directly addressing the Pixel Fold's shortcomings be enough to dominate a still-emerging class that has few Western rivals? Given the name change, it's no surprise Google styled its second foldable to be more in keeping with the rest of the Pixel 9 range - but the changes are so dramatic it's hard to see any relation to the original Pixel Fold. The device-spanning camera bar at the rear has been swapped for a squircular bump off to one side; straight lines and right angles have been ditched in favour of curves and corners wherever possible; the OG Fold's odd aspect ratio cover screen is out in favour of a more mainstream 21:9 panel that's considerably taller. A fingerprint resistant matte rear panel, a polished hinge made from stainless steel and aluminium, and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection complete the transformation. Crucially the Pro Fold can finally do things other foldables took for granted a few generations back, like actually open fully flat. The hinge stays open at pretty much any angle, and while there's still a noticeable crease on the inner screen, its bezels are no longer bafflingly chunky. In my view it's up there with the OnePlus Open for good looking foldables. It helps that dimensions have been slimmed down dramatically, to 5.1mm when open and 10.5mm folded. That's slimmer than a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, though still beaten by the astonishingly slim Honor Magic V3. At 257g it feels substantial in the hand, but is less top-heavy than the OnePlus Open and its giant camera module. I had no complaints using it one-handed while folded - something that can't be said about the overly skinny Galaxy Z Fold series. Google hasn't been too adventurous on colour, with just Obsidian (black) and Porcelain (white) versions available at launch. If you want something more eye-catching, check out the non-folding Pixel 9 Pro's Hazel and Rose Quartz varieties. An IPX8 rating is about as good as it gets for a foldable, meaning it'll likely survive an accidental submersion - though with no rating against dust I'd still try to avoid giving it a dunking if possible. Google doesn't include any kind of case in the box, or pre-fit a screen protector to the outer display. I wish that the side-mounted fingerprint scanner/power button stood out a little more from the volume keys; they're very similar in size and I was constantly pressing one when I meant to use the other. On the plus side the scanner was quick and accurate. You can opt for facial recognition if you prefer, with both the outer and inner selfie cams being secure enough to unlock your banking apps as well as the Android lockscreen. Things are all change on the display front from the first-gen Pixel Fold. You get a 6.3in, 21:9 aspect ratio outer screen with a decently sharp 2424×1080 resolution OLED, which makes do with a 60-120Hz switching refresh rate. Inside the 8in, 2152×2076 flexible OLED gets LTPO tech for 1-120Hz dynamic refresh. The bezels are much slimmer here than they were on Google's original foldable; so much so the inner selfie cam is now a punch-hole effort. It's in the far corner, though, so I never found it distracting when playing games or watching videos. A big thumbs up to Google for getting the edges of the mandatory screen protector to sit completely under the bezel, too. It's basically invisible, without even a cutout for the selfie camera, so there can be no temptation to peel it off (something that'd invalidate your warranty on any foldable phone). Brightness has taken a big leap up, too. Both screens are now rated for 2700 nits peak, which is a whopping 80% more than the Pixel Fold could achieve. It makes all the difference when outdoors. I sometimes struggled to see the first Fold's inner display in direct sunshine, especially with the glossy screen protector highlighting light reflections, but the extra lumens meant I could watch even darker video content pretty easily. Colours, contrast and black levels are up there with the best OLED phones, so images and videos have plenty of pop. Colour temperature and accuracy are on point, too - which is handy, seeing as Google doesn't give you much in the way of calibration options. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's speakers get decently loud, and are clear when you crank the volume. The stereo split works well for videos, but you'll still want headphones for any critical listening. Google usually delivers the goods on the photography front, though it has software smarts to thank rather than cutting-edge hardware. That's the case here, as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold keeps the same 48MP, f/1.7 main camera and 10.8MP, f/3.1 telephoto as the original Pixel Fold. Both get laser autofocus and optical image stabilisation, while the latter is good for 5x optical zoom - more than the 3x seen on close rivals like the OnePlus Open. The ultrawide camera is new; it's now a 10.5MP unit with macro focus for close-up shooting. Both selfie shooters have also been upgraded to 10MP, f/2.2 units. These pixel counts were fine for the original Pixel Fold, where its closest competition had similar sensors, but rivals have majorly stepped up their game lately. I'm not just talking China-only brands with no Western presence, either; OnePlus and Honor are both snapping at Google's heels. The Pixel claws things back with a much improved panorama mode, a fun "Made you Look" setting that puts animated characters on the outer display to keep kids focused on the camera, and the "Add Me" mode for getting the photographer into group shots. You take one snap, hand the phone over to someone that was in the photo, and they line up the lens while you get into position. The phone then stitches the two shots together. Your entire group has to stay still like it's the 18th century, though, so isn't all that great for spur-of-the-moment snaps. AI image editing is also a bigger deal than ever, with Magic Editor now able to expand tightly-cropped shots rather convincingly, and adjust backgrounds entirely from text prompts. If you like playing with your pics after pressing the shutter button, there's plenty to enjoy here. During the day the lead lens captures convincing, detailed images with excellent dynamic range, accurate exposure and colour temperature, and subtle amounts of sharpening. Everything I expect from a Pixel phone, basically. The sensor is physically smaller than the one in the Pixel 9 Pro, but there's not an awful lot in it. I think the Vivo X Fold3 Pro still sets the bar for clarity in a foldable, but Google's colour treatment is a lot more neutral than Vivo's boosted hues. Neither can match the greatest non-folding phones, though. The 5x telephoto lets you get usefully closer to your subjects, with consistently clean images that are a close (though not perfect) match for the lead lens on colour and exposure. The Google phone has roughly the same number of pixels to play with as the Z Fold6, but Samsung's effort can also only reach a similar magnification with digital zoom. A Vivo X Fold3 Pro also sticks with 3x optical zoom, but can crop its 48MP sensor for similarly impactful shots. Google doesn't overdo it on digital zoom, with Super Res delivering 20x magnification. During the day it can do a decent job at capturing details without turning your shots into oil paintings, though it's less useful at night. Low light shots in general are best from the main camera, its wider aperture and higher pixel count doing more than Night mode algorithms can to keep noise at bay while also preserving details. Colours are accurate, even with strong artificial lighting in the shot, and dynamic range is impressive. The ultrawide comes undone soonest, as it doesn't have OIS to extend its shutter speed. The telephoto is further ahead, though isn't immune from noise. I liked how consistent the ultrawide camera was next to the other two lenses, and it captures a decent amount of detail. If you take a lot of wide-angle snaps you'll appreciate it, and if not you'll still benefit when shooting close-ups. As long as you don't block out the light, it captures subjects pretty well. Overall the Pixel 9 Pro Fold puts in a great showing - and not just "for a foldable", though those who take their photography seriously will need to think hard as to whether they need a foldable, or would be better served by a non-folding flagship with superior sensors. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold launches with a foldable-friendly version of Google's stripped-back Pixel launcher, which is considerably less stripped-back than previous versions. It has more preinstalled apps than ever, though thankfully they're ones that are actually worth bothering with. Pixel Studio is about as user-friendly as generative image editors get, letting you create pictures from simple text prompts rather than forcing you to pick from pre-made phrases and graphical styles. The actual generation is done in the cloud, though, so isn't exactly putting the new Tensor G4 silicon to task. It won't make pics with people in them, so avoids a lot of the ethical pitfalls of other image generators. If you take a lot of screen grabs you'll love the new Pixel Screenshots app, which puts them all in one place and makes them searchable. Gemini recognises text (it's really accurate) and can sets reminders for specific events. The Pixel Weather app uses Gemini to create simple forecast summaries - think "pleasant afternoon with moderate temperatures and clean air" - which are a whole lot easier to digest than a bunch of graphs and charts. Google has dispensed with those too, in favour of at-a-glance widgets you can drag around the app's homescreen. I found myself using it a lot more than other weather apps, purely because everything was so easy to understand. At the Pixel 9's launch event Google made the biggest song and dance about Gemini Live, a more natural and free-flowing way to chat to your phone's AI assistant. It's basically a phone call you can pause at any point, with a summary automatically generated at the end. I never felt like I was talking to an actual person, but it definitely feels more intuitive than Alexa or Siri ever has. It's a real shame that it doesn't support many other Google apps at launch, so you can't get it to make calendar appointments, and you'll have to pay a hefty $20/£19 a month for a Google One premium subscription to keep using it after the twelve month trial free with each Pixel purchase expires. Right now I wouldn't be so quick to reach for the credit card, but that might change between now and August 2025. I'm also disappointed Google hasn't made much effort to step up its multitasking game in light of what foldable rivals are doing. You can only have two apps open side-by-side here, with no floating window option. Hold the phone in portrait and it has to be a vertical split; turn it landscape and a horizontal split is your only option. You can adjust the split to favour one app more than the other, but that's your lot. The OnePlus Open's canvas mode is still majorly ahead of the game, and Samsung is comfortably in second place. Not launching with Android 15 isn't a big deal, seeing as Google has committed to a healthy seven years of software support. It'll be among the first in line for the new version once it's made available, and won't have to worry about being left behind while the non-folding Pixels surge ahead on software, as was the case with the original Pixel Fold. With a Tensor G4 chipset and 16GB of RAM, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is on par with its non-folding Pro siblings for performance muscle. It's a considerable jump from the first Pixel Fold, which used Tensor G2 silicon; you really feel it when opening apps and loading games. YouTube Music and Twitch open a full second faster on the newer hardware. Benchmark apps will tell you Snapdragon-powered foldables have the edge on power (if they'll run - Google locks a lot of them down pre-launch), but this is still comfortably in flagship territory. It felt brilliantly responsive for the sorts of jobs I use my phone for every day, even with two apps open side-by-side. The large memory pool ensured they rarely, if ever needed to reload when I was toggling between lots of apps in quick succession. This isn't the greatest gaming phone, as the Tensor chip just isn't as optimised for GPU-heavy jobs as a Snapdragon processor. I was able to play Diablo Immortal without noticing any performance dips, but it refused to let me use the highest graphics settings - or use the 60fps frame cap. The Android version of Alien Isolation crashed on launch. Call of Duty Mobile had no issues and happily let me crank its settings to maximum, at which point it ran flawlessly. Storage starts at 256GB, which is a little better than the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL's miserly 128GB. It puts the Pixel 9 Pro Fold on par with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, but both are left in the shade by the OnePlus Open Apex edition and its 1TB capacity. It doesn't help that the OnePlus costs less to boot. I had my fingers crossed the Pixel 9 generation would be first out the gate with Qi2 magnetic charging on Android, but it wasn't to be. The Pro Fold has regular wireless charging instead. You can't actually use it with Google's own Pixel Stand charger, though; apparently the charging coil is placed too low. Whoops. Wired top-ups max out at 21W, which is less than a third of what the OnePlus Open can manage. How does it fare away from the mains, though? Significantly better than the original Pixel Fold ever did. The 4650mAh battery capacity might be smaller, but the more efficient silicon meant I could go an entire day on a 5G connection without dipping into the red before I got home at midnight. Admittedly I did switch on Battery Saver by mid-afternoon, purely because my train tickets were digital and I couldn't get home if the phone ran dry, but I needn't have worried. The next day on Wi-Fi I saw similar stamina, even with 30 minutes of gaming and a few hours of video streaming. This compares favourably with the Galaxy Z Fold6 and bests the OnePlus Open by a small margin. The Vivo X Fold3 Pro and its bigger battery still have the lead for longevity, though. The first Pixel fold wasn't quite a "let's pretend it never existed" failure, but it felt rushed in ways I just didn't expect from Google. This new, renamed successor is the course correction I was hoping for. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a giant leap forward on the hardware front, with design, dimensions and displays to challenge the class leaders. Photography is really rather good, performance is consistently high, and the battery does genuinely last all day - though it isn't the outright best foldable in any of those categories. And while the new Pixel-specific software additions are great and the Gemini AI upgrades are super slick, I feel Google could do more on the multitasking front. For big-screen entertainment in a phone form factor, though, this is a superb option for Western audiences that aren't exactly overwhelmed with foldable choice.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

After a period of relative stagnation in the foldable market, where Samsung has experienced almost total market dominance, something is finally happening. More manufacturers are crawling out of the shadows and want to seriously explore this ambitious new category. No, it hasn't exactly resulted in more competitive pricing yet, but it will eventually lead to better products. Last year, the OnePlus Open arrived, a foldable smartphone we here at the editorial office couldn't get enough of, and it remains a devilishly good buy to this day if you like Android options beyond Samsung's rather dominant OneUI system and their sea of proprietary apps. The reason I bring up Open is that its very introduction means that Google isn't surprising anyone by giving us the Pixel 9 Pro Fold now, since we've already seen what a bloat-free foldable can look like. But that doesn't mean you should write it off, because Google's second attempt at a foldable isn't just the best on the market, it's also one of the best phones of the year, hands down. We gave the little Pixel 9 a 10, and we stand by it. For the first time, Google's line-up feels utterly complete, so much so that it's harder to recommend either the Pixel 9 Pro or Pixel 9 Pro XL, as the cheapest retains so much functionality. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold stands on the complete other side of that spectrum, offering just unique functionality while still sharing the same well-functioning platform. But I mean it; the line-up of Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold is perfect duality, and this foldable phone is a stroke of genius in almost every way. The design itself is quite magnificent. Yes, the shape itself is borrowed from the OnePlus Open, both in terms of dimensions and screen ratio. This means that this successor to last year's Pixel Fold opens apps in the traditional vertical ratio, not the horizontal. When closed, it's just 10.5 millimetres, so you barely notice that it's actually a foldable, and it weighs just 257 grams, which isn't much more than a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, or an iPhone 15 Pro Max. There's Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both front and back, an aluminium frame, IPX8 certification, 7.5 Watt wireless charging (which is way too slow) and a 4650mAh battery that easily got me through a busy day. Yes, the camera module isn't the prettiest, but overall this is the best looking foldable phone on the market and it makes Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 look like a remote control from the 2000s. Inside you'll again find Google's Tensor G4, up to 512GB UFS 3.1 space and up to 16GB RAM. I know many have found the performance of recent Tensor generations slightly disappointing, but even with plenty of multitasking, which is the whole point of a large, foldable phone, I didn't find the G4 kept me waiting. Quite the opposite, in fact. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is always snappy, always responsive and always ready for whatever you need to get done. Of course, performance is again aided by Google's downright inspired approach to Android. This version of Android 14 (soon to be 15) is playful in the right places, concrete when needed and above all, never boring. This OS has personality, character and, of course, allows for plenty of visual customisation that I never got tired of. The fact that there are of course Pixel-exclusive software features like Call Screen and automatic identification of a song in the background is just icing on the cake. Like all foldable phones, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold features an outer 6.3-inch 1080x2424 OLED display at 120Hz that peaks at 2700 NITS and delivers gorgeous HDR colours in all lighting conditions. Open the phone and you'll find an 8-inch LTPO OLED that also peaks at 2700 NITS, also running at 120Hz with support for HDR10+. There are some pretty nice software touches to improve multitasking, such as a taskbar, and either using the larger canvas or running apps side-by-side is totally seamless. I wish there were a few more gestures here, because OnePlus is thinking a little more outside the box, but it's hard to complain when you get these displays to play with. Google's line-up of smartphones is named "Pixel" because they are basically camera phones. There's good news and bad news here. The bad news is that like Samsung, Google hasn't been able to find room for quite the same lenses as on the regular Pro phones, but on the other hand, this is arguably the most versatile and well-functioning camera system you'll find on a modern foldable phone. You get a 48-megapixel 25-millimetre standard wide with dual-pixel autofocus and optical stabilisation, a 10.8-megapixel 112-millimetre telephoto with 5x optical zoom and finally a 127-degree ultrawide at 10.5-megapixels. These three lenses, thankfully, have the same colour chemistry this time and the balance between them is pretty even. Furthermore, the 5x optical zoom on the telephoto lens is quite useful, and actually maintains detail a lot longer than that thanks to a digital crop. But you probably already know what I'm going to say; for Google it's more about the interaction between the module itself and the automatic post-processing of each image that emphasises dynamic range, prioritising sharpness and creating contrast where possible. This produces, in almost every case, an image I prefer to similar images taken with a Galaxy Z Fold 6 and a OnePlus Open, and whether you're really tweaking or just taking a quick shot in passing, they are decidedly excellent every time. Add little tweaks like a playable animation on the cover display so my kids always laugh when I try to take a picture of them, and you have a Google camera in all the best ways. I will mention again, though, that while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold also offers all of Google's more questionable AI tools, it's just something I again don't want to use on principle. Features like Magic Eraser are right on the edge, which can remove passers-by in the background, but Add Me, for example, creates a false image of a subject that never existed in reality, and other features in Magic Editor are basically just ugly, AI-based Dall-E-like interpretation of reality. "What even is a photo anymore?" Marques Brownlee asks, and understandably so, but Google's features oscillate a little too wildly between useful in everyday situations to downright unethical, if you ask me. Furthermore, it's also important to mention here that while I didn't come close to experiencing unreliable unfolding of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, such a design requires more consumer scrutiny before we really know if Google has produced a reliable foldable phone this time around. That said, the first Pixel Fold was a success, so there's no reason to doubt that this iterative upgrade is anything but exactly the same, but it's hard to test long-term durability, so keep that in mind. Design, engineering, components, displays, software suite, attitude, personalisation and cameras all work together here to deliver the first foldable that can pretty much be recommended to anyone who believes that just such a changeable form could result in more entertainment, or more efficient work. Google has managed to combine all the key aspects of a functional and above all fun smartphone experience, and alongside the regular Pixel 9 it stands as a shining example of technical innovation and reliable recognisability. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold are two sides of the same coin and therefore the score is identical between them. Well done this time, Google.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review

Google has wholly redesigned the $1,799 Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and the result is a much more refined and appealing device than last year's Pixel Fold. We're impressed by its slimmed-down shape, bright new displays, stronger hinge, capable cameras, and the power of Google's Tensor G4 processor. As much as we appreciate the hardware -- as well as the many Gemini AI-powered features the phone shares with other Pixel 9 devices -- Google hasn't addressed some of our primary complaints about the original phone when it comes to putting the large inner screen to work. For those who are mostly interested in AI functionality, entertainment, and photography, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the folding phone to get. But if you want to be able to run more apps at a time on the inner display, connect to an external monitor, or even use a stylus, the $1,899 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a bit more powerful and our Editors' Choice. Design: Better In Every Way The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is entirely different from the Pixel Fold. Google has made the phone taller and trimmed the width to give it a more traditional phone shape. It measures 6.1 by 3.0 by 0.4 inches (HWD) closed and 6.1 by 5.9 by 0.2 inches open. Last year's Fold measured 5.5 by 3.1 by 0.5 inches closed and 5.5 by 6.2 by 0.25 inches open, by comparison. The new phone is also lighter at 9.1 ounces compared with 10.0 ounces of the original. Looking at Samsung's foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 measures 6.04 by 2.68 by 0.48 inches closed, 6.04 by 5.22 by 0.22 inches open, and weighs a bit less at 8.43 ounces. The refreshed dimensions and lower weight truly improve the experience of carrying and using the phone day to day. It feels more natural to hold, fits into pockets more easily, and weighs you down less. Google has rebuilt the hinge with a multi-alloy steel that is protected by a high-strength aluminum cover. The company claims the hinge is tougher and rejects dust most thoroughly, which should help with longevity. The hinge has a nice, smooth feel to it when you open and close the phone and it unfolds a full 180 degrees, which allows the phone to lie fully flat. Last year's Fold didn't open all the way, which cheapened the experience of using it to some degree. The new hinge sits firmly at any angle you wish. The outer frame is made from 100% recycled aluminum and the two outer glass panels are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. I like the matte feel of the rear glass, which is less slippery than the glass of the original Pixel Fold. The phone meets the IPX8 rating for protection against water, which means it can sit in about 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes; the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and other Pixel 9 phones share the same IP rating. You'll find the controls all tucked into the right edge. A combined power button and fingerprint scanner sit above a single volume toggle. Both buttons have good profiles that make them easy to find by feel and they provide excellent feedback when pressed. The fingerprint scanner works particularly well. Moreover, Google has upgraded both the outer and inner user-facing cameras so that they can securely scan and identify your face. I found the facial recognition worked great and was a nice alternative to the fingerprint reader. Google was smart to make it secure enough for financial transactions. Stereo speakers are located on the top and bottom edges, while the USB-C port for charging is on the bottom and the SIM card tray is on the bottom left edge. Google has also redesigned the rear camera bar. Like most Pixel phones, last year's Pixel Fold featured a rectangular bar that stretched across the rear panel. This year, the camera module is now a square that's located in the upper left corner (like many phones). It's quite big and obvious to the eye, and makes the phone wobbly when resting on flat surfaces. Like last year, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes in Obsidian (black) or Porcelain (white). If you prefer a wider selection of colors, including blue, pink, and silver, you'll have to opt for the Z Fold 6. Displays: Bigger and Brighter Google has done a great job in refreshing the two screens. The outer display improves from 5.8 inches to 6.3 inches and shares its size and resolution with the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro screens. It packs 2,424 by 1,080 pixels and has a density of 422 pixels per inch (ppi). Its refresh rate varies from 60Hz to 120Hz, and the display can handle HDR content at 24 bits. It has a contrast ratio of 2 million to 1 and a brightness of 1,800 nits (typical) and 2,700 nits (peak). Comparatively, the outer display of the Z Fold 6 measures 6.3 inches with 2,376 by 968 pixels in a narrower shape. It supports an adaptive refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz and a brightness of up to 2,600 nits (peak). The wider shape of the 9 Pro Fold's outer screen makes it easier for typing, but otherwise the pixel density and brightness are evenly matched between the two. Google stretches the inner screen from 7.6 inches to 8 inches, making it one of the bigger screens on a book-style foldable. It's an LTPO panel and has 2,076 by 2,152 pixels at 373ppi, a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, a 2-million-to-1 contrast ratio, and 1,600 nits (typ) and up to 2,700 nits (peak) brightness. It's a significant improvement over the original Fold, which featured 2,208 by 1,840 pixels at a density of 378ppi and not nearly as much brightness or contrast. The inner screen of the Z Fold 6 measures 7.6 inches and has 2,160 by 1,856 pixels and up to a similar 2,600 nits (peak). Critically, Google has reduced the thickness of the bezels around the inner screen. This really helps improve the overall experience of using the phone. A plastic frame still surrounds the screen, but it's much less noticeable. One result of this change, however, is that Google has to relocate the inner selfie camera from the bezel to the display itself; it's now tucked into the far right corner of the screen. You'll find that it's mostly invisible. Last, the crease in the middle of the inner screen is less noticeable than the one from last year. It's about the same as that of the Z Fold 6. You'll find the crease if you're looking for it, but once you turn the screen on, it's pretty hard to see. The improvement to the screens really helps the 9 Pro Fold. It's much easier to use outdoors under bright sunlight and the clarity ensures that HD video content looks its best. Performance: An Appreciable Boost The entire Pixel 9 family relies on Google's Tensor G4 processor and Titan M2 security coprocessor. The original Pixel Fold used the older Tensor G2 chip, so the difference between that phone and the 9 Pro Fold is significant. The new phone also ships with more RAM, 16GB, compared with 12GB. The 9 Pro Fold comes with either 256GB ($1,799) or 512GB ($1,919) of storage, but not 1TB (an option available to the Z Fold 6). Google continues to claim that its Tensor chips are designed to handle on-device machine learning and AI tasks, not run benchmarks as fast as possible. I have no complaints about the phone's speed. When performing everyday tasks such as multitasking, streaming video, or browsing the web, the 9 Pro Fold felt fast and light on its feet. It never lagged or felt sluggish. I ran some benchmarks anyway so we can better compare it with the competition. Geekbench 6 tasks the CPU and provides some guidance on how a device can handle intense processing. Here, the 9 Pro Fold scored 1,946 on the single-core test and 4,453 on the multi-core test. The original Pixel Fold tallied 1,098 and 3,031 on these same tests, while the Z Fold 6, which relies on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, reached 2,231 and 6,821. Next, I ran the PCMark Work 3.0 test, which evaluates how well a phone can perform regular tasks such as browsing the web and opening apps. The 9 Pro Fold scored 13,303, while the original Fold scored 11,921, and the Z Fold 6 scored 17,214. Last, I used the GFXBench Aztec Ruins test to gauge gaming potential. The 9 Pro Fold ran the test at an excellent 66fps while the original Fold hit just 19fps and the Z Fold 6 hit 63fps. The 9 Pro Fold and Z Fold 6 are near the top of the ladder when it comes to GPU power and both handle gaming quite well. I loaded Genshin Impact and Asphalt Legends Unite onto the Pixel and enjoyed some full-screen gaming for more than 30 minutes before the rear panel began to get a little warm. Suffice it to say the 9 Pro Fold is a multimedia monster. Battery: Squeezing More From Less Due to the design changes, Google uses a smaller battery in the 9 Pro Fold. It drops from 4,821mAh in the original Fold to 4,650mAh in the 9 Pro. Google says that even though the new battery is 171mAh smaller, it should still last for more than 24 hours of continuous use and up to 72 hours in Extreme Battery Saver mode. Our tests didn't match those numbers but do reveal that the battery is indeed better year over year. Our battery test involves streaming an HD video over Wi-Fi with the screen brightness set to the maximum. We ran the test twice: once for the outer display and once for the inner display. The outer display test resulted in battery life of 11 hours even, a jump from the 9 hours and 35 minutes of the original Pixel Fold. Switching to the internal screen, the battery ran for 10 hours and 15 minutes, a more significant jump over the original Fold's result of 8 hours. Comparatively, the Z Fold 6's 4,000mAh battery ran from 11 hours and 30 minutes when tested on the outer screen, so the two are in the same ballpark. Anecdotally, the Pixel maintained much better battery life on a day-to-day basis than its predecessor over nearly a week of testing. It typically held plenty of charge at the end of the day despite heavy use throughout. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold charges at about the same speed as last year's phone: 30W wired. It can charge faster via Qi wireless charging at 15W compared with last year's Pixel, which was stuck at 7.5W. Recharging the 9 Pro Fold with a 45W charger took about 1 hour and 40 minutes, or 10 minutes less than last year's phone. The Z Fold 6 has comparative charging rates (25W) and times (1 hour, 35 minutes). Folding phones continue to trail regular slab-style devices when it comes to battery life, but there's been a steady improvement year over year. If battery life is your top concern, the Pixel 9 Pro outlasts the rest of the Pixel family at more than 17 hours. Connectivity: Speedier Wireless The Pixel 9 Pro Fold enjoys a few upgrades when it comes to connectivity. First, it supports both sub-6GHz (including C-band) and mmWave 5G. It can connect to the mid-band and high-band services available from select US carriers. It also upgrades from Wi-Fi 6E to Wi-Fi 7, from Bluetooth 5.2 to Bluetooth 5.3, adds dual-band GNSS/GPS for better location tracking, and packs an Ultra-Wideband chip for interacting with accessories like the Pixel Buds Pro 2. I tested the 9 Pro Fold on T-Mobile's UC network in New Jersey. In an area with strong service, the phone reached speeds as high as 1.05Gbps down as 189Mbps up. It easily outperformed the Pixel Fold when tested in the same spot, which reached 874Mbps down and 78.1Mbps up. Wi-Fi speeds were excellent. The phone averaged 684Mbps down a 213Mbps up when held close to my home's Wi-Fi 6E router. The Pixel Fold hit similar numbers at 656Mbps down and 187Mbps up. When I moved both phones to the edge of my Wi-Fi network's range, the 9 Pro Fold's speeds dropped to 115Mbps down and 45Mbps up, while the Pixel Fold's hit 101Mbps down and 32Mbps up. The Bluetooth radio performed well. It handled simultaneous connections to a Pixel Watch and a pair of Pixel Buds Pro, and audio quality via the headphones was quite good thanks to support for a broad range of codecs. Speaking of audio quality, voice calls generally sounded loud and clear. The earpiece reached volumes of 72.2dB and the speakerphone hit 81.6dB. Callers I spoke to came across with clean signals and warm tones and said the same of my voice. Music pushed through the stereo speakers is decent, but falls a little flat. For example, the phone isn't able to produce much of the bass in our test track, The Knife's "Silent Shout," though the mids and highs come across with nice detail. You're better off using a Bluetooth speaker if you want loud sound in your living room. Cameras: A Multitude of Options Google often reuses the same camera hardware and that appears to be mostly the case with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The phone has a 48MP main camera at f/1.7, a 10.5MP ultrawide camera at f/2.2, and a 10.8MP telephoto camera at f/3.1. You'll benefit from optical and electronic image stabilization on the main and ultrawide cameras, the latter of which doubles as a macro shooter for closeups. The telephoto camera features 5x optical zoom and up to 20x Super Res Zoom. The outer and inner user-facing shooters capture 10MP photos, both at f/2.2 and with an 87-degree field of view. In general, photos taken outdoors during the day look great. There's plenty of detail, accurate colors, and solid exposure. I saw some grain in dark areas from time to time, but it wasn't too bad. The camera does a fine job of balancing bright and dark elements in photos so that both look good in your pics. Perhaps most importantly, the 9 Pro Fold balances the color and exposure from camera to camera better than most competing devices. This means photos you take with the ultrawide camera will look similar to those you take with the main and telephoto cameras. Speaking of the telephoto camera, shots at 1x, 2x, and 5x look fantastic, with only a little bit of noise filtering in on shots captured at 5x. The 9 Pro Fold supports hybrid zoom out to 20x, and these images are impressive but begin to show pixelation and smearing, especially in low light. The ultrawide (0.5x) is great fun for capturing wide vistas, cityscapes, or indoor shots. There is some obvious optical distortion, but it's not too bad. When used as a macro camera, the ultrawide does surprisingly well at recording color and detail (see the flower close-up below). You can take selfies with three different sets of cameras: the outer selfie camera, the inner selfie camera, and the main camera (using the outer display as a viewfinder). If you want the highest quality shots of yourself, use the last method. Otherwise, selfies look solid across the board. The background in some shots was darker than I expected it to be, but the subject (ahem, me) looks great in all the samples below. The portrait tool also does a fine job. It's not equal to a real camera lens at wide aperture, but it's the next best thing. The Pixel 9 Pro supports 4K video capture at 24, 30, or 60fps with any of the three rear cameras, but the front shooters offer 4K at only 30 or 60fps. Video results are mostly good. I saw a little bit more grain than I wanted to, and the dark spots visible in photos are reproduced by the video camera as well. Overall sharpness, clarity, and color are all good. It's not on the level of the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, but it's not terribly far off, either. Of course, you get access to all the same camera tricks as the other Pixel 9 phones (Add Me, Zoom Enhance, Reimagine, Auto Frame, and Night Sight Video). For a full rundown of those features, see our review of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The 9 Pro Fold adds a couple of exclusive features of its own. The first is called Made You Look. When using the main camera, you can entertain stubborn kids with funny animations on the outer screen. The idea is to get your kids' attention with the cartoons on the screen so they'll be looking in the general direction of the phone, and you can get your shot. It may work on very young kids, but probably not those over the age of five or six. The second is Dual Screen Preview. Open the camera, unfold the device, select Dual Screen, and your photographic subject will see a preview of themselves on the outer display as you compose the shot. This gives them an opportunity to adjust their position or facial expression before you snap the pic. It works well. And you can make use of the form factor itself to set the phone up as its own tripod. This lets you place the phone down and take selfies when no one else is around. Software: Infused With AI Like the other Pixel 9 devices, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold ships with Android 14 and not Android 15, which is nearly ready for release. Google hasn't said when Android 15 will be available, but at the time of this writing, reports suggest we'll have to wait until October. Either way, Google has committed to supplying seven years of OS and security updates, the same promise made by Samsung for the Z Fold 6. Also like the other Pixel 9 phones, Gemini AI plays a huge role in how you interact with the 9 Pro Fold. Gemini replaces Google Assistant (if you want it to) for your on-device AI helper. Gemini does many of the same things Assistant does, such as help with searches, but goes further with the ability to research destinations for a trip, write stories, learn about your favorite subject, and more. Pixel Studio (generative AI), Pixel Screenshots (screenshot cataloging and search tool), Gemini in Google Keep (list creation and management), and Gemini Live are all here, the same as the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL. These AI features work just as well on the 9 Pro Fold as on the other phones. More details about these tools are available in our review of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The Fold has a leg up on its stablemates thanks to its folding form factor. Since it can run two apps at a time on the main screen, you can launch Gemini Live in one window and most any app in the other. Using Gemini Live with another app side by side like this is extremely useful for activities like search. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold gives you one year of access to Gemini Live for free, after which it will run $19.99 per month. There are a number of software features exclusive to the 9 Pro Fold thanks to its folding shape. Dual Screen on Meet is a functional addition that helps with video calls. It allows you to use the front and inner cameras at the same time so you can show yourself and what you're looking at to the people on the other end of the call. It takes a few steps to launch, but works well enough. There's also Dual Screen Mode for Live Transcribe. Similar to how Samsung's Z Fold 6 can run Google Translate on two screens at a time, so can the Pixel 9 Pro. This lets you show the person with whom you're conversing the written text of what you're saying while you can see the written text of what they say. Google says this is supported for up to 120 languages at launch. When tested with German, the transcriptions appeared quickly on both screens. I like that the phone can read the transcriptions out loud, too. YouTube gets its own special split-screen powers. First, you can open the phone on a table or desk like a laptop and watch YouTube videos hands-free. The YouTube Multiview tool is more powerful. This lets YouTube TV subscribers watch up to four live streams at a time on the screen. It's geared toward sports content, so you can watch multiple games at once. We don't have a subscription to YouTube TV and were unable to test this feature. The last thing we'll discuss here is the phone's ability to multitask. As mentioned, you can run two apps side by side on the inner screen. This is great when you need to share content between apps or reference one while working in the other. You can create app pairs (two apps that launch in this side-by-side arrangement) and save them to the home screen. This feature wasn't available to the original Pixel Fold at launch. It's not as elegant to use as the same tool on Samsung's Galaxy Z phones, but it works. Disappointingly, however, you're limited to running just two apps at a time, one on each side of the screen, plus a floating media app like YouTube or Spotify. The Z Fold 6 supports up to three plus two floating media apps. This limitation may not be a big deal to some, but others will find it frustrating. Moreover, the Z Fold 6 supports Samsung's Dex desktop mode. With it, you can connect the phone to a monitor and access a Windows-like user interface. It's great for productivity. The Pixel 9 Pro has no such advanced productivity tools. And then there's the S Pen. Though the Z Fold 6 doesn't ship with Samsung's stylus, it supports the writing tool. For those who prefer to do things by hand, the S Pen and Z Fold 6 are a match made in productivity heaven. The Verdict: A Smart Foldable The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is an outstanding phone from top to bottom. Google has done an excellent job redesigning the hardware, which is improved in every way. The new size, shape, and weight make it easier to hold and use, the larger and brighter screens are a joy to look at, the faster Tensor G4 processor and wireless connections keep things moving, and the latest AI-assisted camera tricks are a great way to take, edit, and share your shots. As with the other Pixel 9 phones, the Gemini AI tools aren't quite fully formed, though they're miles ahead of what competing foldables offer in the way of AI. If you want a solid, AI-focused folding phone, you can't go wrong with the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. However, those who want to put their expensive phone to more productive use should opt for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, which is slightly better at multitasking, has longer battery life, and supports the S Pen stylus, which makes it our Editors' Choice winner for foldables.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review in Progress: A New Design Goes a Long Way

While Google's second-gen foldable has all the upgrades you'd expect from a new phone in 2024 -- including a new processor and fancy AI features -- it's the fresh design that makes it feel different. With its narrower yet larger cover screen, Google is straying from the Pixel Fold's passport-like shape and opting for a design that more closely resembles a regular phone when closed. That shift makes the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feel much more practical than its predecessor. With the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google smartly takes cues from its generally well-received line of standard Pixel phones in terms of design and features, resulting in a device that truly feels like a competitor to those made by Samsung and more seasoned foldable phone makers. But at $1,799 (£1,749, AU$2,699), the Pixel 9 Pro Fold still doesn't solve the biggest problem plaguing today's foldable phones: high prices. While the hardware has come a long way, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's software still doesn't feel as tailored to foldable screens as Samsung's. And for a phone that costs nearly $2,000, the bar is set high for both the hardware and software experience. I've only been using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold for a few days, so I'll have more to say about it after spending more time with it. So far, it feels like a big step in the right direction for Google's foldable phone, although I'm still hoping to see more compelling software. Read more: Don't Buy a New Phone Just for AI -- at Least Not Yet Instead of calling it the Pixel Fold 2, Google is calling this phone the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and it's easy to see why. Compared to the Pixel Fold, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold looks and feels like an entirely different phone, almost as if Google started from scratch. The cover screen measures 6.3 inches just like the regular Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, compared to the Pixel Fold's smaller yet wider 5.8-inch display. Considering I tend to use foldable phones closed most of the time, this size boost is a welcome improvement. Even though the massive inner screen is what makes phones like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold stand out from traditional bar-shaped phones, it's the external screen that I rely on the most for everyday tasks like snapping photos and answering text messages. At 9.1 ounces (257 grams), the Pixel 9 Pro Fold also feels much lighter than the 10-ounce Pixel Fold. The internal screen also got a much-needed upgrade. It's now brighter and measures 8 inches instead of 7.6, providing more space for playing games, scrolling through social media and watching movies or shows. The change I appreciate the most, however, isn't the screen itself, but the borders surrounding the display. Google significantly slimmed down the bezels, which goes a long way in making the screen feel more immersive. The crease feels less noticeable compared to the Pixel Fold, too. There's no question that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a cut above the Pixel Fold when it comes to design. But how does it stack up to phones from Samsung and Xiaomi? The 8.4-ounce Galaxy Z Fold 6 is less wide and noticeably lighter than Google's phone, which can make it feel more compact. Xiaomi's Mix Fold 4 is less than 0.2 inches thick when unfolded, making it even slimmer than both Google and Samsung's devices. Design isn't usually the most important element of a smartphone, but foldable phones are the exception. It's the physical traits and attributes of phones like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold that command such high prices, and I'm glad to see Google is moving in the right direction in that regard. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's cameras aren't quite as advanced as the Pixel 9 Pro's. But they're good enough to convince me that I'm not making any major sacrifices by opting for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold over Google's top-tier standard phone. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a 48-megapixel main camera, a 10.5-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 10.8-megapixel telephoto camera, while the Pixel 9 Pro has a 50-megapixel main camera, 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and 48-megapixel telephoto camera. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's front selfie camera has a 10-megapixel sensor, while the Pixel 9 Pro's has 42 megapixels. So far, the biggest difference I'm seeing in image quality between the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the regular Pro is, unsurprisingly, in the ultrawide and selfie cameras. Ultrawide shots taken on the regular Pixel 9 Pro looked more vibrant and colorful than those taken on Google's foldable phone, while the selfie I took on the 9 Pro Fold came out much softer and less detailed than the Pro's. (The photos below may look similar in this article, but I noticed the differences when viewing them on a 27-inch monitor.) But the Pixel 9 Pro Fold performs favorably against its biggest rival, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, in some circumstances. While both phones are capable of taking bright and colorful photos, the pictures I've taken with the main camera in sunlight and low light on Google's phone looked a bit more colorful. Even though Samsung can take closer zoomed-in shots (30x compared to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's 20x, though both phones rely primarily on digital zoom), photos taken at 20x zoom on Google's phone looked much crisper and cleaner than those taken with Samsung's. However, I was surprised to see that Samsung's ultrawide photos look sharper than Google's. Mobile photography can be subjective, and each phone has its own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to camera performance. But based on what I've seen so far, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's camera seems comparable to what you'd get from a high-end, nonfoldable phone -- as it should be, given its high price. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold also comes with the same AI photography and image generation features as the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup. These include Add Me (which uses augmented reality to help you take a group photo with everyone in the picture), the generative AI-based Reimagine (for manipulating and adding objects in photos) and the Pixel Studio, which you can learn more about in our other reviews. But there is a feature that's unique to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Made You Look. This camera mode, which is designed for foldable phones, makes it easier to take photos of kids who refuse to look at the camera by putting fun animations on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's front display. I haven't been able to test this out for its intended purpose just yet, but I look forward to seeing how it works next time I visit my toddler nephew. The Pixel 9 Pro works well as a miniature tablet when opened. Videos and images look vibrant on the 8-inch screen, and you can view two apps in split screen mode alongside one another. Dragging and dropping pictures from Google Photos to the messages app also works smoothly. So does dragging files from Google Drive to Gmail. I prefer to dedicate the entire screen to one app, but there are some instances in which I appreciated the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's split-screen capabilities. For example, being able to view Spotify and Slack on screen at the same time definitely came in handy for squeezing in a workout on my lunch break during the work day without missing important messages. If you have YouTube TV, you'll also be able to watch multiple streams of certain programs, like sporting events and some news programs, at once. But this feature isn't exclusive to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold; it's also available on other Android phones, iPhones, iPads, smart TVs and streaming media players. And when you're viewing multiple streams, they don't occupy the entire screen. Google could also be doing more with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's software in other ways, particularly when the phone is folded halfway. While some apps such as video streaming apps and the camera can shift to the top portion of the screen when the phone is folded in an L shape, most don't. Instead, the majority of apps run across the display like a waterfall, making it hard to navigate and view them when the phone is sitting halfway open. On the Galaxy Z Fold 6, apps conform to the top half of the display accordingly when the device is propped open halfway, almost resembling a miniature laptop. It's a shame that Google hasn't embraced a similar approach, because one of my favorite aspects of using book-shaped foldable phones is having the option to prop them open and use them as a sort of miniature display. When I'm cleaning or putting away laundry, I like having the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 propped open on my desk or dresser while Spotify is running so that I can scroll through playlists and switch songs easily without having to physically pick up my phone. You can sort of recreate that experience by opening the Pixel 9 Pro Fold like a tent and using the cover display, but Samsung's decision to position controls on the bottom half of the screen makes navigating the device much easier. That said, a handful of games are optimized for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's display, showing its potential as a gaming device. Some games, like Asphalt Legends Unite, display gameplay on the top portion of the screen, while the controls and a map are shown on the bottom half. Others, such as NBA Infinite, are capable of taking up the entire screen. While these optimizations are a good example of how foldable phones can stand out from regular phones, I don't see it as being a reason to buy a foldable like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold until the majority of Android games are capable of running in this way. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold launches with Android 14, marking a departure from Google's usual habit of releasing new Pixel phones with the version of Android that came out during that year. I imagine that's because Google launched its flagship phones earlier than usual, so it arrived before the public release of Android 15 is ready. Regardless, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will get seven years of Android and security updates, meaning it'll get new features -- and remain safe to use -- through August 2031, like the rest of Google's new Pixel devices. Aside from foldable-specific features, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has the same new AI features as the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup, including the Pixel Studio image generator, the Screenshots app for essentially turning your screen grabs into a visual search engine, AI-generated weather summaries and more. You can learn more about those features in our full reviews of the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's 4,650-mAh battery is capable of lasting more than a day on a single charge in my experience so far. After about 14 hours of use on a day that involved visiting friends and using my phone sparingly for things like web browsing, taking photos and playing music, the battery was down to 53%. But keep in mind battery life will always vary depending on how you use your device. If you're using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold for watching movies, taking lengthy video calls, recording video or audio or playing games for an extended period of time, the battery is going to drain much more quickly. I'll have more thoughts on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's battery life, including results from CNET's battery tests, once I've had more time with the phone. Google's Tensor chips aren't necessarily known for being powerhouses, but the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's performance is fast enough for everything I've been using the phone for, such as playing games, running multiple apps side-by side and watching videos. The interface also feels slick and smooth, likely thanks to both the processor and the display's 120Hz refresh rate. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is yet another sign that perhaps buying a first-gen product, especially from Google, isn't the wisest choice. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, with its more polished and practical design, feels like a big leap over the original. For a device like a foldable phone that's already inherently clunkier than a regular mobile device, design improvements are more than just superficial aesthetic changes. Making foldable phones thinner and lighter, while expanding the sizes of their screens, makes them feel more natural and enjoyable to use. And for a device that you're buying mostly for the screen, that's important. Combine that with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's capable cameras, and there's plenty to love about Google's second-gen foldable. It reminds me of how I felt about the Pixel Watch 2 last year. The first Pixel Watch showed plenty of promise but also had some key shortcomings like the Pixel Fold, which Google then improved upon with its second watch. With the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google has clearly figured out the hardware. Now, I just want more from the software. I'll have more detailed thoughts and impressions on the Pixel Fold 9 Pro in my full review once I've had more time with it. Every phone tested by CNET's reviews team was actually used in the real world. We test a phone's features, play games and take photos. We examine the display to see if it's bright, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and build to see how it is to hold and whether it has an IP-rating for water resistance. We push the processor's performance to the extremes using standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark, along with our own anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution videos and playing graphically intense games at high refresh rates. All the cameras are tested in a variety of conditions from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes. We try out special features like night mode and portrait mode and compare our findings against similarly priced competing phones. We also check out the battery life by using it daily as well as running a series of battery drain tests. We take into account additional features like support for 5G, satellite connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus support, fast charging speeds and foldable displays, among others that can be useful. We balance all of this against the price to give you the verdict on whether that phone, whatever price it is, actually represents good value. While these tests may not always be reflected in CNET's initial review, we conduct follow-up and long-term testing in most circumstances.

New Pixel 9 owners first reactions: 'Going to be the new Pixel 5... it just works'

It's no secret how much the Android Police staff have enjoyed the Google Pixel 9 series. Google addressed multiple areas of concern, making the Pixel 9 family some of the company's best work. Google put the era of inferior displays behind it with its Super Actua panels. The new modems included in the Pixel 9 provide the performance we expect from a flagship. The company controlled Tensor's heating issues by adding a vapor chamber. We love the phone, but we wanted to know what others think about the latest hardware from Mountain View. Here's what we found out. Read our review The Google Pixel 9 makes me question if I need to go Pro The Pixel 9 has everything most people want from a phone 7 9 Super Actua makes all the difference Poor displays plagued previous Google Pixel devices. These dim, depressing panels were barely viewable outdoors even at max brightness. That's no longer an issue with Google's Super Actua displays. They are bright, vibrant, and crisp, exactly what we've been looking for. 8 Google nailed the design Absolutely! The Pixel 9 Pro XL is Google's most refined design, eliminating the awkwardness of the Pixel 6. It's a traditionally beautiful device. 7 Still a Pixel camera It's hard to argue with the output. Google is known for its excellent smartphone cameras, and the Pixel 9 series is no exception. If you're a shutterbug who fell in love with the Pixel for the cameras, you have nothing to worry about. 6 Fingerprint scanner problems are over The Pixel 9's fingerprint scanner is an upgrade. It's a small thing, but you'll notice it when you use it numerous times a day. The scanner on the Pixel 9 is fast and accurate, making the horrors of the Pixel 6's fingerprint reader a thing of the past. 5 Tensor has improved I get it. The Pixel 9 doesn't feature a Snapdragon, but that's not the concern it used to be. Tensor had growing pains, but Google did a wonderful job making its custom chipsets more power and heat-efficient. You'll still notice gaming issues, but the Pixel 9 flies in daily tasks. 4 Lasts all day It's worth noting how good the Pixel device's battery life has been. The Pixel 8 Pro made strides, giving us over eight hours of screen on time, but the improved Tensor G4 in the Pixel 9 Pro XL takes things further. 3 Google still has work to do While there have been significant hardware improvements, Google still has work to do on the software side. Updates are more reliable, and Android 14 is running well. However, we'd still like to see more comprehensive customization options like with Samsung's One UI. 2 Optimization matters It isn't all about the specs. I understand that the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has more horsepower under the hood, but optimization matters. When you use them side-by-side, the Pixel 9 Pro XL holds its own. 1 Much better modem Enjoying your smartphone experience is difficult if you can't keep a connection. It seems basic, but Google Pixel phones have struggled with modem connectivity, often dropping signals or having difficulty moving from 5G to 4G LTE. The Pixel 9 has been a marked improvement, and others seem to agree. So far, so good Google must still navigate the Android 15 rollout, but early returns for the Pixel 9 are promising. It felt like Google ignored users for too long, not addressing glaring errors with its product. The Google Pixel 8 Pro was a step in the right direction, proving the company could release a reliable phone. I'm glad to see the Pixel 9 series building on that progress. Google Pixel 9 The Pixel 9 is Google's most affordable 2024 flagship, making a few compromises when compared to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL while retaining the Google smarts the lineup has become known for. An upgraded 48MP ultra-wide camera is paired with a 50MP main shooter, and the selfie cam added autofocus. All of this comes with new Gemini AI features and a 2,700-nit Actua display for exceptional value at its price point. $799 at Amazon$799 at Best Buy$799 at Google Store Google Pixel 9 Pro The Pixel 9 Pro is a new addition to Google's lineup, slotting in as a smaller premium flagship to pair with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The latter is the direct successor to 2023's Pixel 8 Pro despite its new XL moniker, whereas the Pixel 9 Pro brings a new form-factor to Google's high-end offerings, sporting the same dimensions as the standard Pixel 9 model while packing all the AI and camera prowess we've grown accustomed to from Google's Pro lineup. $999 at Amazon$999 at Best Buy$999 at Google Store Google Pixel 9 Pro XL The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a new name, but it fills the same slot as 2023's Pixel 8 Pro, having similar specs with roughly the same footprint. The non-XL Pixel 9 Pro is new to the lineup as a smaller premium flagship offering. With the 9 Pro XL, however, you get Google's fastest charging, a bigger screen and battery, and all of the camera and Gemini AI smarts you'd get in the smaller 9 Pro. $1099 at Amazon$1099 at Best Buy$1099 at Google Store