Feed: Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
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Title: Pixel 9 Pro Fold one year later: How Google caught up to Samsung in
just two generations

Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:00:08 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/p...

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold was one of my favorite gadgets of 2024 to the point
where it even landed on our list of the biggest winners of the year. Not only
was it a worthy alternative to Samsung's long-running Galaxy Z Fold phones,
its straightforward design once again proved that keeping things simple is
often the wisest way to go. It turns out, the best approach to foldable phone
design is to make something that's the same size and shape as a regular
handset, but just happens to have a big flexible display hidden inside.

However, after using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (which I will refer to as the P9PF
for short) for just shy of a year, I wanted to re-review the device to
reflect on how it held up after 11 months of wear and tear and to consider
what Google might be able to improve on the next model.

Design and features Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Google figured out something when it shifted away from the short and squat
dimensions of the original Pixel Fold for its second foldable phone. By
making the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's exterior display essentially the same size as a
normal Pixel 9, the company eliminated any confusion for when you just want
to quickly send a text, check a map or doomscroll on social media. The
obvious downside to this is that when you open the phone up, its interior
display has essentially a square aspect ratio, which isn't great for watching
movies. However, with an increased size of eight inches across, the P9PF
still has one of the largest flexible panels around, so it's not like anyone
was really hurting for screen real estate. And for stuff like games, comics
or ebooks, it's arguably even better. If manufacturers were able to bring the
price of foldables down, they might kill the market for small tablets (nine
inches and under) overnight.

On top of that, unlike SamsungΓÇÖs foldables, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold didn't
really sacrifice on camera quality or features. It has a 5x optical zoom just
like you get on a standard Pixel 9 Pro, and while it doesn't have the same
main sensor, you'd be hard-pressed to tell unless you do some serious side-by-
side pixel peeping. Plus, you get fun tools like Look at Me that are only
possible due to its foldable design, not to mention other nifty features like
Add Me.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Granted, Google's Tensor G4 chip lags behind equivalent Qualcomm Snapdragon
processors. But it's still fast enough for everything IΓÇÖve thrown at it,
aside from maybe hardcore video editing or the most demanding games. And I
maintain that foldable phones are still the best devices for mobile trading
card apps like Marvel Snap or Pokémon TCG Pocket. The presence of a big
screen that can be deployed or hidden away at a moment's notice is perfect
for matches that only last a couple of minutes, so you can squeeze a round in
pretty much anywhere or any time.

Durability

I'm not a fan of cases. ThatΓÇÖs true even on foldables, because while they
are more fragile than a typical smartphone, the added bulk and heft that
comes with most aftermarket protectors are just kind of annoying.
Furthermore, especially in recent years, most foldables are generally tough
enough to withstand life's everyday drops and tumbles. Unless you're out
there regularly burying your phone in the sand or dropping it on concrete, my
experience with previous foldables (from both Samsung and Google) has me
feeling relatively confident about their overall durability.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

That said, I did make one small change when living with the P9PF. Instead of
a case, I installed a skin from Dbrand (which I bought myself) to give the
phone a tiny extra cushion in the back. Granted, there are still several
scratches and dings on its frame and front screen. But that was kind of the
point. I wanted to see how Google's second-gen foldable would hold up with
minimal protection and this phone has probably taken more of a beating than
any device I've owned to date.

Fun fact: I shot and edited the review photos for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold just
an hour before I had to go to the hospital for the birth of my daughter. And
in the time since, the P9PF has been spat up on, crawled on, walked on by my
three-year-old son and fallen out of my pocket during bathtime a countless
number of times. And for the most part, it's taken those hits like a boxer
with an iron chin (or in Google's case, aluminum).

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

If you're really trying to maximize resale value, you may want something more
substantial. For everyone else, the addition of a skin and a screen protector
for its exterior display is all you really need. My Pixel 9 Pro Fold's
interior screen is still pristine after almost a year. Yes, it has a crease,
but if that's an issue, you may never be able to own a foldable phone. Or at
the very least, not in the near future. Meanwhile, the blemishes elsewhere
aren't distracting enough to make using the P9PF any less enjoyable. Though
everyone is different, so you may feel otherwise.

Potential concerns

The one potential issue going forward is that in just the last couple of
weeks, I've noticed the phone occasionally takes longer to turn on the inner
display after opening it up. It doesnΓÇÖt happen every time and it'll usually
fix itself in a few seconds or after a couple taps. Furthermore, sometimes
the phone's SIM card will stop working too, which can be addressed by
resetting the Pixel's internet connections.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

While I haven't been able to confirm if this is due to a software update
(like a recent Android patch) or something loose inside (possibly a shaky
display cable), it sounds very similar to a thread I spotted recently on
Reddit. Based on the post, the owner of that P9PF takes much better care of
their phone than I do, which suggests the cause may be related to build
quality or its underlying design instead of simple wear and tear. Regardless,
if you own a Pixel 9 Pro Fold and have also run into this issue, let me know
so I can investigate this further.

Future outlook

Even with a possible service call clouding the future of my Pixel 9 Pro Fold,
I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with it over the last year. Pairing a bigger
flexible screen with best-in-class cameras and a simple but very effective
design is a winning formula for a modern foldable. And while I don't expect a
full redesign this year after the big jump we got from the OG Pixel Fold, if
Google can tweak little things like the awkward-looking corner in the top
left of its exterior display, improve durability and maybe increase the
battery capacity in addition to its usual assortment of yearly AI-powered
tools and features, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold could be a very solid followup.

I took the skin off for this story and as you can see, it did a good job of
protecting the backside of the phone. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

However, the arrival of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 means Google has some work to do.
I'm waiting to see what the next foldable Pixel brings (and hopefully the
OnePlus Open 2 as well) before picking which phone I want to use for the next
year. Unless Google or OnePlus can match the exquisite thinness, excellent
performance and improved battery life on Samsung's latest flagship, I feel
like I'm going to be doing the gadget version of the distracted boyfriend
meme every time I go to pick up a significantly thicker rival. That said,
things like Google's software and superior cameras might pull me back.

But perhaps the most impressive thing is that after just two generations, the
Pixel Fold line has almost completely caught up to the latest Z Fold with the
chance to pull ahead next week. And for anyone who's ever considering getting
a foldable phone (or maybe even their second, third or fourth), that's
exactly the kind of competition I like to see.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/p...
how-google-caught-up-to-samsung-in-just-two-generations-
130008722.html?src=rss

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