Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Google is starting to take foldables seriously
Last year’s Pixel Fold smartphone was an alright foldable. It was everything you might expect from such a device, but it felt borderline experimental. It was almost like Google was testing the waters. Now the company is back with their brand new Pixel 9 Pro Fold which feels like the company is starting to take foldables more seriously.
Hardware specs
Starting with the design, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold looks like a completely different beast from its predecessor. It features a smooth and silky matte finish with a satin metal frame. Google has also made the phone thinner than the Pixel Fold. It measures 10.5mm thick when folded shut, and 5.1mm thick when unfolded. For context, it is thinner than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, so props to Google for achieving that.
In terms of display, Google has actually bumped up the size of both the internal and external displays. The inner foldable display measures 8-inches, up from 7.6-inches. The external display is also bigger, going from 5.8-inches to 6.3-inches. This means that users can look forward to a larger viewing experience, both from the inside and outside.
As for performance, the handset is powered by Google’s Tensor G4 chipset. It is accompanied by 16GB of RAM and packs a 4,650mAh battery. The phone also features a triple camera setup on the back. This includes a 48MP wide camera, a 10.5MP ultrawide, and a 10.8MP telephoto. There is also a 10MP front-facing shooter for your selfies.
Software features
As expected from a smartphone in 2024, and one coming from Google nonetheless, the Pixel 9 Pro will come with Gemini support. Google is bundling a 1-year free subscription to the Google One AI Premium Plan. This gives users access to Gemini Advanced which will offer more advanced AI capabilities.
Also, since this is a foldable phone, Google has included support for features that takes advantage of the larger display. This includes Split Screen which will offer better multi-tasking capabilities.
There are also AI-related photo editing features, such as “Add me” that uses AI to digitally insert someone into a photograph. There’s the Magic Editor which can reframe photos to suggest the best crop, and more. Google is also offering users access to Satellite SOS. This is a new thing we’re seeing handset makers offer to customers these days.
Basically it lets users make calls or send text messages in an emergency if there is no cellular connectivity.
Last but not least, in terms of Android support, Google says that the handset will come with seven years of Android OS and security update support. This means that you can keep this phone for a longer period of time and not worry about no longer getting support for it.
Pricing & availability
According to Google, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is priced starting at $1,799. It is available in either a Porcelain or Obsidian finish. We know that it is not a cheap device, but considering all the hardware and software features you’re getting, it could be worth it for some. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold pre-sale is already open with units showing up on store shelves starting on September 4th.