Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review – Google’s Latest Leap in Foldable Technology

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, released on September 2, 2024, is Google’s second-generation foldable phone. Although it starts at a hefty $2,699 AUD price tag, it does offer some great features, especially in terms of the dual-screen media experience, which has lots of potential going forward, and its photo-taking convenience. Plus, it brings the well-known software and AI features that the Pixel series is famous for. However, for this price point, I expected a bit more in terms of camera photo quality and battery experience.

Additionally, although the large screen and split-screen mode are great for power users, casual users might find it difficult to justify the cost, especially considering those weaknesses. With that said, let’s dive in and explore the ins and outs of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. 

GOOGLE PIXEL 9 PRO FOLD REVIEW – SPECIFICATIONS

Body Specifications:

• Dimensions Folded: 6.1 height x 3.0 width x 0.4 depth (inches) / 155.2 x 77.1 x 10.5 (mm)
• Dimensions Unfolded: 6.1 height x 5.9 width x 0.2 depth (inches) / 155.2 x 150.2 width x 5.1 depth (mm)
• Weight: 257 g
• Build: Gorilla Glass Victus 2 glass, silky matte back, with satin metal frame, and multi-alloy steel hinge with aerospace-grade high-strength aluminium alloy cover
• SIM: Nano-SIM and eSIM
• IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5 m for 30 minutes in water, but not dust resistant)

Screen:

External Screen:

• Size: 6.3 inches (160 mm)
• Type: OLED (1080 x 2424 pixels at ~422 PPI) Actua Display
• Aspect Ratio: 20:9
• Refresh Rate: 60-120Hz (Smooth Display)
• Brightness: Up to 1800 nits (HDR) and up to 2700 nits (peak brightness)

Internal Screen:

• Size: 8 inches (204 mm)
• Type: OLED (2076 x 2152 pixels at ~373 PPI, LTPO) Super Actua Flex display
• Refresh Rate: 1-120 Hz (Smooth Display)
• Brightness: Up to 1600 nits (HDR) and up to 2700 nits (peak brightness)

Memory:

• 16 GB RAM
• Storage: 256 GB / 512 GB

Processor:

• Google Tensor G4
• Titan M2 security coprocessor

Rear Camera:

• 48 MP Quad PD wide camera
  • ƒ/1.7 aperture
  • 82° field of view
  • 1/2″ image sensor size
• 10.5 MP Dual PD ultrawide camera
  • ƒ/2.2 aperture
  • 127° field of view
  • 1/3.4″ image sensor size
• 10.8 MP Dual PD telephoto camera
  • ƒ/3.1 aperture
  • 23° field of view
  • 1/3.2″ image sensor size
  • 5x optical zoom
  • Super Res Zoom up to 20x
• Multi-zone LDAF (laser detect auto focus) sensor
• Spectral and flicker sensor
• Optical + electronic image stabilisation on wide and telephoto

Video Capabilities:

• 4K video recording at 24/30/60 FPS
• 1080p video recording at 24/30/60 FPS
• Digital video zoom up to 20x

Front and Inner Cameras:

• 10.5 MP Dual PD
  • ƒ/2.2 aperture
  • 87° ultrawide field of view
• Video capabilities: 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps

Battery and Charging:

• Typical: 4650 mAh (Minimum 4560 mAh)
• Fast Charging: Up to 72-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver
• Wireless Charging: Qi-certified
• Google 45W USB-C® Charger (sold separately)
• No battery share

Build and Design

What I notice immediately is how thin the phone is. When unfolded, it’s only 0.5 cm thick, and even while folded, it lays completely flat and feels as thick as a regular Pixel with a case (1 cm thick). It’s also quite light considering its size, at only 258g. So, when using the phone with one hand, I’m still quite comfortable. 

Its full dimensions are as follows: 

• Folded: 15.5 cm height x 7.6 cm width x 1.0 cm depth
• Unfolded: 15.5 cm height x 15.0 cm width x 0.5 cm depth

Its build quality feels quite solid, it’s got the same materials and feel as the Pixel 9 Pro, with matte finish on the back and satin metal frames. The hinge is rigid, made of “multi-alloy steel with an aerospace-grade high-strength aluminium alloy cover” and stays in place throughout almost all angles. 

In my opinion, the rectangular camera bump with its two vertically arranged lenses looks a bit unusual compared to the Pixel 9/9 Pro’s camera bump, which I prefer. However, Google mentioned that this choice was due to space constraints; they opted for a larger battery instead of a full-width camera bump.

It only comes in 2 colours this year: Obsidian (Black) and Porcelain (White). 

Screens

It’s got a large 8-inch (204mm) internal screen, with a 2076 x 2152 OLED display, and peak brightness of 2700 nits. The refresh rate can also go all the way down to 1 Hz and up to 120 Hz, for a smooth experience that still conserves battery.

The external screen is a 6.3-inch (160mm) 1080 x 2424 OLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio, less variable refresh rate (60-120 Hz), but the same peak brightness of 2700 nits. 

Features

I’m just going to highlight the Pixel Fold-specific features and experiences, while just briefly touching on the software and AI features shared across the Pixel 9 models. If you’d like to read my in-depth discussion of those shared features, head on over to my Pixel 9 (here) and Pixel 9 pro XL review (here). 

Pixel 9 Series features (shared with Pixel 9 Pro): 

[1] Camera features:

• Add me allows you to be included in your group shots by merging an initial photo with one taken by someone else.
• New Magic editor features include Reimagine, which uses text prompts to alter subjects/backgrounds based on your descriptions, while Autoframe suggests optimal crops but can also zoom out of photos using generative fill.
• Night sight video, Video Boost, and Zoom Enhance improve your videos by sending it to the cloud, after which a refined video with stabilised movement, improved clarity, detail, and lighting will be sent back to your phone. 

[2] Apps:

• Pixel Studio allows you to generate AI images using text prompts (similar to AI programs like Dall-E)
• Pixel Screenshots keeps your screenshots organised and easily accessible. So instead of scrolling through a cluttered gallery, you can simply search for the information you need, and the app will quickly find and display the relevant screenshot.

[3] Enhanced Gemini allows you to find information within your Google apps (such as Gmail), create AI generated lists in Keep, schedule plans, interact with information on your screen (e.g. summarising youtube videos, answering questions about what’s on your page), and many more.  

Features exclusive to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold: 

[1] Camera:

• Rear camera selfie: in the camera app, tap the switch screens button and then Rear Camera Selfie, this will bring your display and camera controls to the external screen to allow you to take selfies using the much better rear camera

• Dual screen preview: in the camera app, tap the switch screens button and then Dual Screen, now a preview will appear in the external screen so that the people being photographed can adjust their pose and look their best. 

• Made You Look: perfect for kids, this setting will display some fun animations on the external screen along with sounds to capture their attention so that they’re encouraged to look at the camera. 

• Tabletop mode for group shots: the phone acts as a built-in tripod when folded, letting you set it on a surface to take group photos hands-free. Simply hold your hand out to trigger a countdown for the shutter to activate.

[2] Dual Screens

• The large dual screens have many interesting potential uses. Firstly, you can use it in Split Screen mode, which allows you to use two apps at once. So, you can, for example, watch a video on one half of the screen while chatting with friends on the other, watch a tutorial or lecture on one side while taking notes, or reply to work emails on one side and a personal messaging app on the other. You can also save that app pair to your home screen for easy access. 

• You can use the Pixel 9 Pro Fold as a Tabletop Video Player, where you fold the screen like a laptop for hands-free viewing, which also provides video controls on the bottom half of the screen. 

• Another cool feature is that during Meet Calls, callers can see both the inner and outer screens, allowing them to view both you and whatever you’re looking at.
• During Live-translate, translations are displayed simultaneously on both the inner and outer screens, allowing both parties to see the translated text clearly and easily.

When fully unfolded, reading articles and watching videos on this large screen is generally great. However, many apps are still not optimised for this aspect ratio. For example, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram is still better on the external screen or in split-screen mode. Watching YouTube videos on the full screen also takes some getting used to, as the aspect ratio results in large black bars above and below the video and tapping on the comment section displays it as a narrow bar to the right of the video.

Camera Experience

The fold-exclusive features I mentioned above make the process of taking photos a lot more convenient and opens interesting possibilities. However, in terms of overall photo quality, I personally found the Pixel 9 Pro to deliver slightly better results. This doesn’t mean Fold’s camera is bad by any means — it still produces sharp, vibrant images with good dynamic range. However, the Pixel 9 Pro tends to produce more balanced colours and less contrast-heavy photos than the Fold’s. Night mode is also slightly better in the Pixel 9 Pro. Nonetheless, its image processing, especially at high zoom levels, remains undoubtedly world class. 

1x zoom (Left) and 20x zoom (Right):

Here are some sample photos I took with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold:  

Software Issues

TalkBack and Guided Frame 

Talk back is an accessibility feature that provides spoken feedback so you can use your device without looking at the screen. When you tap on an area of the screen, TalkBack will read out whatever you just tapped. You can double-tap to confirm that you want to activate/interact with whatever you just clicked. 

“Guided Frame” is a feature available to you after you activate TalkBack; basically, it’s supposed to verbally guide you to take better photos by telling you where to move to reframe the subject, warning you when there’s low light, and guiding you to find the best selfie angle. 

When I tried to use these features though, I wasn’t able to actually interact with anything on my screen. Every time I double-tapped, only TalkBack was activated, so it just kept reading out what I tapped instead of actually activating/interacting with it. I also couldn’t adjust the volume of the voice, and unlike Gemini’s voice—which has a more natural cadence and expression—the TalkBack voice still sounds robotic and somewhat monotone. I couldn’t even go to the home screen or swipe down to go to settings in order to turn this off, which was quite frustrating. Luckily, I was able to activate Gemini by holding the power button, and using voice command, asked Gemini to turn off Talkback. So overall, this wasn’t a great experience. 

Reddit Frozen on Split Screen Mode

I found that when using Split Screen, Reddit consistently gets frozen, not allowing me to click on anything or scroll, however the other app on the other screen works perfectly fine. This remains the same when I double tap the middle to flip sides; Reddit still remains frozen while the other app works fine. I couldn’t replicate this finding with other apps though, so it might just be a bug with Reddit specifically. 

Battery

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is said to offer over 24 hours of battery life, extending up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver. During my two weeks of testing, I found the battery life to be decent, especially given the relatively small 4,650 mAh capacity. It typically lasts a full day, but struggles under heavy use, which is understandable given that it powers essentially two screens plus an extra front display. Still, I found the battery experience to be slightly below the other Pixel phones released this year. 

Charging speeds are adequate, though not particularly fast (to be fair, I used a 27W charger instead of the 45W one). With my 27W charger, it takes over an hour to fully charge from 20%, and it reaches 20-80% in around 40 minutes. However, Google claims that its 45W USB-C charger (sold separately) provides fast charging, delivering hours of power in minutes.

Unfortunately, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold lacks Battery Share (reverse charging), and according to online reviews, the off-centre wireless charging coil can make wireless charging a bit tricky.

GOOGLE PIXEL 9 PRO FOLD REVIEW SUMMARY

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold represents a significant step forward in foldable technology, offering a unique blend of innovation and functionality. Its sleek design, powerful dual-screen capabilities, and advanced camera features make it a compelling option for tech enthusiasts and power users alike. The device excels in providing a versatile user experience, from its convenient tabletop mode for group shots to its immersive split-screen functionality for multitasking.

While the Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with a premium price tag, it delivers on many fronts, including its impressive display quality, robust build, and the integration of Google’s cutting-edge AI features. The foldable form factor opens up new possibilities for productivity and entertainment, making it an intriguing choice for those seeking a device that can seamlessly transition between smartphone and tablet functionality.

However, potential buyers should consider their specific needs and usage patterns before investing in this device. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s battery life and camera performance, while adequate, may not fully justify its high cost for all users. Additionally, some software optimisation issues and app compatibility concerns may require future updates to fully realise the device’s potential.

Ultimately, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold showcases the exciting future of mobile technology. For those willing to embrace its innovative design and can leverage its unique features, it offers a glimpse into the evolving landscape of smartphones, blending the best of Google’s software prowess with cutting-edge hardware.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold retails for A$2,699 and is available now from Google Store and retailers around Australia.

Disclosure: Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review sample was supplied for reviewing