After what was a bit of a weird and staggered release cycle, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold arrived, joining the Pixel 9 series, Watch 3, and Buds Pro 2. This was one of the more highly anticipated launches of the year, and we couldn't be more thrilled with what Google has done.
One thing has been clear for a while now, and it's that despite being the second foldable from Google, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold looks practically nothing like its predecessor. Whether you're curious about the specs or wondering about availability, let's get into the nitty-gritty about this beast of a device.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Price and availability
Pricing for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold remains unchanged when compared to the original Pixel Fold. There are two different configurations available, as you can opt for either 256GB or 512GB of storage. We're looking at a starting price tag of $1,800 for the 256GB model, and you'll have to pay a bit more if you want to double the storage.
When it comes to availability, things are a bit weird this year. While the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL were released on August 22, the 9 Pro Fold and 9 Pro weren't available until September 4. Nevertheless, you can now either order one online or walk into your local carrier store to pick one up.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Design and displays
Google went back to the drawing board with the design of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and we aren't just talking about the camera housing. Instead of keeping with the unique passport-like design, the 9 Pro Fold feels like a much more modern device, drawing comparisons to the OnePlus Open.
The 9 Pro Fold is equipped with a 6.3-inch Actua Cover Screen, matching the size of the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro. Like the Pixel 9, this display features a variable refresh rate between 60-120Hz and is capable of reaching up to 2,700 nits of peak brightness.
When unfolded, we're presented with an 8-inch Super Actua Flex display, complete with a 120Hz variable refresh rate. It too offers the same peak brightness levels, aiming to ensure that you can always see what's on your screen, no matter where you are.
This was done in an effort to provide a more comfortable and familiar experience on a foldable phone. Instead of needing to worry about app developers adopting foldable-friendly form factors, these new screens bring about more traditional aspect ratios. This is especially true of the inner display when using apps in split-screen, as the apps naturally conform and show all of the content.
Something that Google is continuing to focus on is making its foldable phone as thin as possible. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold manages to hit the mark for being the slimmest in North America. It measures 5.1mm when unfolded, which is 0.5mm thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and 0.7mm thinner than the OnePlus Open. Even when closed, the 9 Pro Fold is just 2mm thicker than the Pixel 9 Pro, which is an impressive feat in its own right.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Specs and performance
After seeing what happened with the launch of the Pixel Fold with the Tensor G2, and the subsequent release of the Pixel 8 with the G3, we were hoping that Google wasn't going to make the same mistake again. Thankfully, that's not something we have to worry about, as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is powered by the same Tensor G4 found in the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup.
Paired with the G4, Google has included 16GB of RAM, along with either 256GB or 512GB of storage. Coming as no surprise, you're stuck with one storage option or the other, as there's no microSD card slot. On the bright side, you'll get 16GB of RAM with the 9 Pro Fold, regardless of how much storage you get.
We had high hopes for the Tensor G4, but as it turns out, this isn't as big of an upgrade as you might have wanted. Instead, Google has put more of its focus on the efficiency of the chip, while also ensuring a smooth and reliable AI experience. That being said, if you own the original Pixel Fold, there's a good chance you'll immediately notice an improvement in overall performance.
As for battery life, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a smaller battery than the original Pixel Fold. Google's latest foldable is equipped with a 4,650mAh battery while being rated to last for up to 24 hours on a single charge. Google even claims that you can get an incredible 72 hours of battery life when enabling Extreme Battery Saver.
While the smaller battery might be a bit disappointing, Google is countering this by vastly improving charging speeds. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold falls in line with its contemporaries, as it now supports up to 45W charging speeds. This is a great improvement over the 30W speeds found on last year's model.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Cameras
Leading up to the official launch, there's been a lot of talk about the redesigned camera housing for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It ditches the cyborg-like camera bar in favor of a square island. When asked about why this was done, Google put the focus on creating an ultra-slim foldable phone.
This is the same reason why we don't see much in the way of upgraded camera sensors. Within the new housing, we have a 48MP wide-angle camera, a 10.5MP ultrawide lens with a 127-degree FoV, and a 10.8MP telephoto lens. With the telephoto camera, the 9 Pro Fold offers 5x optical zoom, along with 20x Super Res Zoom. Meanwhile, both the front and inner selfie cameras are reliant upon 10MP lenses, with an 87-degree FoV.
Google is also introducing a few new AI-powered camera features for the Pixel 9 series. Made You Look will put animations on the screen, making it easier to get your little ones to actually look at the camera while you're lining up a photo. Add Me is a new feature meant to stop the photographer from feeling left out. After taking the initial photo, just ask someone else to take a picture of you with the same background, and your phone's AI will take care of the rest.
Generating images with AI can also be a lot of fun, but there hasn't been much in the way of applying edits to photos you've already taken. Thanks to Reimagine, you're able to pull up a picture, tap on a subject or area, write a prompt, and watch as your picture is transformed. The best part is, that you can keep doing this to the point that your original picture isn't even recognizable, which can be a lot of fun.
After debuting with the Pixel 8 Pro, Night Sight Video is also getting an upgrade with the Pixel 9 lineup. Thanks to the Tensor G4, you'll enjoy better and faster processing, without needing to make sacrifices in video quality.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Software
Before diving into the various features of the 9 Pro Fold's software, it's worth noting that this phone ships with Android 14, and not Android 15. The same rings true across the entire Pixel 9 lineup, marking the first time that Google has released a new phone without including the latest version of its software.
In mid-October, Google released the final version of Android 15, which also included the October Pixel Feature Drop. Now, you can also jump into the Android Beta Program, if you want to get a taste of what Google's cooking up for future releases on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
That oddity notwithstanding, Google still introduced a bunch of new software features across the board. There are a couple of new apps on board, such as Pixel Screenshots, which uses Gemini Nano to organize and surface information found within the images so you can reference them later.
Gemini itself is also getting an upgrade, as it can be invoked and will tell you information about the content on your screen. But the real exciting upgrade comes in the form of Gemini Live. Now, interacting with Gemini is more conversational, and much less robotic. There are also 10 different voices to choose from, adding another layer of personalization to an increasingly-personalized experience.
While we've been able to use the Gemini to create AI-generated images, the Pixel Studio app is to take that to the next level. It can be used to generate images based on text prompts, but thanks to the on-device AI model, Pixel Studio can do so much more.
In order to take advantage of these, and the many other AI-powered features, you'll need Gemini Advanced. Google is including one year of its Google One AI Premium subscription for free, after which you'll be looking at paying $20 per month. However, this also includes 2TB of storage, along with a few other great benefits, so it's probably something that will be worth keeping around.
Lastly, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will receive seven years of OS and security updates, just like the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup. However, it remains to be seen whether the Android 14 to Android 15 update will play a factor in whether the phone stops getting updates in 2031 or 2032.
