Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold Is Finally A Foldable Worth Spending Your Money On

Just when you thought Google was going crazy for launching not one, but two Pixel 9 Pro models, Google went ahead and launched a third Pixel 9 Pro phone — the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. That's right, the Pixel Fold has officially joined the Pixel 9 Pro family, which is an interesting way to go. By incorporating the Pixel Fold into the Pixel 9 family, certain expectations are being set.

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Last year's Pixel Fold was a great device that had some flaws, including a really odd aspect ratio on both screens, and an abundance of weight. Google has addressed many of those flaws in this newer generation. It adopted a more traditional aspect ratio on the front and inside screens. Plus, it shaved about 30 grams off the weight, which is a welcome change. Most interestingly, Google claims that this is the thinnest foldable yet. I did not bring my caliper with me, but based on a few moments of going hands on, that may be a valid claim. So, here's what's new in Google's foldable.

Notably, everything you would get in a Pixel 9 Pro, you will get in a Pixel 9 Pro Fold. That means you get the 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB or 512 GB of storage. There is no 1TB version, which feels like a little bit of a miss with a phone this premium, but the storage indeed tops out at 512 GB.

The hardware is more comparable to the OnePlus Open in that it feels like a normal phone when closed, and has a much nicer aspect ratio when open. Last year's Fold had an odd 6:5 aspect ratio, which forced a lot of apps to freak out a little bit when you opened the device. Some apps could adapt to the landscape orientation, but most just hovered in the middle of the screen and you could move them from side-to-side. This is a much cleaner version of the UI, which is a definite win.

What isn't a win is the camera set on this phone. Remembering that we have not had the chance to properly test and evaluate the cameras, Google did not push any boundaries in that regard. The phone has a 50-megapixel main camera, a 10.5-megapixel Ultrawide camera with 127-degree field of view, a 10.8-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, and a 10-megapixel front-facing selfie camera.

This is a very similar set of cameras that came on the Pixel Fold — that isn't a bad thing. The Pixel Fold has a very nice set of cameras, but it's not really an upgrade over last year. Considering the cameras that the OnePlus Open brings to the table, these cameras are (likely) good, but not great. Of course, I have to caveat this because we haven't actually tested the cameras yet. From a sheer numbers perspective, I'd like to see more here.

I really hope Google proves me wrong and this phone is capable of delivering stellar shots, but only time will tell.

The similarities to the Pixel Pro extend to the software and AI features that are available, too. That includes the Add Me feature, which allows you to add the photograph taker to a group photo. It also includes the free year of Google One AI Premium, which is a nice add-on. The cameras are capable of all the same tricks, with the exception of the whole "phone is its own tripod" thing that foldables do. Basically, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a Pixel 9 Pro that unfolds into an 8-inch screen.

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That inside screen also takes the square shape of its contemporaries rather than the landscape view of the previous generation, and it's overall much better. I was not opposed to the previous form factor, but Google just didn't do anything with the landscape view except move an app to one side or the other. Maybe that's better for running two apps side-by-side, but that wasn't enough.

The folding Pixel needs to showcase what Android can do with the form factor, so it makes all the sense in the world that Google shifted over to what other manufacturers had settled on. This is a win; but it may be a loss for those who were hoping Google could do more, or just those who preferred the old form factor.

Google is also sticking with the same price tag as last year — $1,799; which is pricey for a phone, but at least it now undercuts Samsung by $100. Gone are the days when Pixels had to be cheap because they were serving as reference hardware for other manufacturers. Google is a mature hardware company now. I don't have any more of a problem with this price point than I do for any other foldable that wants to see itself at this price point — they're all too expensive. It's another reason why the OnePlus Open is my go-to recommendation for anyone curious about Android foldables.

As for this phone, Google made a lot of correct choices this time around. It officially brought the Fold into the Pixel 9 family, and it seems to be treating it as a participating member of Pixel society. Last year's Pixel Fold felt more like a "because we had to" device — this one slots very nicely into the whole lineup, and gives Google a more cohesive family of devices.