Google has managed to implement the foldable model in its second attempt, creating a slightly thicker Pixel 9 Pro that folds open to reveal a large 8-inch tablet display inside, beating Samsung to the punch.

Compared to past efforts, from the squat and thick, passport-shaped Pixel Fold to Samsung’s many long and thin Galaxy Z Folds, the new Pixel’s simple form feels so familiar and easy to use that you may wonder why it took so long for anyone to try it out.

While it might seem odd to price a cutting-edge gadget costing £1,749 (€1,899/$1,799/A$2,699) as being as close to a “normal” phone as it can possibly be for half the price, the shape and size of the internal screens of the various foldable phones have never been an issue. Instead, the closed form factor has always felt like a huge compromise – until now.

Smaller rivals like the OnePlus Open and Honor’s Magic V series come close, but the Pixel takes the cake. You can simply forget this is anything more than a slightly heavy, run-of-the-mill 6.3-inch phone and get on with your day, until you need that gorgeous 8-inch tablet screen inside.

The tablet’s square shape makes it ideal for using two apps side-by-side, but less suitable for widescreen video, which requires large black bars at the top and bottom. The crease required to fold the screen in the middle is less noticeable than on previous versions, but it’s still a compromise common to all folding screens, along with their softer, less durable materials. Otherwise, the screen is bright and smooth, rivaling the best on the market, with a very high brightness that makes outdoor use much easier than on previous versions.

The Fold has the Tensor G4 chip and 16GB of RAM found on the other Pixel 9 Pros, and performs similarly. It’s snappy to use, and can handle two apps on screen comfortably, but it’s still not quite the raw performance of Android rivals powered by Qualcomm’s best chips.

Battery life varies more than a regular phone due to the dual screens, but the Fold lasts about 40 hours if you charge it every other day. That’s less than Samsung’s best, but eight hours longer than the original Pixel Fold. A full charge takes about 97 minutes with a 45W USB-C charger (not included).

Specifications

• Outside screen: 6.3 inch FHD+ 120 Hz OLED (422 ppi)

• Inner screen: 8 inch 120 Hz OLED display (373 ppi)

• Processor: Google Tensor G4

• RAM: 16GB

• Storage: 256 or 512 GB

• Operating system: Android 14

• Camera: 48 MP wide, 10.5 MP ultra-wide, 10.8 MP 5x telephoto; dual 10 MP selfie cameras

• Connectivity: 5G, e-SIM, USB-C, WiFi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, UWB, GNSS

• Water resistance: IPX8 (1.5 meters for 30 minutes)

• Dimensions folded: 155.2 x 77.1 x 10.5 mm

• Dimensions unfolded: 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.1 mm

• Weight: 257 grams

AI multitasking

The Fold comes with Android 14 and seven years of software support, including an upgrade to Android 15 in the fall, putting it on par with rival Samsung.

The big new additions to the Pixel phones this year are all AI-powered. The new Gemini Live experience is the pinnacle for fully conversational experiences, allowing for fluid back-and-forth discussions like suggesting podium finishes, or the best parkruns near you for personal bests. The required £19-a-month Gemini Advanced subscription is included with the phone for a year.

The Fold can run the Gemini app alongside another app, so you can have full conversations with Google while you do something else, like generating images in the Pixel Studio app or searching for tickets in the AI ​​Screenshots app.

Google Photos’ Magic Editor, which lets you reshape or completely re-edit a photo or insert objects using text prompts, is also easy to use on the large interior screen.

Google takes a simpler approach to multitasking on the tablet screen than competitors: only two apps can run on the screen at a time.

A new option that lets you continue what you were doing in an app on the inner screen when you close the phone by swiping up on the outer screen works well. Pairs of split-screen apps can be saved as an icon on the home screen for instant access, while apps can be resized to better fit the tablet’s display. Many more apps have also been optimized for the larger screen, including some games.

But there are still many apps that open as basic stretched phone versions, which don’t look or work great on the large square screen. Others require you to rotate the screen to get them to show their tablet versions as well. It’s a common problem that Android has yet to fix.

Camera

The new Fold’s camera setup is similar to its predecessor: three cameras on the back, a 10MP selfie camera in the outer display and another one in the inner display. Both selfie cameras are pretty good, but will primarily be used for video calling, as the main cameras can be used for selfies and are much better.

The 48MP main camera takes great photos in various lighting conditions, the 10.5MP ultra-wide is solid, and the 10.8MP 5x telephoto remains unmatched on a foldable. All three cameras are on par, but not quite as good as those on Google’s non-foldable 9 Pro phones, with the 5x camera being softer on detail, particularly in low light. But the Fold still makes the most of difficult photos, beating out all other foldable phones.

It also has plenty of modes to play with, including macro photography for close-up shots and the ability to shoot with the camera open or closed. New this year is the Add Me group photography feature from the standard 9 Pro, along with a host of AI-assisted features.

The most interesting addition is the Made You Look feature, which displays a variety of animated characters on the outdoor screen while you’re taking a photo to grab the attention of kids or pets. It’s a clever and useful feature that solves a real problem, but it uses the outdoor screen’s selfie camera, so it’s best used in bright light.

Sustainability

Google doesn’t give a battery life expectancy, but it should last over 500 full charge cycles at at least 80% of its original capacity. The phone is repairable by Google and third-party shops, with genuine replacement parts available through iFixit. Internal screen repairs cost upwards of £550.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is made from at least 18% recycled materials, including recycled aluminum, plastic, rare earth metals and tin. The company analyzes the phone’s environmental impact in its report. Google will recycle old devices for free.

Price

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at £1,749 (€1,899/$1,799/A$2,699).

For comparison, the Pixel 9 Pro costs £999, the Pixel 9 Pro XL costs £1,099, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 costs £1,799, the OnePlus Open costs £1,499 and the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max costs £1,199.

Pronunciation

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the best hybrid foldable phone-tablet design yet, and is a huge leap forward from its predecessor.

The shape and size are so close to a regular phone that it feels so natural to use it for messaging and other normal things. When you close it, you almost forget that you have the Pixel open. That is not the case with all other competitors.

When you open it up, you’ll see the great inner screen, which is super bright for easier outdoor use. The square shape makes it ideal for using two apps side by side, which is especially useful when using AI apps alongside a web browser or messaging app.

The fingerprint scanner in the power button and 2D face unlock are fast and accurate. Battery life is solid and it feels snappy to use. The cameras are class-leading, even if not quite as good as those on Google’s best regular phone.

The Pixel is still a little heavier than ideal and has the compromises inherent to all foldables, such as a lack of dust resistance and a fragile internal display with a big question mark over its long-term durability. Taking out accidental damage insurance might be a good idea.

It’s also extremely expensive. But if you can stomach the price, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the book-style foldable to buy.

Advantages: a phone and tablet in one, just like a normal large phone when closed, great tablet screen, good performance, solid battery life, industry leading cameras with 5x zoom, water resistant, packed with AI and Gemini Advanced included for one, seven years of software updates.

Disadvantages: extremely expensive, much more fragile and expensive to repair than a regular device, not dust resistant, heavier than a normal phone, 2D facial recognition is not as secure as Face ID, less powerful features than the competition.