The evolution of the mobile phone is quite fascinating. What started as an invention to make cellular technology as compact as possible has seen a shift to smarter and “bigger is better.” At first that simply meant bigger screens but now technology has advanced to allow companies to do all sorts of wild things, like foldable screens.
Enter the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google’s second iteration of its foldable smartphone and the first to hit the Australian market. This time around, Google has overhauled the design and like Google’s other Pixel 9 devices, the Pro Fold harnesses the power of the Tensor G4 chip alongside 16GB of RAM (and either 256GB or 512GB of storage) to allow AI to be the driving force of the software experience, led by Gemini, Google’s new assistant that lets you ask it almost anything, such as recipes, tips on how to change a tyre or the best way to wash your white clothing, and gives you useful answers instantly. When it comes to general performance, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold handled everything I threw at it well, including gaming. A bigger phone also means that your battery will drain faster, but if you stick to normal usage, you should be able to get a day out of a full charge.
Folds in all the right places
For a premium price you want a premium design, and the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold certainly holds up its end of the bargain with a weighty and thin design that looks the goods and feels sturdy. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is only available in Obsidian and Porcelain, so if you’re looking for something a little more colourful you might have to look for a third-party case to give it some flavour. The rounded design of the screen may not be to everyone’s taste but I prefer it to square corners, so Google has got my tick of approval there.
The biggest question I have about foldable phones is their durability. Google has said that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is more durable than ever, but there’s still doubt in the back of my mind about just how much it can sustain before issues occur. It’s got an IPX8 rating which means it can handle some water but lacks dust resistance due to its hinges, so I’d still be careful, especially when hanging out at the beach or doing the gardening.
One of the Pixel Pro’s boons is its gorgeously smooth and responsive screen, and Google has treated the Pixel 9 Pro Fold users to the same viewing experience. The foldable screen gives the user an 8-inch Super Actua Flex OLED display with a 2076×2152 resolution, 3700 nits of brightness and 1–120Hz. It’s not quite as bright as the Pixel 9 Pro, but it’s still smooth to use and performs well in bright environments. Anyone buying a foldable phone is chasing more screen real estate, and the Pro Fold’s display is excellent for watching videos (even if they don’t fill the screen), playing games and editing photos. Owners can also choose to split their screen with two apps, which can be handy for those who like to multitask, such as watching a video and writing about it on the go.
One thing I have always wondered about with fold phones is how prominent the middle line is on the screen. Impressively, it’s barely noticeable here, although I am sure that natural wear and tear will see it show up slightly over time.
The internal screen is impressive
Concessions have been made with the external screen, which is the same 6.3-inch Actua OLED Display in the Pixel 9. While it has solid brightness with a peak of 2700 nits, it only has a range of 60–120Hz compared to the internal screen’s 1–120Hz range. It’s a very minor difference, but still, with the Pro labelling, you’ve got to wonder why. Regardless, it’s still a nice screen and gives great performance.
Where the Pro Fold does sit behind its Pixel 9 counterparts is in the camera department, an odd thing to write for a smartphone that is nearly $3k and one that has been given the Pro branding. Still, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is no slouch and still captures excellent imagery with its 48MP Octa PD wide camera, 10.5MP Dual PD ultrawide camera and 10.8MP Quad PD telephoto camera system, so you’re not losing out too much.
One of the camera features exclusive to the Fold is Made You Look, which displays a picture on the front screen to catch people’s (mainly children’s) attention, which is a cool addition and one that will likely work well (I only used it on my partner, successfully though). Another is Dual Screen, which duplicates the main screen on the external screen for posers to check themselves out before being snapped, and being able to use the rear camera to take a selfie is a great feature given the selfie camera isn’t the greatest.
Made You Look
Like other members of the Pixel 9 family, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will receive seven years of OS support, which is great, and you’ll also get a year’s subscription to Gemini Advanced included. So at least you’re getting some bang for your buck on the support side.
Final Thoughts
Despite all of its grandeur, the biggest question for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, at $2699, is why doesn’t it have parity with the Pixel Pro 9 XL? Sure the extra display space comes at a cost, but if you’re spending the amount of money Google is asking, you want all the bells and whistles. Taking the price out of it for a moment, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a great piece of hardware that will certainly appeal to those who yearn for the phablet days to return. A striking internal screen, solid and thin design and solid performance does soften the blow of the cost, but it’s still hard to justify spending that much on a smartphone.
Review unit supplied by the manufacturer
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