The dueling realities of Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold

For the past several days, I’ve been living in The Future™.

Well, okay — I guess it depends which version of The Future™ you want to use:

• There’s the hardware-centric definition we here in the land o’ Android have been eyeing for a while now, in which unusual phone forms (allegedly) guide us to staggering new levels of superhuman productivity.
• And then there’s the more recent software-centric vision of The Future™, where all sorts of heavily hyped AI sorcery (supposedly) sends us soaring to previously unimaginable heights.

Technically, I’ve been dwelling in both of those domains. But only one of them actually matters. (Sorry, AI sorcery.)

It’s all part of the wild adventure of living with Google’s shiny new Pixel 9 Pro Fold phone — better known to Android aficionados as the Pixel Fold 2, following last year’s first-ever foray into folding Pixel waters.

In case you don’t come to these quarters often, lemme tell ya: I’ve got a relatively unusual perspective on this relatively unusual Pixel experience. I’ve used Pixels since the very first model, way back in the prehistoric era of 2016, and I toted around an assortment of other Android devices before that (including more than my fair share of Google-made Nexus goodies). I spent tons of time with the first-gen Pixel Fold last year and had been living with the other new Pixel 9 devices prior to moving into this fresh new Fold — provided to me as a loaner from Google — two weeks ago.

And this latest folding Pixel journey, my fellow gadget explorer, has been a particularly enlightening experience — for two curiously competing reasons I find myself struggling to square.

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Let me explain.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold reality #1: The productivity power-up

First up is the positive side of using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold — and my goodness, is it a big one.

I won’t beat around the bush: This phone is fantastic. It’s a true treat to use, and once you get past the adjustment of working with such a different type of device, you’re bound to fall in love with the form and the many advantages it affords you.

What makes the Pixel 9 Pro Fold so exceptional is actually amusingly ironic — and that’s the fact that, for the most part, it feels more or less like using any regular ol’ Pixel.

In a sharp and immediately noticeable contrast to last year’s first-gen Pixel Fold (and an even more dramatic contrast to the most popular U.S. foldables of the moment, made by Samsung), using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in most day-to-day contexts really isn’t all that different from using its Pixel 9 Pro XL sibling. You have the same best-in-class, unmuddled Android software (and the same unmatched promise of timely and reliable ongoing updates for a full seven years to come) along with all the same Pixel-exclusive additions — everything from the game-changing Pixel calling features to the newer Call Notes system and the spectacular system-wide screenshot-connected reminder setup (which you can emulate on any Android device but in a far less simple and seamless way).

And, critically, the phone is almost identical in size to its non-folding counterpart — all the way down to the screen on its outer surface. This is in large part due to the refinements Google made from the first-gen Pixel Fold to this current model, which brought it from being a rather short and squat (and more than a little chunky) square fella to boasting a far more typical-feeling elongated rectangle form.

JR Raphael, IDG

Make no mistake about it: That outer display is almost certainly how you’ll be interacting with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold most of the time. I’d say it’s at least 95%, for me — maybe even more, on some days. And from that perspective, using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is virtually no different from using any other current Pixel. (That’s a good thing!)

Where the Fold differs from those other Pixels, of course, is with the extra option it gives you to unfold it and enjoy the spacious 8″ tablet that awaits within. That’ll likely make up a small minority of your time using the device, but when the right sorts of moments arise, you’d better believe that matters.

JR Raphael, IDG

In short, that possibility strips away many of the standard limitations of using a phone-sized device and gives you a more desktop-like computing experience — which, suffice it to say, can be a massive asset when it comes to work-oriented, productivity-centric tasks.

For instance:

• You can view two apps side by side, on-screen together and at their full regular sizes, and then interact with ’em at the same time — even dragging and dropping text or images between ’em in certain scenarios.
  • I’ve used this to do things like look at a note in Google Keep while working on a related email or document — or glance through a web page while simultaneously working with an email or document.
• You can also summon a splendid floating taskbar that makes it delightfully easy to switch between apps and multitask when in that folded-out form. This was my favorite part of the original Pixel Fold experience, and it remains every bit as much of a highlight in this new second-gen version of the device.
  • The taskbar not only lets you move between apps with ease — it also empowers you to tap into that so often underutilized Android split-screen system that’s especially advantageous in this larger-screen environment. All you’ve gotta do is press and hold any icon from that area and then drag it up into either side of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s screen to open the app alongside whatever else you were already using.

JR Raphael, IDG

It’s smart, simple, and almost painfully sensible. My only complaint is that the same option isn’t available on the Fold’s outer display — or on any other regularly sized Android phone, where it’d be every bit as useful and appreciated.

Beyond those types of tasks, the Fold’s inner display is nice for moments when you simply want to lean back and have more space for anything you’re doing — be it reading on the web or within an app, catching up on newsletters inside your inbox, or scrolling through photos in your gallery collection. It’s also a pleasant way to view videos in a larger size or view videos while you’re simultaneously working on something in an almost laptop-like setup.

JR Raphael, IDG

Again, this isn’t stuff you’re likely to be doing all the time or even necessarily often. But when the need or desire arises, it really is a welcome advantage to be able to pop your phone open and make the most of that added space — and since the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is otherwise so similar to a standard smartphone experience, it’s an advantage you can enjoy without too many downsides (something that certainly hasn’t been the case with most foldables up ’til now).

That being said, you do give some things up in order to gain that advantage — and that’s where those dueling realities come into play.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold reality #2: The back-to-normal relief

For all the positives of living with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold — and there absolutely are a lot of ’em! — I’ve gotta be honest: I’ve found myself slightly relieved when I move back to the regular Pixel 9 Pro XL after an extended period of relying entirely on the Fold in my day-to-day escapades.

In some ways, it’s a difficult sensation to quantify. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold really is just barely thicker than the regular Pixel 9 models. By all counts, the practical impact should be negligible.

JR Raphael, IDG

And yet, there’s a definite difference in what it’s like to hold, carry, and use the Fold compared to the more traditional Pixel 9 model. It’s heavier. It feels different in your hand. And its outer display — the one you look at most often — isn’t quite as spacious, sharp, or pleasant on the eyes as what you get with the Pixel 9 Pro XL.

JR Raphael, IDG

It’s a subtle distinction, without a doubt. But it’s one I very much find myself noticing in going back and forth between the devices.

Beyond that, you also sacrifice a certain amount of camera quality with the Fold compared to the regular Pixel 9 Pro. I wouldn’t let yourself get weighed down with the nitty-gritty of the numbers behind the technology, but the Fold’s camera setup is definitely a slight step down from what the other Pixel 9 Pro models are a-packin’.

That being said, I don’t think it’ll be much of a realistic issue for most people — outside of anyone who’s extremely focused on the nuances of camera quality or who’s putting photos under the microscope to seek out and study the differences.

Here, for example, are some photos I took on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold during a quick trip to Chicago last week. They’re straight from the phone’s camera, without any editing or post-capture adjustments. The final photo uses the Fold’s telephoto lens for some serious zooming action. (Bonus points if you can identify the band!)

JR Raphael, IDG

JR Raphael, IDG

JR Raphael, IDG

JR Raphael, IDG

So, yeah: The image quality here is generally quite solid, and I really don’t think most folks will be left wanting for anything when it comes to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s photo prowess.

But still, there’s no denying it’s a step behind the regular Pixel 9 Pro when you tune in closely to the details. And the same can be said for the phone’s front-facing selfie cameras, which are significantly behind the regular 9 Pro’s upgraded lenses in that area.

Beyond that, the Fold model of the Pixel 9 Pro omits the thermometer built into the other Pixel 9 Pro models — an element that seemed silly when it first debuted with last year’s Pixel 8 series but that’s since grown into a genuinely useful addition and something I very much value, now that it supports actual human temperature-taking (hello, my fellow parents!).

And, of course, the Pixel 9 Pro comes at a literal cost — $700 more than you’d pay for the base-level regular 9 Pro XL model, at $1,800 compared to $1,100 for the Pixel 9 Pro XL (which is most similar in size; if you went with the smaller Pixel 9 Pro, you’d be looking at $1,000 instead).

Last but not least, while I certainly haven’t had any causes for concern in my limited time with the phone so far, there’s no getting around the fact that a folding screen raises more questions around durability than what you’d face with a standard phone display — and while the technology has already come a long way in its relatively short existence, it stands to reason that a folding phone may (a) be more likely to fail or incur damage during the time that you’re using it and (b) have a shorter lifespan in general, compared to a phone with fewer moving parts and a non-bending screen.

Again, I’ve seen no real cause for concern so far, and reports from the first-gen Pixel Fold over the past year are encouraging. But I’d be remiss not to at least mention this as a factor to keep in mind when considering the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and how it might (or might not) fit into your life, particularly if you plan to hang onto the thing for more than a few years.

So, how do we put these competing views together — and is the Pixel 9 Pro Fold the right phone for you?

I wish I had an easy universal answer. But ultimately, it all comes down to your personal priorities and what sort of smartphone experience you’re looking to have. Specifically…

The Pixel 9: To Fold or not to Fold?

If someone were asking me if they should buy the Pixel 9 Pro Fold today, I would give them three key nuggets to chew over:

1. The Fold truly is a fantastic phone.
2. It offers up an experience like no other, with all the standard Google Pixel advantages and some useful, interesting, and extraordinarily enjoyable new twists provided by the thoughtful folding form. No exaggeration: It’ll be the most fun and exciting phone you’ve purchased in ages, and especially if you find yourself tending to work-related tidbits on the go throughout your days, it’ll make your life easier in some very meaningful ways.
3. It’ll also, however, cost you — both in terms of the extra dollars you’ll pay for the privilege of owning such a cutting-edge device and as far as the minor but not entirely insignificant sacrifices you’ll make when it comes to factors like comfort, camera and display quality, and the presence of an on-demand thermometer (if that holds any manner of appeal for you).

All in all, then, I’d say this:

• For most high-end phone buyers right now, the Pixel 9 Pro or Pixel 9 Pro XL is the real sweet spot — with a phenomenal all-around experience and a balance of cost and convenience. Those are the go-to devices I’d suggest most people looking for a premium, best-in-class Android experience consider most closely (with the preference for a smaller or larger phone being the only real difference between ’em).
• But for anyone who likes the idea of having a tablet-like add-on and all the associated productivity perks that gives you — even just for the five to 10% of the time that you’re realistically likely to be taking advantage of ’em — the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is an awesome option that you won’t regret investing in, provided you can justify the cost and aren’t overly bothered by the drawbacks.
• And finally, for anyone who already owns a first-gen Pixel Fold, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is 100% worth the upgrade. It’s thinner, lighter, and even more usable in both its folded-up form and its folded-out configuration — thanks to those larger screens in both places. It sports some substantial upgrades in the areas of performance and charging (though, annoyingly, changes to its internal design mean it won’t work with Google’s previous Pixel Stand wireless chargers). And it comes with the now-standard seven-year Pixel software upgrade promise, whereas the first-gen Pixel Fold was at the tail end of the three-year upgrade guarantee era.

Ultimately, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is such an unusual kind of device that it’s impossible to say it’s the right phone for everyone. It just isn’t that kind of device — and, in a sense, it isn’t meant to be a phone for everyone, by design.

But it’s a remarkable product through and through and a business-ready, productivity-boosting powerhouse you’ll absolutely appreciate — if the idea of a refined phone-tablet combo feels like the right fit for you.

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