We go hands-on with the all new Google Pixel Fold.
Two-minute preview
I always thought that the next major foldable phone, the one that would turn heads away from Samsung’s valiant efforts to make folding devices a thing, would be from Apple.
It’s not, but Google Pixel Fold does at least have the potential to make the full-sized foldable smartphone as popular as your most expensive iPhone.
Google is possibly turning heads from other foldable challengers by making the folded phone wider than its nearest competitor, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, giving it an expansive, 5.8-inch outer screen. That might sound smaller than the 6.2-inch Galaxy Z fold 4 outside screen, but that’s the diagonal measurement. Measured width-wise, the Pixel fold is almost a half-inch wider. It does give the device a more traditional, if pint-sized, smartphone feel.
Also adding to Google Pixel Fold’s normcore feel is the surprising thinness of the device. Folded, it’s 12.1mm. Unfolded, it’s a svelte 5.8mm. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is, by contrast, 6.1mm.
Finally, the Pixel Fold comes closer to folding closed fully flat than previous foldables I’ve tried. In fact, at a glance, it reminded me of Microsoft’s Duo 2, though much less so once I got my hands on it. Of course, that device has two screens and not one 7.6-inch flexible OLED screen on the inside.
If some of the announcement thunder was stolen by Google pre-announcing the Pixel Fold in a series of teaser videos, including on lengthy NBA basketball watch party video that essentially showed off not only the look but many of the device’s best photo features (yes, it has Google’s Magic Eraser), the product is still something of a surprise in person.
From the back, the Pixel Fold shares some, but not all of the standard Pixel design aesthetic, but the more industrial-looking camera array is not the same. The Pixel Fold has 48MP, 10MP, and 10MP cameras, which compares well to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, though, again, the pixel counts are slightly lower. There is a more powerful inside camera on the Pixel Fold (8MP instead of the Galaxy Fold 4’s 4MP).
Obviously, the Pixel Fold is not just about the cameras. It’s also about how a pocketable phone that transforms into a tiny table can change your life.
The big screen enables multi-tasking and a wide range of core Google apps that’s been updated for the big screen. Google is working with third-party partners to ensure their apps also take full advantage of that display.
Having a wider screen on the front like a more traditional smartphone and another tablet-sized one on the inside also enables experiences like switching a video call from the front screen to the inside screen and taking selfies with the device’s best camera.
Similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 4, there’s a mode where you can keep the phone unfolded to 90 degrees, rest it on a table, and continue your video call.
Overall, the Pixel Fold is an important entry in the growing foldable space, but with an eye-popping price of $1,799 / £1,749 (at least you get a free pixel watch) and some unfortunate design and mechanics choices, this may not be foldable to rule them all.
To understand why, let’s dig into the details of my first hands-on with the Google Pixel Fold.Google Pixel Fold: Price and availability
12GB RAM / 256GB: $1,799 / £1,749
12GB RAM / 512GB: $1,919 / £1,869 (Obsidian, only)
Google unveiled its Google Pixel fold during its May 10 Google I/0 2023 developers conference keynote where it also unveiled its mid-range Google Pixel 7a Android phone, its Google Pixel Tablet and charging speaker dock, and a ton of AI technology.
The Pixel Fold is now available for pre-order. A ship date was not announced at the time of this writing. The Fold comes in two colors: Porcelain and Obsidian. We spent most of our brief hands-on time with a porcelain model.Google Pixel Fold: Design
Small and thin. A truly pocket-friendly foldable
Premium look and feel
A huge bezel around the big screen
Doesn’t automatically lie flat when unfolded
The first thing I noticed about Google’s Pixel Fold is that it’s far smaller than I imagined. I probably should’ve figured this out since the outside screen is essentially the same size as a 5.
