Pixel 9 Pro Fold One Year Later: Google’s Two-Gen Leap to Rival Samsung’s Foldables

Pixel 9 Pro Fold one year later: How Google caught up to Samsung in just two generations

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold quickly became one of my favorite devices of 2024, even earning a spot on our list of the year’s biggest winners. It wasn’t just a strong rival to Samsung’s established Galaxy Z Fold series; its smart, straightforward design proved that simplicity often wins. The best approach for a foldable, it turns out, is to make it feel like a regular phone that just happens to unfold into a large, flexible display.

After nearly a year with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (or P9PF for short), I wanted to revisit it. This re-review reflects on how it’s held up after 11 months of daily use and what Google could refine for the next model.

Design and features
Google made a brilliant move when it changed the Pixel Fold’s original short, squat shape for its second foldable phone. By making the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s outer display the same size as a standard Pixel 9, they eliminated any awkwardness when you just need to quickly text, check maps, or scroll social media. The trade-off is that when unfolded, the internal display has a nearly square aspect ratio, which isn’t ideal for movies. However, at eight inches across, the P9PF still boasts one of the largest flexible panels available, so screen real estate isn’t an issue. For games, comics, or ebooks, it’s arguably even better. If foldables ever drop in price, they could easily eliminate the market for small tablets (under nine inches) overnight.

What’s more, unlike some of Samsung’s foldables, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold didn’t compromise on camera quality or features. It includes a 5x optical zoom lens, just like the standard Pixel 9 Pro. While its main sensor isn’t identical, you’d be hard-pressed to notice a difference without pixel-peeping side-by-side. Plus, unique foldable-specific tools like “Look at Me” and “Add Me” add to the fun.

While Google’s Tensor G4 chip isn’t as powerful as equivalent Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, it’s been more than fast enough for everything I’ve thrown at it, short of heavy video editing or the most graphically demanding games. I still believe foldable phones are the best devices for mobile trading card games like Marvel Snap or Pokémon TCG Pocket. Having a large screen that can instantly appear or disappear is perfect for quick, few-minute matches, letting you squeeze in a round anywhere, anytime.

Durability
I’m not a fan of phone cases, even for foldables. While foldables are generally more delicate than typical smartphones, the added bulk of most cases is simply annoying. Plus, in recent years, most foldables have become tough enough to handle everyday bumps and drops. Unless you’re regularly burying your phone in sand or dropping it on concrete, my experience with previous foldables (from both Samsung and Google) has given me confidence in their overall durability.

That said, I did make a small adjustment for the P9PF. Instead of a bulky case, I applied a Dbrand skin (purchased myself) to provide a minimal layer of protection on the back. Yes, there are still several scratches and dings on its frame and front screen, but that was part of the experiment. I wanted to see how Google’s second-gen foldable would fare with minimal protection, and this phone has likely endured more abuse than any device I’ve owned to date.

Fun fact: I shot and edited the review photos for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold just an hour before heading to the hospital for the birth of my daughter. Since then, the P9PF has been spit up on, crawled on, walked on by my three-year-old son, and fallen out of my pocket during bathtime countless times. For the most part, it’s shrugged off these hits like a boxer with an iron chin.

If maximizing resale value is your top priority, you might want more substantial protection. For most others, a skin and a screen protector for the outer display are all you really need. My Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s inner screen remains pristine after nearly a year. It has a crease, but if that bothers you, foldables might not be for you, at least not yet. The other blemishes aren’t distracting enough to lessen the P9PF’s enjoyment, though everyone’s tolerance is different.

Potential concerns
One potential issue that’s surfaced in the past couple of weeks is the phone occasionally taking longer to activate the inner display after opening it. It’s not constant, and it usually resolves itself in a few seconds or with a couple of taps. Additionally, sometimes the SIM card stops working, which can be fixed by resetting the Pixel’s internet connections.

I haven’t been able to confirm if this is due to a software update (like a recent Android patch) or a loose internal component (perhaps a shaky display cable). However, it sounds very similar to a Reddit thread I saw recently. The owner of that P9PF reportedly takes much better care of their phone than I do, suggesting the cause might be related to build quality or its underlying design rather than simple wear and tear. Regardless, if you own a Pixel 9 Pro Fold and have experienced this issue, please let me know so I can investigate further.

Future outlook
Even with a potential service call looming for my Pixel 9 Pro Fold, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with it over the last year. Combining a larger flexible screen with top-tier cameras and a simple yet highly effective design is a winning formula for a modern foldable. While I don’t expect a complete redesign this year after the significant leap from the original Pixel Fold, if Google can refine small details like the somewhat awkward top-left corner of its outer display, boost durability, and perhaps increase battery capacity, alongside its usual yearly AI enhancements, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold could be a very strong successor.

However, with the arrival of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Google has some work to do. I’m eager to see what the next foldable Pixel brings (and hopefully the OnePlus Open 2 as well) before deciding which phone I’ll use for the coming year. Unless Google or OnePlus can match the exquisite thinness, excellent performance, and improved battery life of Samsung’s latest flagship, I feel like I’ll be doing the gadget version of the “distracted boyfriend meme” every time I pick up a noticeably thicker competitor. That said, Google’s software and superior cameras might just pull me back in.

Perhaps the most impressive takeaway is that in just two generations, the Pixel Fold line has almost completely caught up to the latest Z Fold, with a real chance to pull ahead soon. And for anyone considering a foldable phone—whether it’s their first, second, or fourth—that kind of competition is exactly what we need to see.