Google Pixel Fold one year later: I can’t wait for the sequel

It wasn’t until I tried the Pixel Fold that I became interested in the foldable smartphone era. For one, the selection of foldable phones in the U.S. is quite limited compared to China. And the external displays on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series are too narrow and never fit my large hands. So when Google launched a chunky, passport-shaped folding phone, it immediately piqued my interest.

I’ve used Pixels for years, so I know Google’s strengths and weaknesses very well. The software is clean, you get some really handy pixel-only features (the Recorder app is a blessing at work), and the camera performance is unmatched – at least for still photography. But on the other hand, performance can never match Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon chips, and these devices tend to run a little hot and sometimes exhibit strange hardware quirks. (Did you know that every Pixel 8 and 8 Pro has a tiny bump underneath the display that’s only visible in the right light? Now you know.)

Going into the Pixel Fold, I knew there would be additional trade-offs. Foldable phones are heavy. Their cameras are not up to par with the best traditional phones. After a few years in this form factor, they’re often still very expensive. Samsung and Motorola offer less expensive clamshell versions, but if you’re a Pixel fan, you’re not so lucky.

However, the Pixel Fold took little time to overcome these collective shortcomings. It’s far from a perfect gadget, but it’s a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. I grew to like the first-generation Pixel Fold, but there were some annoying issues that I hope are corrected in the upcoming Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

One of the first things I learned is that when you have enough phone on the outside, you don’t turn on the internal display as much as you think – at least not until the honeymoon period is over. The Fold’s external screen is perfect for most of what I do with my smartphone. I usually expand it when I want to watch YouTube, Netflix, or check the news new york times Apps. Sure, I sometimes work on two apps at the same time — Google makes the workflow easier with software updates — but it’s not that often. I still mainly use large canvases to focus on one thing at a time, although it’s more immersive.

My main complaint with the Pixel Fold from day one has been its display brightness—or lack thereof. Just months after its release last year, the $1,700 device was overshadowed by the significantly more affordable Pixel 8 series and Google’s new Actua/Super Actua displays. They get very bright and can be used outdoors without any hassle. While using the Fold, I kept cranking the brightness slider up above 80%, which did no good for battery life. It can be difficult to see this phone in bright sunlight, and the highly reflective inner screen only makes it worse.

If there’s one weakness that I’m relatively confident Google can address the second time around, it’s lack of popularity. All signs point to the company bringing its latest (and brightest) display technology to its second-generation foldables.

Another key improvement I’d like to see is a lighter frame. The Pixel Fold is a very bulky phone, even for me, who’s 6-foot-1 with large hands, and it becomes difficult to hold over time.

I didn’t expect the Pixel Fold’s battery life to do wonders. Is it fair to expect this from any foldable device? Additionally, Google’s Tensor chips have never been known for their efficiency. But even in the days when big displays serve almost no purpose, the Fold… wonderful. I don’t always have a lot of battery left when I get home from a long day, but the phone almost always makes the cut. Like other Pixels, the Fold sometimes charges at a snail’s pace when you’re actively using it while plugged in. This is to be expected when objecting to one.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is rumored to be moving in the direction of the OnePlus Open, with a taller design. You basically get a regular phone out there. This means the aspect ratio of the internal display changes as well, which is a good thing because I found many apps had black bars on the sides when I opened the Fold. This is Android, so you really can’t expect developers to adopt separate devices quickly. Google eventually added an option in the software to force apps to go full screen, but the 9 Pro Fold’s new size should theoretically mean more apps will do this by default.

many apps Do Plays well with folding. Editing photos from a mirrorless camera in Adobe Lightroom is a great experience from the start – even if the device sometimes gets a little warm while doing so. If I’m not traveling with my iPad, this is the next best option for making some adjustments on the go.

I used two Fold review units last year, and neither of them broke or had any catastrophic screen issues. But not everyone is so lucky, and repairing or replacing any foldable device under warranty can be a test. It’s inevitable that the smooth camera strip will show wear and tear, and so will the scratches on the soft internal display. But they’re also easily forgettable when the screen is on – just like the crease.

The speakers on this $1,700 phone are decidedly mid-range. They were stunned by Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra and Google’s own Pixel 8 Pro. Give me something more glamorous, Google. please!

The Pixel Fold’s camera gets the job done. As Alison wrote in her review, they are reliable. But they’re also nothing to write home about. Google’s computational photography wizardry can help spruce up your photos, but you’re using a smaller sensor than your average flagship phone, and the software can’t quite make up for that.

Google will announce the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (and more) at an event on August 13th. The performance of the first Pixel Fold was enough to make me a believer in foldable devices. Now, the company just needs to prove that it can take that potential and versatility to the next level—and hopefully the screen brightness, too.

Photography: Chris Welch/The Verge