Foldable phones have really come a long way. I still remember when the original Galaxy Z Fold launched. It had that tiny cover screen and a bulky body, but the overall form factor felt like something we’d never seen before. Fast-forward five years, and foldables now come in all shapes and sizes, with some models as slim as regular smartphones.
That said, we still don’t get all those flashy foldables in the US. The market is fairly limited, and only a handful of foldables are officially available. But among the ones we do have, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold stands out. Here are 7 reasons why I’d pick the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold over any other foldable phone, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
7
It looks like a regular phone when folded
No weird dimensions or chunky foldable vibes
Book-style foldable phones are great because they offer a large cover display that lets you do regular smartphone tasks easily. But when you need a bigger screen for multitasking or watching videos, you can just open the inner foldable display and get it done. However, many foldables use different aspect ratios.
One issue with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is that its outer screen feels too tall and not wide enough. While it has a large 6.3-inch display, the 22.1:9 aspect ratio makes it taller than most regular smartphone screens.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, on the other hand, delivers the right balance. It also has a 6.3-inch cover display but with a 20:9 ratio, just like most modern smartphones. That means I can type comfortably on the cover screen, use it like a regular phone, and apps scale as they should.
Having a full smartphone experience on the front with the option to unfold into a larger tablet-like display is the best of both worlds, but that bigger screen shouldn’t come at the cost of usability when closed. That’s the case with many foldables on the market, but not with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
6
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the thinnest foldable you can buy in the US
And it’s still surprisingly durable for daily use
Foldable phones have moving parts, and the added components often lead to compromises in thickness. Samsung still hasn’t managed to bring its foldable below 12mm, but the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is just 10.5mm thick when closed, which is pretty close to the thickness of quite a lot of flagship phones today. Yes, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is not as thin as some options in South Asian markets, but it’s the thinnest foldable available in the US.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold also has an IPX8 rating, meaning it’s water-resistant enough that I don’t worry about using it in the shower to listen to music or by the pool, wondering if water will ruin my $1,800 foldable.
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5
The inner display is big, bright, and beautiful
Plenty of room to multitask, stream, or get work done
One of the issues with the original Pixel Fold was its inner screen. It had large bezels on the top and bottom, and the display didn’t get bright enough, making sunlight visibility a bit of a problem. Thankfully, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold fixes all of that.
Not only is the inner foldable display larger at 8 inches with uniform bezels on all the sides, but it also gets much brighter. This display can go up to 1600 nits in high-brightness mode and a whopping 2700 nits when playing HDR10+ content. This makes the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s screen much easier to see and read, even in broad daylight. Plus, you get extras like a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and a decently high pixel density.
4
You get faster and longer Android updates than any other foldable
Google leads the pack with Android version support
One of the best things about owning a Pixel phone is knowing you’re always first in line when it comes to Android updates, and the same goes for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It launched with Android 14 out of the box and was one of the first devices to receive the Android 15 update. On top of that, Google is offering up to 7 years of OS updates, meaning it’s covered through Android 21 (or whatever Google ends up calling it).
As someone who genuinely loves Android and all the new features that come with each release, I absolutely hate waiting around for updates — especially when I know the stable build is already out on AOSP. While companies like Samsung are still dragging their feet with One UI 7 (Android 15), which isn’t coming until at least another month, I don’t have to deal with that kind of delay on a Pixel.
3
Pixel’s AI software experience is unmatched
Google packs in a lot of AI tools that are actually worth using
Google started packing AI features into the Pixel lineup with the Pixel 6 series, and with the latest Pixel 9 series, the company has taken things up a notch. There are now so many AI features throughout the phone that almost every corner has something interesting to offer.
While other foldable phones also come with plenty of AI tools, some of Google’s exclusive Pixel AI features, like Hold for Me, Add Me in the Camera app, and Pixel Screenshots are incredibly handy. These features are only available on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and not on any other foldable phone right now.
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2
It’s actually a bit cheaper than the rest
$100 isn’t much, but it’s still something
Foldables have been around for a while now, but book-style foldables still come at a serious premium. So when you can save a little, it’s still something. While Samsung’s latest competitor starts at $1,899, Google has kept the Pixel 9 Pro Fold at $1,799, making it a bit cheaper than the rest.
Sure, the $100 difference isn’t game-changing, but I can put that towards buying a charging adapter (which still isn’t included in the box), a new pair of wireless earbuds, or just some nice cases.
1
A full year of Gemini Advanced for free
A year of AI perks and cloud storage at no extra cost
Not only is Google’s foldable slightly cheaper than the competition, but it also offers more value for what you pay. All Pixel 9 Pro models, including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, come with a free year of Gemini Advanced. This alone is worth $240 if bought separately.
That means you get premium features like Gemini assistance in Gmail, Sheets, and Docs, plus tools like Deep Research and early access to the newest (and experimental) models before free users. And since Gemini Advanced is part of the Google One AI Premium plan, you also get 2TB of cloud storage across Gmail, Docs, and Photos, 10% back on Google Store purchases, and more.
This is the only foldable that really clicks for me
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn’t the perfect foldable phone, but it’s the closest we’ve got here in the US. Sure, the Tensor G4 doesn’t quite match the raw performance of the latest Snapdragon flagship chips and the battery life also needs a bit of work, but the Pixel 9 Pro Fold delivers a well-rounded experience that’s hard to beat, both in terms of software and hardware.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
$350
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn’t just have a new name. It features a much-improved Tensor G4 compared to the Tensor G2 in its predecessor, delivering better performance and battery life. Google also added hardware refinements, including a standard phone-like 6.3-inch cover display, a thinner body, a larger 8-inch inner display, and a less noticeable crease.
