Goodbye, Pixel 9 Pro Fold — hello, Samsung

We’ve reached that time of year when tech nerds everywhere are watching announcements of the newest and most advanced smartphones, with bated breath to see what is set to revolutionize the industry.

However, more often than not, we’re left wanting after the presentation and then have to decide whether to upgrade or not.

Samsung went first with its latest foldables. Then it was Google’s turn for its complete Pixel line-up, and I was surprised that by the end of the presentation, I was ready to turn in my Pixel 9 Pro Fold, just not for the reason I thought I would.

I did not see it coming

But I’m not disappointed

When Samsung took the wraps off the Galaxy Z Fold 7 on July 9th, I was pleasantly surprised.

After complaining for the last couple of years about how boring Samsung’s phones had become, and I’m not saying that has changed entirely either, the OEM finally pushed the boundaries with its book-style foldable.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 was a reimagining of the previous four generations of Fold devices — and I think it broke me.

While the new phone isn’t perfect, Samsung made enough meaningful upgrades to the device that I was compelled to get one. I opted for the Blue Shadow option.

As I anxiously awaited the hyped-up foldable that was supposed to be amazingly thin and powerful, I began thinking about what if it really was as impressive as I had heard it would be?

The last Z Fold I owned was the Z Fold 4, and it was a tank compared to the thinner options in the United States, the OnePlus Open and Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Although I was optimistic about the “technological marvel” that was on its way to me from Samsung, I had a lingering concern that much of what was being said might be hyperbole.

This worry was primarily stemming from the fact that the OnePlus Open was the thinnest foldable in the US when it arrived, and then the torch was passed to Google with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

However, compared to some options available in Europe and other parts of the world, like the Honor Magic V series or the Oppo Find N5, those thin phones we got stateside were a joke.

When the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 arrived on my doorstep, I eagerly opened the box, and my concerns quickly faded away.

The seemingly razor-thinness of the phone when open was borderline concerning because I felt like I could snap it with little effort when simply trying to close the phone.

That doesn’t happen when shutting the phone. However, what did happen was a smile formed on my face when I closed it because it genuinely felt like a slightly heavier and narrower slab phone.

I looked over at my Pixel 9 Pro Fold on the table, picked it up, and knew instantly that it was over.

It was nice while it lasted

Ended sooner than I thought

When Google finally made a foldable, I was far more excited than I should have been. However, as many know, the original Pixel Fold wasn’t the best phone.

Thankfully, Google had a redemption moment with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and it fixed so many of the faults from its predecessor.

So, even though I had used and reviewed the original Fold and knowing Google’s less-than-stellar track record with hardware, I jumped at the chance to use the revised folding phone.

It didn’t take long for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold to become my daily driver. Sure, it had many of the same drawbacks as other foldables. But aside from being the thinnest folding phone we can buy in the US, it also came with improved cameras, Google’s software, and the Pixel perks that I love.

The phone continued to be one of my favorite and most used phones. However, as the months went on, I began to find things that caused my stance on the phone to waver slightly.

Battery life was getting worse, and the slow charging only exacerbated the issue.

Aside from the battery life and not-so-great connectivity, it was the phone’s size and weight that began, well, weighing on me. This issue was really brought to the forefront when the Galaxy Z Fold 7 arrived.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold instantly felt like a brick compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the last Samsung foldable I had owned. The weight difference alone is 42g, 1.48oz, and when the phone is already heavy, every bit makes a difference.

Still, it was the rest of the dimensions that really sealed the deal. The thinness and how much it changes how I use the phone can’t be overstated. The difference of 42g and a thinner phone makes holding and using the Galaxy Z Fold 7 so much nicer, both folded and unfolded.

So, when the new Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold was announced, I thought I’d be ready to swap my current Google foldable for the next model.

However, when the announcement came and went without any must-have features for the foldable, I was a bit let down.

I didn’t need major changes outside of better battery life and charging improvements; it got a bigger battery by 365mAh, and charging went from 25W to 30W wired. Making the phone thinner and lighter was on the list.

Sure, the IP68 dust and water resistance is nice, but the Z Fold 7 is IP48 rated. However, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold phone is bigger in nearly every dimension.

Broken

I’ll survive

Depending on your needs, you may not care about a sleek Galaxy Z Fold 7 and would be better served by the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. But for me, I can’t convince myself to buy the new Google foldable after using Samsung’s offering.

The awaited arrival of magnetic charging for Android might be the only thing that really draws me to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, well, that and the Pixel software. I still am not a fan of One UI Home from Samsung.

So, it is a little bittersweet to trade in my Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but if it were the other way around, and it has been, I’d trade away my Samsung foldable for Google’s phone.

But this year, Samsung decided to try, and in doing so, for me, it surpassed Google in the foldable space. This is why Samsung has made me trade in my Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but not for another foldable.

Instead, I’m opting for the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The premium camera hardware, Google’s software, Qi2 magnetic charging, and an improved processor, along with the opportunity to try a slab phone from Google for the first time since the Pixel 8 Pro.