The used to be considered one of my favourite units of 2024 to the purpose the place it even landed on our listing of the of the yr. Now not most effective used to be it a worthy selection to Samsung’s long-running Galaxy Z Fold telephones, its easy design as soon as once more proved that conserving issues easy is ceaselessly the wisest strategy to cross. It seems, the most efficient method to foldable telephone design is to make one thing that is the identical dimension and form as an ordinary handset, however simply occurs to have a large versatile show hidden inside of.
On the other hand, after the usage of the Pixel 9 Professional Fold (which I can discuss with because the P9PF for brief) for simply shy of a yr, I sought after to re-review the tool to mirror on the way it held up after 11 months of wear and tear and tear and to imagine what Google could possibly toughen at the subsequent fashion.
Design and contours
Via making the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s entrance display the similar dimension as an ordinary Pixel, Google streamlined its design and made it more straightforward to make use of.
(Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
Google found out one thing when it shifted clear of the fast and squat dimensions of the unique Pixel Fold for its moment foldable telephone. Via making the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s external show necessarily the similar dimension as a standard Pixel 9, the corporate eradicated any confusion for while you simply need to temporarily ship a textual content, take a look at a map or doomscroll on social media. The most obvious drawback to that is that while you open the telephone up, its inside show has necessarily a sq. side ratio, which is not nice for gazing films. On the other hand, with an greater dimension of 8 inches throughout, the P9PF nonetheless has one of the vital biggest versatile panels round, so it is not like any individual used to be in reality hurting for display actual property. And for stuff like video games, comics or ebooks, it is arguably even higher. If producers had been in a position to convey the cost of foldables down, they could kill the marketplace for small pills (9 inches and beneath) in a single day.
On most sensible of that, in contrast to Samsung’s foldables, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold did not in reality sacrifice on digital camera high quality or options. It has a 5x optical zoom identical to you get on an ordinary Pixel 9 Professional, and whilst it does not have the similar major sensor, you would be hard-pressed to inform until you do a little critical side-by-side pixel peeping. Plus, you get a laugh gear like Have a look at Me which are most effective imaginable because of its foldable design, to not point out different nifty options like Upload Me.
Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold with a pores and skin from Dbrand.
(Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
Granted, Google’s Tensor G4 chip lags at the back of an identical Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. However it is nonetheless rapid sufficient for the whole thing I’ve thrown at it, with the exception of perhaps hardcore video modifying or probably the most tough video games. And I care for that foldable telephones are nonetheless the most efficient gadgets for cellular buying and selling card apps like Surprise Snap or Pokémon TCG Pocket. The presence of a large display that may be deployed or hidden away at a second’s understand is very best for suits that most effective closing a few mins, so you’ll squeeze a spherical in just about any place or any time.
Sturdiness
I am not partial to circumstances. That’s true even on foldables, as a result of whilst they’re extra fragile than a standard smartphone, the added bulk and heft that includes maximum aftermarket protectors are simply roughly aggravating. Moreover, particularly in recent times, maximum foldables are normally difficult sufficient to resist existence’s on a regular basis drops and tumbles. Except you are available in the market ceaselessly burying your telephone within the sand or shedding it on concrete, my revel in with earlier foldables (from and ) has me feeling moderately assured about their total sturdiness.
Those are one of the vital worst scratches at the tool, which passed off after the telephone fell out of my pocket whilst getting out of a automotive.
(Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
That stated, I did make one small alternate when dwelling with the P9PF. As a substitute of a case, I put in a pores and skin from Dbrand (which I purchased myself) to offer the telephone a tiny additional cushion within the again. Granted, there are nonetheless a number of scratches and dings on its body and entrance display. However that used to be roughly the purpose. I sought after to peer how Google’s second-gen foldable would hang up with minimum coverage and this telephone has almost certainly taken extra of a beating than any tool I have owned thus far.
A laugh truth: I shot and edited the for the Pixel 9 Professional Fold simply an hour sooner than I needed to cross to the health center for the start of my daughter. And within the time since, the P9PF has been spat up on, crawled on, walked on by way of my three-year-old son and fallen out of my pocket all through bathtime a numerous selection of occasions. And for probably the most phase, it is taken the ones hits like a boxer with an iron chin (or in Google’s case, aluminum).
In spite of taking a beating, the Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s hinge remains to be moderately unscathed after 12 months.
(Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
If you are in reality seeking to maximize resale price, it’s your decision one thing extra considerable. For everybody else, the addition of a pores and skin and a display protector for its external show is all you in reality want. My Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s inside display remains to be pristine after virtually a yr. Sure, it has a crease, but when that is a topic, you might by no means be capable to personal a foldable telephone. Or on the very least, no longer within the close to long term. In the meantime, the blemishes somewhere else don’t seem to be distracting sufficient to make the usage of the P9PF any much less relaxing. Regardless that everyone seems to be other, so you might really feel differently.
Doable issues
The only possible factor going ahead is that during simply the closing couple of weeks, I have spotted the telephone sometimes takes longer to show at the interior show after opening it up. It doesn’t occur each and every time and it will generally repair itself in a couple of seconds or after a pair faucets. Moreover, once in a while the telephone’s SIM card will forestall running too, which can also be addressed by way of resetting the Pixel’s web connections.
One factor that popped up within the closing couple weeks is when the Pixel 9 Professional Fold sometimes loses cellular knowledge as it forgets there is a SIM card inside of.
(Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
Whilst I have not been in a position to verify if that is because of a instrument replace (like a contemporary Android patch) or one thing free inside of (most likely a shaky show cable), it sounds similar to a thread I realized not too long ago . In keeping with the submit, the landlord of that P9PF takes significantly better care in their telephone than I do, which implies the motive is also associated with construct high quality or its underlying design as an alternative of easy put on and tear. Regardless, in the event you personal a Pixel 9 Professional Fold and feature additionally run into this factor, let me know so I will examine this additional.
Long term outlook
Even with a imaginable provider name clouding the way forward for my Pixel 9 Professional Fold, I have totally loved my time with it over the past yr. Pairing a larger versatile display with best-in-class cameras and a straightforward however very efficient design is a profitable formulation for a contemporary foldable. And whilst I do not be expecting a complete redesign this yr after the large soar we were given from the OG Pixel Fold, if Google can tweak little such things as the awkward-looking nook within the most sensible left of its external show, toughen sturdiness and perhaps build up the battery capability along with its standard collection of annually AI-powered gear and contours, the generally is a very cast followup.
I took the outside off for this tale and as you’ll see, it did a just right task of shielding the bottom of the telephone.
(Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
On the other hand, the arriving of the manner Google has some paintings to do. I am ready to peer what the following foldable Pixel brings (and optimistically the OnePlus Open 2 as smartly) sooner than selecting which telephone I need to use for the following yr. Except Google or OnePlus can fit the beautiful thinness, superb efficiency and stepped forward battery existence on Samsung’s newest flagship, I think like I will be doing the device model of the each and every time I’m going to select up a considerably thicker rival. That stated, such things as Google’s instrument and awesome cameras would possibly pull me again.
However in all probability probably the most spectacular factor is that once simply two generations, the Pixel Fold line has virtually totally stuck as much as the most recent Z Fold with the risk to tug forward subsequent week. And for any individual who is ever taking into consideration getting a foldable telephone (or perhaps even their moment, 3rd or fourth), that is precisely the type of festival I really like to peer.
