Hardware

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold fixes the biggest problems with the Google Pixel Fold

Here's everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google's latest book-style foldable phone.

15 min read
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold in Obsidian, folded showing the rear and half-folded in tabletop mode.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold in Obsidian.

Last year, Google unveiled the Pixel Fold, their first-ever book-style foldable phone. While it got a lot of praise for being quite thin, wide, good at taking photos, and having clean software, it was criticized for launching with an outdated chipset and missing out on a lot of features available on its lower-priced siblings. With the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold, however, Google has fixed most of the issues that plagued its first-generation foldable. Here's everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

If you're curious about the other three phones in the Pixel 9 series, ie. the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, then check out the following article for our launch coverage:

Pre-order links (affiliate links that support me!):

What sets the Pixel 9 Pro Fold apart from the Pixel 9 Pro?

The obvious answer is: It folds. The reason I'm starting with this is not to state the obvious but rather to highlight just how many aspects of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are actually similar to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. For example, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has the exact same chipset (Tensor G4), memory capacity (16GB), camera features (excluding 8K30 Video Boost), software features, software support (7 years), connectivity options (NFC, dual SIM, UWB, Wi-Fi 7, etc.), ports (USB Type-C 3.2), audio features (like spatial audio), charging options (wired and wireless), and perks as the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold in Obsidian.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold in Obsidian.

Some of the minor differences between the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL include:

  • The Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn't have an infrared temperature sensor, though it does add a hall effect sensor.
  • It delivers "all-day"/24-hour battery life based on Google's testing under standard use, but only lasts 72-hours instead of 100 hours when Extreme Battery Saver is enabled.
  • It charges slower via both the wired 45W Google USB-C Charger as well as via the wireless Pixel Stand (2nd Gen).
  • Its 4650mAh battery is slightly smaller than the one in the Pixel 9 Pro (4700mAh) and decently smaller than the Pixel 9 Pro XL (5060mAh).
  • The Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn't come in a 128GB or 1TB storage option (only 256GB or 512GB)
  • The Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn't offered in the Hazel or Rose Quartz colorways (only Porcelain and Obsidian).
  • Its fingerprint scanner is capacitive instead of ultrasonic and is embedded in the power button instead of under the display.

The major differences between the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the other two Pixel 9 Pro phones are all external: They have dramatically different designs, displays, and cameras.

A woman holding an unfolded Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Obsidian).
A woman holding an unfolded Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Obsidian).

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is thinner, lighter, and narrower

One of the first things you'll notice about the design of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is how different its camera bump is compared to the rest of the Pixel 9 series. Instead of having an oval-shaped bar that extends most of the width, it has what I can best describe as an island that sits at the top left. That island houses a triple camera array plus a multi-zone LDAF sensor, LED flash, and microphone. The lack of a visor-like camera bar might make the Pixel 9 Pro Fold less recognizable from afar, but the presence of a G logo on the rear should immediately pin the device as a Google phone.

Like the other phones in the Pixel 9 series, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a display with fairly rounded corners: two of them, in fact. However, the corners that meet the hinge aren't rounded, so the phone might dig into your palm a bit when held in its folded state.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is both thinner and lighter than the original Pixel Fold. It's only 10.5mm thick when folded, excluding the thickness of the camera bump, which is 1.6mm thinner than the original Pixel Fold. It weighs 257g which is 26g lighter than the Pixel Fold. While it's still quite a bit thicker and heavier than slab phones like the Pixel 9 Pro XL, its new, thinner profile compares quite favorably to other book-style foldables sold in the U.S. like the OnePlus Open (11.7mm) and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (12.1mm). However, its thickness and weight fall short of some foldables sold in China like the Xiaomi MIX Fold 4.

Like the Pixel 9 Pro, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a silky, soft touch matte glass back. Borrowing from the Pixel 9, though, the Pro Fold also has a satin metal frame. The all-important hinge is made of stainless steel with an "aerospace-grade high-strength aluminum alloy cover." Google promises this hinge will let the Pro Fold hold up "fold after fold," though they didn't say how many folds the hinge is rated to endure. For reference, the hinge in last year's Pixel Fold was rated to endure over 200,000 folds and unfolds.

Similar to the original Pixel Fold, the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold is IPX8 rated for water but not dust resistance. Both screens are protected by a layer of Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

The inner display of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Source: Google.
The inner display of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Source: Google.

Compared to the original Pixel Fold, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is dramatically narrower. The Pixel Fold had an inner screen resolution of 2208 x 1840 and, when unfolded, was 139.7mm long and 158.7mm wide. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, in contrast, has an inner screen resolution that's much closer to a square in terms of aspect ratio and, when unfolded, measures 155.2mm long and 150.2mm wide. This brings the inner display more in line with other squarish book-style foldables like the aforementioned Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open.

More specifically, the inner display is an 8-inch "Super Actua Flex" display that reaches a peak brightness of 2700 nits (1600 nits when viewing HDR content), which is 80% brighter than last year's inner display. It uses an LTPO OLED panel featuring a resolution of 2152 x 2076 at 373 PPI and a variable refresh rate between 1-120Hz. A layer of Ultra Thin Glass adds a bit of extra durability.

Google's decision to make the Pixel 9 Pro Fold narrower also impacts the cover display. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's cover display is taller than the 5.8-inch one in the Pixel Fold. It has an aspect ratio of 20:9 now compared to 17.4:9 in the previous model. More specifically, the cover display is a 6.3-inch "Actua" display that reaches a peak brightness of 2700 nits (1800 nits when viewing HDR content). It uses an OLED panel featuring a resolution of 2424 x 1080 at 422 PPI and an adaptive refresh rate between 60-120Hz.

The Pro Fold's hinge can keep the device propped up at various angles, letting the device be put into "tabletop" or "tent" mode. The variable hinge angle allows for a lot of creativity when it comes to taking pictures or recording videos, a facet that Google is once again leaning on with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Google brings its latest AI camera features to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold

When it comes to cameras, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn't offer improved optics compared to the original Pixel Fold. Google equipped the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with a triple-rear camera system comprised of a 48MP wide-angle main lens with a f/1.7 aperture, a 10.8MP ultra wide-angle secondary lens with a 127˚ field-of-view and Macro Focus support, and a 10.8MP telephoto tertiary lens with 5X optical zoom. Because the resolution of the Pro Fold's telephoto camera is lower than on the regular Pro, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold only supports Super Res Zoom at up to 20X zoom, which is unchanged from last year.

Though the optics are unchanged, it's worth noting that the new phone has an upgraded ISP and camera software, so it's likely that photos and videos will still look better. Plus, the camera system is still decent among book-style foldable phones.

Pixel 9 Pro Fold camera system. Source: Google.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold camera system. Source: Google.

Like many other book-style foldables, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold lets you easily capture selfies using the rear camera. While most phones require you to blindly capture selfies with the rear camera, book-style foldables like the Pro Fold can show the camera preview on the cover screen.

Taking a selfie with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Source: Google.
Taking a selfie with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Source: Google.

Both screens of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold can be utilized while taking photos, too. When you're taking a group photo, for example, you can see the camera viewfinder on the inner display while the group you're taking a photo of can see a preview on the cover screen.

Google is extending this dual display concept with a new feature on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold called Made You Look. This feature displays a cartoonish animation on the cover screen that grabs the attention of children while you're trying to take a picture of them.

Made You Look on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Source: Google.
Made You Look on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Source: Google.

And just like the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold supports nearly all of Google's new AI camera features, including Night Sight Video with Video Boost, Add Me, Zoom Enhance, Auto frame in Magic Editor, Reimagine in Magic Editor, and Panorama with Night Sight. The only feature that seems to be missing from the Pro Fold is 8K30 upscaling through Video Boost.

Pixel 9 Pro Fold runs the latest version of Google's Android software with new AI features

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold debuts with the same version of Google's Android software as the other phones in the Pixel 9 series. Surprisingly, that software is based on Android 14 and not the imminent Android 15 release, though that will soon be rectified via a post-launch OTA update.

In any case, the Pro Fold has all the same new Google AI software features as the Pixel 9, including the Pixel Screenshots app, Call Notes, Pixel Weather, and Pixel Studio. It also, like the Pixel 9, supports the new Satellite SOS feature as well as all the existing ones like Call Assist, Car Crash Detection, Now Playing, and much more. However, there are a couple of software features on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold that aren't available on the Pixel 9, including:

  • Dual-screen calls in Google Meet: When you're in a Google Meet call, callers are shown on both the inner and cover screens, so more people can gather around and participate in the call. Plus, the caller can see both you and what you're looking at.
  • Dual screen interpreter: This feature displays translated speech on both displays, making face-to-face conversations in two different languages easier. Notably, this feature landed on the first-gen Pixel Fold with last year's Android 14 update.
  • Split screen Gemini: The Gemini overlay can now be put into split-screen mode, letting you have another window open while you ask Gemini questions. It's worth noting this feature is already available on the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
  • Multiview in YouTube TV: You can watch multiple video feeds in YouTube TV thanks to the larger 8-inch display of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Multiview in the YouTube TV app on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Source: Google.
Multiview in the YouTube TV app on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Source: Google.

A few applications like YouTube take advantage of tabletop mode to show a video feed on the top half of the screen and media controls on the bottom half. As foldables become more popular, the hope is that more applications will become foldable-aware.

Pixel 9 Pro Fold in tabletop mode.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold in tabletop mode.

Google promises to deliver 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. That's significantly longer than what they promised for the original Pixel Fold, which was 3 years of OS and Pixel Drop updates and 5 years of security updates. It remains to be seen whether the hinge will last that long, but if it does, Pixel 9 Pro Fold owners won't have to upgrade their phone until it reaches EOL in 2031.

How much does the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold cost?

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold costs $1,799 in the U.S. It's available for pre-order today and will be generally available on September 4. It comes with 16GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. The available color options include Porcelain and Obsidian. If you purchase a Pixel 9 Pro Fold, you'll get 3 months of YouTube Premium, 6 months of Fitbit Premium, and 1 year of the Google One AI Premium Plan.

Although the Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn't being offered in the same Hazel and Rose Quartz colorways as the Pixel 9 Pro, Google is selling an "Aloe" case that not only protects the screens and hinge but also adds a bit of color. They're also selling matching Obsidian and Porcelain cases, as you can see below.

Pre-order links (affiliate links that support me!):

Where can you buy the Pixel 9 Pro Fold?

You can buy the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in the following territories:

  • North America: US, Canada
  • Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, UK
  • Asia Pacific: Australia, India, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan

Check the Google Store or your local major online/offline retailers for more information.

What are the specs of the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold?

Specification CategorySpecification
DisplayExternal Screen
6.3-inch (160 mm) Actua display
20:9 aspect ratio
1080 x 2424 OLED at 422 PPI
Smooth Display (60-120Hz)
Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 cover glass
Up to 1800 nits (HDR) and up to 2700 nits (peak brightness)
>2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
HDR support
Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
Internal Screen
8-inch (204 mm) Super Actua Flex display (LTPO)
2076 x 2152 OLED at 373 PPI
Smooth Display (1-120 Hz)
Ultra Thin Glass
Up to 1600 nits (HDR) and up to 2700 nits (peak brightness)
>2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
HDR support
Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
HingeMulti-alloy steel with an aerospace-grade high-strength aluminum alloy cover
Dimensions and WeightFolded
155.2 height x 77.1 width x 10.5 depth (mm)
Unfolded
155.2 height x 150.2 width x 5.1 depth (mm)
257 g
Battery and Charging24+ hour battery life
Up to 72-hour battery life with Extreme Battery Saver
Typical 4650 mAh
Fast charging (hours of power in minutes of charge) with Google 45W USB-C® Charger, sold separately
Wireless charging (Qi-certified)
Memory and Storage16 GB RAM
[IN]: 256 GB
[ROW]: 256 GB / 512 GB
ProcessorGoogle Tensor G4
Titan M2 security coprocessor
SecurityGoogle VPN at no extra cost
End-to-end security designed by Google
Multi-layer hardware security: Tensor security core, certified Titan M2 security chip, and Trusty (Trusted Execution Environment)
Anti-malware and anti-phishing protection
Spam protection in Google Phone and Messages
Rear CameraAdvanced triple rear camera system: 48 MP wide | 10.5 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus | 10.8 MP 5x telephoto lens | Super Res Zoom up to 20x and optical quality at 0.5x, 1x, 5x
Wide Camera
48 MP Quad PD wide camera
f/1.7 aperture
82° field of view
1/2" image sensor size
Ultrawide Camera
10.5 MP Dual PD ultrawide camera with autofocus
f/2.2 aperture
127° field of view
1/3.4" image sensor size
Telephoto Camera
10.8 MP Dual PD telephoto camera
f/3.1 aperture
23° field of view
1/3.2" image sensor size
5x optical zoom
Super Res Zoom up to 20x
Multi-zone LDAF (laser detect auto focus) sensor
Spectral and flicker sensor
Optical + electronic image stabilization on wide and telephoto
Front Camera10 MP Dual PD
f/2.2 aperture
87° ultrawide field of view
Inner Camera10 MP Dual PD
f/2.2 aperture
87° ultrawide field of view
Camera and Editing FeaturesCamera Features
Super Res Zoom up to 20x
Pro controls
Add Me
Macro Focus
Night Sight
Hands-free astrophotography
Portrait Mode
Face Unblur
Long Exposure
Real Tone
Panorama
Top Shot
Frequent Faces
Dual Screen Preview
Rear Camera Selfie
Tabletop mode hands-free shots
Made You Look
Manual white balancing
Editing Features
Magic Editor
Magic Eraser
Best Take
Photo Unblur
Zoom Enhance
Portrait Light
VideoRear Camera
4K video recording at 24/30/60 FPS
1080p video recording at 24/30/60 FPS
Digital video zoom up to 20x
Front Cameras (Outer and Inner)
4K video recording at 30/60 FPS
1080p video recording at 30/60 FPS
Video Features
Video Boost
Night Sight Video
Audio Magic Eraser
Macro Focus Video
10-bit HDR video (rear camera only)
Cinematic Pan
Slo-mo video support up to 240 FPS
4K timelapse with stabilization
Astrophotography timelapse
Optical image stabilization for video
Fused video stabilization
Cinematic Pan video stabilization (4K, 1080p)
Locked video stabilization (4K, 1080p)
Active video stabilization (1080p)
Video formats: HEVC (H.265), AVC (H.264)
Rear Camera Selfie video
Audio
Stereo recording
Speech enhancement
Wind noise reduction
Audio zoom
Materials & DurabilityScratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 cover glass
Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 silky matte back with satin metal frame
IPX8 water resistance
Fingerprint-resistant coating
Aerospace-grade high-strength aluminum alloy
The aluminum in the housings, hinge, and camera visor is 100% recycled content
Made with at least 18% recycled materials based on product weight
100% plastic-free packaging
ColorsObsidian
Porcelain
Security and OS Updates7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates
Operating SystemLaunched with Android 14
AuthenticationFingerprint Unlock
Face Unlock
Pattern, PIN, password
Safety[US]: Satellite SOS
[All]: Emergency SOS
Crisis Alerts
Car Crash Detection
Safety Check
Emergency Location Service
Emergency Contacts & Medical Info
Android Earthquake Alerts System
SensorsProximity sensor
Ambient light sensor
Accelerometer
Gyrometer
Magnetometer
Barometer
Hall effect
Buttons and PortsUSB Type-C 3.2
Power button
Volume controls
SIMSDual SIM (Single Nano SIM and eSIM)
Media and Audio3 microphones
Stereo speakers
Noise suppression
Spatial audio
Connectivity[IN]: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2.4G+5GHz + 6GHz, HE160, MIMO
[ROW]: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11/be) with 2.4G+5GHz + 6GHz, 2x2 + 2x2, MIMO
Bluetooth® v5.3 with dual antennas for enhanced quality and connection
Ultra-Wideband chip for accurate ranging and spatial orientation
NFC
Google Cast
Location[All]: Dual Band GNSS
GPS, GLONASS, Galileo
[ROW] +QZSS, BeiDou, NavIC
In the Box1 m USB-C to USB-C® cable (USB 2.0)
SIM tool
Warranty[US, CA, TW, IN, JP,, SG]: 1 year
[GB, IE, DE, FR, IT, ES, NO, DK, SE, NL, BE, AT, CH, PT, PL, CZ, RO, HU, SI, LT, LV, EE, SK, FI, AU]: 2 years

Pixel 9 Pro Fold network connectivity

FeatureUS ModelJP ModelROW Model
Network5G mmWave + Sub 6GHz Model GGH2X5G mmWave + Sub 6GHz JP Model GC15S5G mmWave + Sub 6GHz Model GGH2X
5G Sub-6 Bandsn1/2/3/5/7/8/12/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/40/41/48/66/70/71/75/76/77/78/79n1/2/3/5/7/8/12/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/40/41/48/66/70/71/75/76/77/78/79n1/2/3/5/7/8/12/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/40/41/48/66/70/71/75/76/77/78/79
5G mmWave Bandsn257/n258/n260/n261n257/n258/n260/n261n257/n258/n260/n261
LTE BandsB1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/18/19/20/21/25/26/28/29/30/32/38/39/40/41/42/46/48/66/71B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/18/19/20/21/25/26/28/29/30/32/38/39/40/41/42/46/48/66/71B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/18/19/20/21/25/26/28/29/30/32/38/39/40/41/42/46/48/66/71
UMTS/HSPA+/HSDPA BandsBands 1,2,4,5,6,8,19Bands 1,2,4,5,6,8,19Bands 1,2,4,5,6,8,19
GSM/EDGEQuad-band (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)Quad-band (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)Quad-band (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)

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