VERDICT
What's clear is that Google are listening to what consumers want in their smartphones, and this device is getting seriously close to being a perfect foldable device.
It's well designed, highly practical and manufactured from premium materials. For the travel warrior or busy executive who wants more than just a smartphone this device is well worth considering. The camera is good so is the battery life.
Testing it locally here in Australia and on the road during an intense business trip, and in an environment, where comms and fast information is critical, allowed me to really get a feel for this device.
The camera delivered, and the big screen was very good for conference calls and when reading documents, using maps in particular when trying to work out German train timetables.
All Google has to do now is a big number on their folders and the management of folders and I am confident that this device will become a serious premium device that can take on the best that their competition throws at them with Apple tipped to launch a device next year.
– This is a seriously good premium smartphone that is built using premium components.
– The quality was excellent on the big Pixel screen with the centre fold hardly noticeable.
– The biggest let down with this device is the way that Google manages folders.
– You also have the issue of app icons bulging out of a circle folder on the home screen and this is not cool or practical.
When I received the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold in for review, I deliberately delayed writing about the device which is a clear competitor to Samsung’s Fold, because I wanted to use it during a recent trip to the IFA trade show in Berlin.
As it happens the device proved to be a significant competitor to the Samsung Fold, with one stand out feature delivering benefits not found in Samsung’s offering and above all a benefit that makes ownership of this device a must for those whose lifestyle would benefit from a foldable device, that gives you access to what feels in the hand like a normal smartphone.
That key stands out feature is the width and size of the device when folded closed a sixe that is more the norm for smartphones thasn Samsung’s narrow front screen.
It actually feels like a normal smartphone when you initially pick it, making it easy to use for messages and texting, with the added benefit of a foldable screen when you wanted maps, to watch a video or in my case use a trade show app to find stands locations and public transport access to one of the biggest trade shows in Europe.
Typing on the front screen was easy and I most probably spent 50% of my day using the closed screen vs the open double screen.
This time round Google has really improved their smartphone offering with the new Google Pixel 9 range up there with the best premium Android devices, I also liked the rounded corners which Samsung appears to have back to with their new Samsung S24FE.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is not cheap, and it comes in two specifications: the 256 GB model at $2,697 and the 512 GB version at2,897 at JB Hi Fi.
So why the expensive price?
This is a seriously good premium smartphone that is built using premium components from the casing to the hinge, to the display to the memory and then there is the premium processor.
There is nothing lacking in the build quality of this device which feels like it’s been hand built.
The all-new made Pixel Fold is manufactured from multi-alloy steel with a high-strength aluminum cover and the inner display is perfectly flat at 180 degrees, there is also a neat new hinge folds the two halves together.
The aluminum frame that runs around the outer edges feels good inn the hand and you also have the added bonus of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, that run the entire length of the front and rear panels.
What I really liked was the matte finish as this made it look and feel premium.
Google claims the aluminum in the phone is 100% recycled.
When folded you would swear you have the Pixel 9 Pro in your hand, and this is a really good premium standalone Android smartphone.
When you are using the device closed you have 6.3 inch display, with a resolution of 1280 x 2856 pixels and this delivers a 20:9 aspect ratio and what’s very noticeable is that when you do have it closed it’s only marginally thicker in the hand than the Samsung S24 Ultra which is still the best Android smartphone sold today.
What you will notice is that the device is fractionally heavier, than the Pixel 9 Pro but it’s not all that noticeable.
It’s basically “just a smartphone.”
When you open the device, you have the front screen duplicated with the two screens sitting side by side with content and images scaled across both screens making it perfect for reading a book or long document on an aeroplane or in an airport lounge which is what I used it for.
I even managed to use a VPN to get access to one of the Manly NRL games while I was sitting in a cafe in Berlin and the quality was excellent on the big Pixel screen with the centre fold hardly noticeable.
After using the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra I had to keep reminding myself that the fingerprint reader was now on the side on off button instead of the screen and this proved very easy to use.
Thew device that is like a mini tablet when opened allows access to a multitude of apps that are better used with a big screen.
I am a Microsoft 365 user and all the apps I use including PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook worked and above looked good on the new Google foldable phone.
One thing you notice is that this device is super intelligent and that’s because it’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold is loaded with AI features which are being updated every so often. Questions that we use to have to go to a library for or search online to find are a simple voice command away with Google’s AI offering which is still in its infancy.
Yes, you can magic edit or change a picture after shooting one or reimagine photos to have some fun with friends and family, but the real power is the combination of AI for productivity tasks with photo editing and translation.
Between Samsung and Google who often work together these two brands are leading the pack when it comes to the integration of AI in mobile devices.
In Google’s case it’s the integration of Gemini Live that makes a difference in this device.
Finally, the Camera.
At IFA I was shooting all day long and the issue was whether I shoot with the device closed or open.
The device has three cameras on the back, one 10MP selfie camera on the outside screen and another in the inside screen.
When it came to video calls which I did daily while away the device performed really well, and both the audio and vision were as good if not sometimes better than a notebook.
Using the 48MP camera I was able to shoot great photos both inside and outside in bright light with Berlin averaging 32 degrees every day.
What impressed me was the 10.8MP 5x telephoto lens which I used to shoot this image of the above war ship oin Sydney Harbour up close.
The biggest let down with this device is the way that Google manages folders.
Firstly, they are circles, and they look seriously odd when you have them easily accessible on a home screen.
Then there is the issue of building out your folders.
With a Samsung device you simply hit the more button which appears when you set up a folder.
This allows one to easily pick which apps you want in individual folders.
As for Google, everything is manual and it’s time consuming. Then you have the issue of app icons bulging out of a circle folder on the home screen and this is not cool or practical.
VERDICT
What's clear is that Google are listening to what consumers want in their smartphones, and this device is getting seriously close to being a perfect foldable device.
It's well designed, highly practical and manufactured from premium materials. For the travel warrior or busy executive who wants more than just a smartphone this device is well worth considering. The camera is good so is the battery life.
Testing it locally here in Australia and on the road during an intense business trip, and in an environment, where comms and fast information is critical, allowed me to really get a feel for this device.
The camera delivered, and the big screen was very good for conference calls and when reading documents, using maps in particular when trying to work out German train timetables.
All Google has to do now is a big number on their folders and the management of folders and I am confident that this device will become a serious premium device that can take on the best that their competition throws at them with Apple tipped to launch a device next year.
– This is a seriously good premium smartphone that is built using premium components.
– The quality was excellent on the big Pixel screen with the centre fold hardly noticeable.
– The biggest let down with this device is the way that Google manages folders.
– You also have the issue of app icons bulging out of a circle folder on the home screen and this is not cool or practical.