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👀 Our first look at Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold came in a teaser video (below)
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📱 This is Google’s 2nd foldable phone after the Pixel Fold 1 13 months ago
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📸 Cameras are stacked! It has a much larger camera module this time
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✨ Google is heavily promoting its Gemini AI software on this phone
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📆 August 13 is when we’ll see more of this foldable and the Pixel 9 Pro
Google is stealing attention away from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 that launches in a few days with a foldable smartphone reveal of its own. Yes, we’re finally in for a sequel to the original Google Pixel Fold that launched 13 months ago.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold – yes, that’s the full name – has a much longer title than something simple like the Pixel Fold 2, but everything else about this new foldable phone makes sense from what I’ve seen. Even the shape is changing to be like the OnePlus Open – taller and less wide (no almost-square passport). That’s good.
One thing will be square-shaped: The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a large camera module with lenses stacked on top of one another, according to the teaser video. Hopefully, this means that Google will once again bring its A-game to a Pixel phone.
The Pixel Fold 1 had three cameras on the back, with the main camera shooting 48MP photos. Bigger usually means better. Could we be in for something better than a 5x telephoto camera on a foldable? We’ll know soon on August 13.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is Google’s chance to redeem some of the Pixel Fold complaints we had 13 months ago – I mean, beyond its shape. When I tested the Pixel Fold at launch, I noticed it didn’t have a great way to handle apps if I transitioned the cover display and the inner screen. The software needs to be better on day one.
Citing my Pixel 8a review testing, I have found that Google’s phones lag behind in terms of benchmark performance because they use Google’s own Tensor G3 chip instead of just every other Android phone with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset (Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have the same chipset as the 8a). So here’s to hoping Google’s Tensor G4 is able to catch up and compete with the eventual Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset due to be revealed in October.
We’ll be at the launch event on August 13, and hopefully get hands-on time with both the standard Google Pixel 9 Pro and the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold.