When the original Fold launched last year, Ireland was left off the official list of countries in which it would debut. That largely left the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold to capitalise on the niche market for foldable phones here, at least for consumers who want to get their hands on one relatively easily.
But now Google’s folding phone is finally coming to Ireland. Like the rest of the Pixel 9 Pro devices, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with the Tensor G4 inside, and 16GB of RAM that it will need to run the AI features that Google has been pushing in the past few weeks. The new Fold gets them all, from the Gemini integration to the advanced photo and video editing features and the handy Screenshots app.
Google has taken on board some of the criticisms of the original Fold and refined the Pixel 9 Pro Fold to make it a clear contender – albeit still in a niche market. At first glance, it looks like a regular Pixel 9. The device offers users a 6.3-inch external display that you can use for the usual phone-related tasks – texts, calls, a quick photo – but opens up to an 8-inch display, turning the phone into a more useful device for editing photos and videos, watching video or creating documents.
The inner display is Google’s Super Actua Flex display, which has 373 pixels per inch, a refresh rate of 1-250Hz on the OLED display, with a peak brightness of 2700 nits. The external OLED display offers 422 pixels per inch, with 60-120Hz refresh rate to ensure that scrolling and action on screen is smooth.
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Security wise, you get a fingerprint reader on the button on the side instead of under screen like the Pixel 9 Pro, and facial recognition to unlock the device. Plus there are more cameras than you might have thought necessary – an external selfie camera and internal one that both clock in at 10 megapixels, plus the rear cameras that offer 48 megapixels on the main camera, 10.5 megapixels for the ultrawide camera with macro focus, and a 10.8 megapixel telephoto camera with a 5x zoom lens. It also supports SuperRes Zoom, if you want to get really up close and personal.
Google’s AI tools are used well here, with Magic Editor adding the ability to “reimagine” elements of images, reframe shots to give you a wider angle and fill in the gaps with AI-generated pixels and remove unwanted distractions of both the visual and audio variety.
Video Boost, meanwhile, makes noticeable improvements to videos, making them clearer and brighter, and the cinematic pan feature works well if you want to add a bit of an expert feel to your footage.
The 9 Pro Fold also has Google’s Add Me technology, which allows you to take a group photo, and add yourself in with a second shot. The phone will then process them into a single image, and you get your perfect group shot.
If you are the type to be bothered by a visible crease on the screen, folding phones aren’t for you
There is a lot here that you can get in the regular Pixel 9 Pro a lot cheaper. However, there are some additions to the Fold that although firmly in the “nice to have” category, are useful enough to make the Fold feel like a better phone.
First is Made You Look. This is the Pixel’s way of getting – and keeping – a subject’s attention. While it is firmly aimed at babies and toddlers, it works remarkably well for older children too, and even some adults. The feature can only be used with the main external camera while the device is unfolded, using the Fold’s external screen to display colourful cartoon animations – a chicken, a goldfish – that make funny expressions as you snap away.
The second is the dual screen preview for photos, giving your subjects the chance to position themselves and see the results before the photo is taken. The Pixel also works as its own stand in tabletop mode, so you can position the phone to take a photo, and then hold up your palm to trigger the camera timer. No running, no jostling, just a nice photo.
The design of the Fold lends itself easily to multitasking, allowing you to work on two apps easily side by side. The Samsung Z Fold 6 has this particular feature nailed down, allowing you to drop several apps side by side in different-sized windows.
But given the size of the screen it is unlikely you are going to use more than two apps effectively side by side anyway; that was a relatively easy thing to do, with most of the essential apps supporting it through drag and drop. Google also allows you to create app pairs and save the shortcuts to your home screen, so if you regularly use Docs and Gmail side by side, you can access it with a single tap.
What you may miss with the Pixel Fold is the lack of smart stylus support. While the Galaxy Z Fold makes good use of the S Pen, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn’t have the same option for a digital stylus that recognises pressure and your palm, although you can use an analogue stylus on the screen if you really want to.
Good
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels more like a solid member of the Pixeline up than an experimental device. When closed it looks like a slightly thicker Pixel 9; when unfolded, it is a mini tablet.
The camera is excellent, and delivers great video and still images. Plus the AI tools Google has developed work well on the larger screen.
Apps also work better in tablet mode, making the best use of the screen. There will be a few that still come with black bars either side, but video, productivity and camera apps all worked effectively on the Fold. App pairs for multitasking make using the device even more convenient.
Bad
If you are the type to be bothered by a visible crease on the screen, folding phones aren’t for you. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold suffers the same as the Galaxy devices, although the extra screen space may outweigh that particular drawback for many people.
It isn’t the cheapest device out there either at €1,919 compared with the standard Pixel 9 Pro’s €1,119, and there is no smart stylus support – yet.
Everything else
If you are looking for high-res video, you will need to dig into the settings to switch between full HD and 4K. Video Boost also needs to be enabled; it is not switched on by default.
Made you Look is only available on the main camera in Photo mode with the screen unfolded; it won’t work in Portrait or Night Sight, for example.
Battery life is good, lasting at least a full day even when pushed with video streaming and heavy camera use.
Verdict
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold gives fans of the niche format another excellent, if pricey, option.
