The Pixel Fold It was Google’s first phone with a flexible screen when it launched last year. And at the upcoming Made By Google event, we’re about to get a successor to this app Pixel 9 Pro Fold. So there’s no better time to check out how Google’s original curved phone has survived an entire year as my daily driver.
The Pixel Fold is unlike any other foldable on the market. It has a curved polished aluminum frame that looks more like a passport than a traditional phone or phone. Long and thin sticks from Samsung. When you open it up, you’ll find relatively thick bezels and a large main display that sits in landscape orientation instead of portrait like almost all of its rivals. On the back there is an absolutely huge camera stick. But as I found out later a conversation with the designers of the phoneThe opportunity to shape Google’s first foldable gave the team a blank slate to try new approaches. And I think the phone is better for it.
That’s because its widescreen setup sometimes causes problems with apps and websites that expect portrait mode, but it makes sitting down with a movie faster and more fun. At the same time, its thick bezel left enough room for Google to build a selfie camera into the phone’s frame instead of taking up space on the main display. Although the rear camera module is definitely bulky, it allowed Google to equip the Fold with sensors from the standard flagship Pixel (including 5x optical zoom). This is something that Samsung has yet to do Z Fold lineit continues to take a backseat in photo quality compared to the equivalent Galaxy S Ultra.
That’s right, the Samsung version still has a few features that the Pixel Fold doesn’t, like native stylus support and Dex mode, which offers superior layout for multitasking. Plus, thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips, it delivers slightly faster overall performance. However, I think Google makes up for it mostly with better software, including apps like Pixel Recorder, Call Screener, and Live Translate.
All in all, despite being Google’s first entry into the category, the Pixel Fold is a very attractive device with a unique design, class-leading cameras and a great display – pretty much everything you could want in a big sleek flexible phone. That said, one thing I didn’t appreciate on my first look was the phone’s long-term durability. To close the loop, here’s what it will look like in a year.
Before I get too deep, I should mention that I’m pretty strict on devices. The Pixel Fold I used was bare from the day I got it, simply because I don’t like cases. After all, companies like Google spend millions on crafting exquisite designs, so it seems a shame to throw a cheap mask over everything. I also live with a kid who doesn’t care about nice things, so he doesn’t think twice about hitting the phone when it comes his way. But even so, the Pixel Fold held up surprisingly well.
The frame has many dings and scratches, a few scratches. Its matte Gorilla Glass Victus also has a few blemishes on the back, but these are all purely cosmetic. If you’re someone who’s into the wear and patina of vintage furniture, you might even say the Pixel Fold has aged, given how much abuse it’s taken. Most importantly, none of these damages affected the phone’s functionality.
That is, there is a small crack on the outer screen of the phone. But I want to be clear that this is 100 percent my fault. When I was trying to potty train my baby, I would often sit on a low stool next to him in the hard tile bathroom. And often the phone would slip out of my pocket because of how I was sitting. This happened countless times and I just had to put the phone down on a nearby changing table. But I didn’t, and about a month ago it fell and hit the corner of its screen, breaking a small spider web. Again, even with this stain, the functionality of the screen is not affected.
Of course, I tried to get the outer screen repaired. Unfortunately, a representative at my local uBreakiFix (which is a Google authorized repair center) told me that they didn’t have the necessary parts or proper hardware to replace the panel. They then told me to contact one of the company’s main locations in Kearny, New Jersey, which had the necessary materials and gave me an estimate (over the phone) of about four hours and $220 for the repair. Then, just to make sure, I took the Pixel Fold to Google’s flagship retail store in NYC for a second opinion, which resulted in a slightly cheaper price of $180. Both prices are in the same range as the cost of replacing a display on a traditional candybar phone, which is nice considering the added complexity of the Pixel Fold’s design. As for its main display, it’s left clean, likely because it’s protected by the rest of the phone when closed.
I also dropped this thing in the sand, which freaked me out, since its IPX8 rating technically only defines the level of water resistance (up to 5 feet for 30 minutes). Things got even more disturbing when I tried to open it and was greeted by the distinct sound of particles grinding together somewhere inside. But after removing it and blowing on the hinge like an old NES cartridge, everything was back to normal. Perhaps most impressively, even after a year, the Fold shows no signs of bubbling from the factory-installed screen protector, which is something. I have lived about each one of Samsung’s Z Fold phones i own. Based on my searches online, I haven’t seen many complaints from other Pixel Fold users, except for a small handful of odd cases.
In many ways, the impressive durability of the Pixel Fold is another sign that Google is closely watching the evolution of competitors like the Z Fold and studying it to see what aspects can be improved. Despite being the company’s first foray into a phone with a flexible display, the Pixel Fold doesn’t necessarily suffer from many of the issues you typically find in first-generation devices. One thing I might do differently in the future is use a sleeve instead of a case to make the device a little less slippery when in my pocket.
One complaint I have about the Pixel Fold’s design is that it never fully unfolds. Granted, it’s a pretty minor complaint, but when the phone rests at 179 degrees, it feels awkward shortly after being completely flat. On my first review, I thought the phone’s hinge might loosen up over time, but it’s as stiff as ever, which is a good thing in all other cases.
Regardless, for a device type that many thought should be treated with kid gloves, the Pixel Fold proved to be tougher than I thought it would be. Apparently, there are some significant design changes for Google the next modelI am very happy with what I have experienced so far.
