The Pixel 10 Pro Fold doesn’t look much different when placed side-by-side with last year’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Other than Google’s AI chops, there aren’t any major overhauls at first glance. However, this is the first foldable product to receive an IP68 rating, which is significant.
Ever since companies started releasing foldable products, durability has been a top concern for users. When buying a foldable phone, the longevity of the hinge, the protection of the inner screen, and the resistance of the device to liquids and sand are always major considerations compared to slab phones.
Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the company’s attempt to alleviate these concerns. This device is very similar to its predecessor, but has some important changes to make the phone more rugged.
The first is a new gearless hinge that adds a bit of resistance when folding and unfolding the phone. Thanks to the new hinge, there is almost no gap when the phone is folded. This reduces the chance of dust and other debris getting inside and damaging the screen. I never soaked my phone in sand, but I did put it in my bag and pocket multiple times to see if lint from either location affected it. However, the phone continued to function normally.
I’ve never even submerged my phone in water. Still, having IP68 protection means the phone is more resistant to dust and water than previous models.
Apart from the ruggedness upgrades, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold now comes with a new Tensor G5 processor. No problem for most daily tasks, but From my experience, there seems to be some debate as to how it performs poorly. Benchmarking other processors.
Other hardware changes to the 10 Pro Fold include a larger battery than last year, which is a welcome change. Additionally, the phone’s bright screen makes it easier to use outdoors during the day. One thing to note about the display is that the bezels around the screen are much thicker than what we’ve seen on other recent phones, including both flip phones and slab phones.
Since this is a Pixel smartphone, Google has added a lot of AI features to the software. These additional features include Magic Cue, which displays snippets and suggestions based on screenshots and data from apps like Maps, Gmail, Messages, and Keep. You also get call translation, Gemini Live with video view, and Camera Coach to guide you on how to take photos. (These features are already on Pixel 10 Pro, and you can learn more about how they work here.)
camera
Cameras have been a central topic for Pixel smartphones for years now. The Pixel 10 Fold Pro’s camera specs are similar to last year’s device. This means there’s a 48-megapixel main sensor, a 10.8-megapixel telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom, and a 10.5-megapixel ultrawide sensor. It also has two 10-megapixel sensors as selfie cameras on both the cover display and the inner display.
This setup is not equivalent to the Pixel 10 Pro’s 50-megapixel main sensor and pair of 48-megapixel sensors for ultra-wide and telephoto. Meanwhile, the Pixel Pro 10 also has a 42-megapixel selfie camera.
Photos from the Fold’s main camera come out with great detail, but both the telephoto and ultra-wide lenses don’t. In low light, only the main camera retains moisture, but the Pixel 10 Pro camera outperforms it.
One complaint I have with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold camera is that when I try to take a photo of a small object, such as an AirPods case, the camera triggers macro mode even when I’m not very close to the object.
The jury is out on how much AI you should use in your photos, but if you’re a fan of the Pixel AI Zoom feature, which allows for 100x zoom, you’ll be disappointed to learn that this feature isn’t on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
The confusing name “Pro”
In this day and age, it’s hard to expect a mobile phone to not have a big name. However, Google’s inclusion of “Pro” in the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is a bit confusing. The company released the Pixel Fold in 2023 and changed its naming scheme last year.
Pro is usually reserved for the top-of-the-line phones in the lineup. Foldable devices fall short in the camera, cooling, and charging departments, unless you consider the size of the display and the size of the battery, which leads to the form factor.
As mentioned earlier, the camera is a step down from the Pixel 10 Pro. Additionally, Google has included vapor chamber cooling only in its Pro slab smartphones. Additionally, 25W Qi2 charging is reserved for the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Due to the collapsible shape, this may have limitations. But then why not drop the Pro name?
Google should also encourage developers to adapt third-party apps to fit the foldable experience, as well as tweak its own apps to reduce overall multitasking performance glitches. It would be nice to see Google implement something like Samsung’s multi-window feature into the Pixel foldable device.
What is the position of Pixel Foldable?
While manufacturers like Samsung, Oppo, and Honor compete to create thin foldable phones, Google has come up with an unabashedly chunky and heavy foldable phone. The company is focused on making it stronger and longer-lasting with new hinges and IP ratings.
The camera bump on this phone is not as big as on devices from some Chinese manufacturers. This means it has a little more holding power when placed on a flat surface. The camera is no match for the Pixel 10 Pro line, which is a shame. But if you don’t care about camera performance, the Pixel Fold camera isn’t a bad option.
The Pixel 10 Pro retails for $1,799, which is $200 less than Samsung’s Z Fold 7, but you can get discounts on various sites. If you want the full Google or Pixel experience in a foldable form factor, this is the device for you.
