Hands on: Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold isn’t a reinvention, but two major upgrades make it a foldable worth considering

Google probably won’t get any credit for major leaps in foldable innovation, but the new Pixel 10 Pro Fold does represent a couple of notable firsts in the folding phone space: IP68 protection and Qi Pixel Snap charging, which happens to work almost exactly like Apple’s MagSafe charging and accessory technology.

These are not features that you'd notice at a glance, as Google’s latest folding Android phone looks almost exactly like the Pixel Pro 9 Fold. The dimensions are the same; it’s still just 5.2mm thick when unfolded, which, a year ago, was an eye-opening spec, but now, in the face of the 4.2mm-thick Galaxy Z Fold 7, is just looks nice and slim. The materials, which include multi-alloy steel, aerospace-grade aluminum, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, are unchanged.

This is unquestionably not the same Pixel Fold as last year, though.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold hands-on: the first-ever IP68-rated foldable - YouTube

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Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold preview: design

Google has reengineered the hinge so that it's now gearless and, apparently, fully sealed, protecting it not just from water incursion but dust. This might be the first foldable that’s safe to take to the beach without of a case. The hinge is also incredibly smooth in use; if anything, the magnet holding it closed feels slightly less intense than those on the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

And while the 8-inch Super Actua Flex screen is still eight inches (and almost crease-free), it’s the cover screen that's gotten the more noticeable upgrade. The bezels are now slightly thinner, which makes the Super Actua display larger, at 6.4 inches (up from 6.3).

Interestingly, the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s cover screen is, at 6.5, larger (it’s actually slightly taller), but side by side the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s cover display is wider, with more pixels (2364 x 1080 vs 2520 x 1080 for the Fold 7), which means the virtual keyboard on the Pixel is more usable.

Design-wise, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold maintains the aesthetic appeal of its predecessor, with the folded device being almost indistinguishable from a standard flagship phone, except that one side features curved corners and the hinge side is more squared off. It still feels good in the hand and not heavy, although at 258 grams it’s not a lightweight when compared directly to the 215g Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Initially, the camera array on the back appeared unchanged to my eye, but then I noticed some subtle differences. The lens openings are slightly larger and are surrounded by a thin, polished chamfer, which gives the array a slightly more upscale look.

Google has also upgraded its logo on the back. It’s larger, and has a reflective finish.

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Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold preview: displays

Unfolded, there’s virtually no difference between the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Last year, I marveled at how the Pixel Fold 9 could unfold completely flat; this year, I simply expect it. Because of the large camera array, though, it still doesn't lie flat on a table, a 'feature' it shares with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

There’s still a large-ish punch hole in the 8-inch main display for the 10MP camera, and the bezels are about the same thickness as before. The screen, though, features new materials to help it better withstand impact, although, perhaps fortunately, I wasn't able to test their effectiveness, as I managed not to drop the phone during my brief hands-on time.

Both displays are brighter than ever, thanks to their 3000 maximum nits level, which should make the Pixel 10 Pro Fold excellent for outdoor, direct-sunlight use – I’ll let you know when I get the chance to take a review unit outside.

The large 8-inch super Actua flex display is not only bright, it's sharp, clear, and with smooth motion (1Hz-120Hz adaptive). The crease is barely noticeable. It does have a camera punch hole, but I don't imagine that will be very distracting for most activities.

It's a great viewfinder for the camera and also a lovely way to look at the pictures you just took.

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Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold preview: cameras

The triple camera array specs are virtually unchanged from last year. They are:

• Triple Camera Array:
• 48MP main wide-angle
• 10.5MP ultra-wide
• 10.8 telephoto (5x optical)
• Selfie cameras
• 10MP on Cover display
• 10MP on Main display

There’s also a 10MP selfie camera in the cover screen and another 10MP selfie camera in the main display, which is a slight improvement from the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's 8MP main-screen selfie camera.

While the Galaxy Z Fold 7 appears to have the Pixel 10 Pro Fold beat in most aspects, the latter phone has the upper hand when it comes to optical zoom. The Z Fold 7, much to my dismay, tops out at 3x optical, while the Pixel 10 Pro Fold delivers 5x with, at 10.8MP, a slightly higher pixel count.

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I took some photos with all these cameras and they looked good. Macro capabilities through the ultra-wide are impressive, as were the few shots I managed to grab with the 5x telephoto camera. It’s way too soon, however, to tell if they meet or exceed last year's cameras or those of any other folding phone.

What I did enjoy was the ability to preview photos on the flex screen (Google calls this 'instant View') as you’re taking them. The 8-inch display can automatically split up into quadrants, with the viewfinder display at the top-right, the camera controls below that, and the last two photos you took appearing on the left side of the screen. As a new photo comes in, the oldest one is pushed off the screen.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold preview: Performance

Inside the phone is Google's new Tensor G5 chip, which is more AI-capable than ever. This chip runs the Gemini Nano Model on the phone, meaning the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is capable of supporting multiple generative AI capabilities across speech, information, and imagery. Similar to what I experienced on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, I can now run Gemini Live in full-screen mode on the 8-inch display. I turned on the camera and asked Gemini to identify what it saw on the table, which it did with impressive skill.

There are other features, like Camera Coach and Edit Photos with Ask Photos, that were not yet enabled on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold phones I tried out, but which I did see in action on a Pixel 10 Pro, and I was impressed with how the coach guides you step by step towards, for instance, a better portrait. It advised me, for example, to switch to portrait mode, how to frame my subject, and even how to use the rule of thirds, and the result was better photos.

Another Gemini feature that works locally, thanks to the Tensor G5 chip, is Live Translate. While it wasn’t yet working on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, I did try it on a Pixel 10 Pro XL, and it is, to be honest, astonishing. I held one phone and spoke in English to a Google rep who was holding a phone on the other side of the room. She was playing the role of a Spanish-only speaker. I talked for a bit in English, but could overhear on her end 'my voice' speaking the same phrases in Spanish. It was wild, and the closest thing I've seen in mobile technology to the Star Trek Universal Translator.

There might be some concerns about what Google is doing with that voice clone, but Google told us it’s all on device, and not persistent. So there’s no accessible record of my Spanish-speaking voice.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold preview: Battery and charging

At 5,015mAh, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s battery is significantly larger than last year, and could offer up to 30 hours of video playback (a claim I couldn't test during my brief hands-on session), but that’s not the only power-related upgrade.

This is a Qi2-compatible device (as are all the Pixel 10 phones), which means it will support 15W wireless charging speeds. More exciting, though, is the inclusion of Pixelsnap, a MagSafe-like feature that integrates a ring of magnets, which means the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will work with a variety of first-and third-party Pixelsnap grips, charging devices, and bases.

Google has some gorgeous ones, including a ring stand that folds so flat and thin but is strong enough to hold the Pixel 10 Pro fold even when I held only the ring and dangled the phone in the air.

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Pixelsnap also works with Google’s new Pixelsnap charging stand, letting you attach the phone in landscape or portrait mode. I was also able to unfold the phone and still attach it to the stand, which is heavy enough that it didn't wobble or tip over. Naturally, we had to try third-party MagSafe accessories, all of which worked perfectly on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, even ones from Apple.

This is, naturally, a 5G (Dual Sim, Nano SIM, and eSIM) Android 16 phone that will arrive with support for WiFi 7 and, notably, Bluetooth v6.

The Tensor G5 CPU is backed by a formidable 16GB of RAM and a base of 256GB of storage. That’s unchanged from last year, as is the price, which still sits at $1,799 (UK: £1,749.00 / AUS: $2,699).

The phone is not only designed to last, but will be supported by seven years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop feature updates.

Preorders for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, available in Jade and Moonstone, kick off on August 20, but you’ll have to wait a bit for the phone to arrive. It’s currently set to ship on October 9.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold preview: price and specs