Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Price, release date, specs, and everything you need to know

When the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold was unveiled, it caught many completely off guard, especially after seeing what the original Pixel Fold had to offer. Gone was the (very) outdated design, as it was replaced by something much more refined and it was almost like the 9 Pro Fold wasn't actually a Google Pixel.

Google released the Pixel 9 Pro Fold alongside the rest of the Pixel 9 series, and it packs a bigger screen along with the Tensor G4 processor. If you're deciding whether to upgrade to this foldable or simply want to learn about its price, specs, and availability, we have all the information you need right here.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Price and availability

Pricing for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold remains unchanged when compared to the original Pixel Fold. There are two different configurations available, as you can opt for either 256GB or 512GB of storage. Pricing starts at $1,799 for the base model, and goes up to $1,919 if you need more space.

When it comes to availability, things are a bit weird in 2024. While the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL were released on Aug. 22, the 9 Pro Fold and 9 Pro weren't available until Sept. 4. Nevertheless, you can now either order one online or walk into your local carrier store to pick one up.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Design and displays

Google went back to the drawing board with the design of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and we aren't just talking about the camera housing. Instead of keeping with the unique passport-like design, the 9 Pro Fold feels like a much more modern device, drawing comparisons to the OnePlus Open.

The 9 Pro Fold is equipped with a 6.3-inch Actua Cover Screen, matching the size of the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro. Like the Pixel 9, this display features a variable refresh rate between 60-120Hz and is capable of reaching up to 2,700 nits of peak brightness.

When unfolded, we're presented with an 8-inch Super Actua Flex display, complete with a 120Hz variable refresh rate. It too offers the same peak brightness levels, aiming to ensure that you can always see what's on your screen, no matter where you are.

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This was done in an effort to provide a more comfortable and familiar experience on a foldable phone. Instead of needing to worry about app developers adopting foldable-friendly form factors, these new screens bring about more traditional aspect ratios. This is especially true of the inner display when using apps in split-screen, as the apps naturally conform and show all of the content.

Something that Google is continuing to focus on is making its foldable phone as thin as possible. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold manages to hit the mark for being the slimmest in North America. It measures 5.1mm when unfolded, which is 0.5mm thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and 0.7mm thinner than the OnePlus Open. Even when closed, the 9 Pro Fold is just 2mm thicker than the Pixel 9 Pro, which is an impressive feat in its own right.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Specs and performance

After seeing what happened with the launch of the Pixel Fold with the Tensor G2, and the subsequent release of the Pixel 8 with the G3, we were hoping that Google wasn't going to make the same mistake again. Thankfully, that's not something we have to worry about, as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is powered by the same Tensor G4 found in the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup.

Paired with the G4, Google has included 16GB of RAM, along with either 256GB or 512GB of storage. Coming as no surprise, you're stuck with one storage option or the other, as there's no microSD card slot. On the bright side, you'll get 16GB of RAM with the 9 Pro Fold, regardless of how much storage you get.

We had high hopes for the Tensor G4, but as it turns out, this isn't as big of an upgrade as you might have wanted. Instead, Google has put more of its focus on the efficiency of the chip, while also ensuring a smooth and reliable AI experience. That being said, if you own the original Pixel Fold, there's a good chance you'll immediately notice an improvement in overall performance.

As for battery life, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a smaller battery than the original Pixel Fold. Google's latest foldable is equipped with a 4,650mAh battery while being rated to last for up to 24 hours on a single charge. Google even claims that you can get an incredible 72 hours of battery life when enabling Extreme Battery Saver.

While the smaller battery might be a bit disappointing, Google is countering this by vastly improving charging speeds. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold falls in line with its contemporaries, as it now supports up to 45W charging speeds. This is a great improvement over the 30W speeds found on last year's model.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Cameras

Leading up to the official launch, there's been a lot of talk about the redesigned camera housing for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It ditches the cyborg-like camera bar in favor of a square island. When asked why this was done, Google focused on creating an ultra-slim foldable phone.

This is the same reason why we don't see much in the way of upgraded camera sensors. Within the new housing, we have a 48MP wide-angle camera, a 10.5MP ultrawide lens with a 127-degree FoV, and a 10.8MP telephoto lens. With the telephoto camera, the 9 Pro Fold offers 5x optical zoom, along with 20x Super Res Zoom. Meanwhile, both the front and inner selfie cameras are reliant upon 10MP lenses, with an 87-degree FoV.

Google is also introducing a few new AI-powered camera features for the Pixel 9 series. Made You Look will put animations on the screen, making it easier to get your little ones to actually look at the camera while you're lining up a photo. Add Me is a new feature meant to stop the photographer from feeling left out. After taking the initial photo, just ask someone else to take a picture of you with the same background, and your phone's AI will take care of the rest.

Generating images with AI can also be a lot of fun, but there hasn't been much way to apply edits to photos you've already taken. Thanks to Reimagine, you're able to pull up a picture, tap on a subject or area, write a prompt, and watch as your picture is transformed. The best part is, that you can keep doing this to the point that your original picture isn't even recognizable, which can be a lot of fun.

After debuting with the Pixel 8 Pro, Night Sight Video is also getting an upgrade with the Pixel 9 lineup. Thanks to the Tensor G4, you'll enjoy better and faster processing, without needing to make sacrifices in video quality.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Software

Before diving into the various features of the 9 Pro Fold's software, it's worth noting that this phone ships with Android 14, and not Android 15. The same rings true across the entire Pixel 9 lineup, marking the first time that Google has released a new phone without including the latest version of its software.

That oddity notwithstanding, Google still introduced a bunch of new software features across the board. There are a couple of new apps on board, such as Pixel Screenshots, which uses Gemini Nano to organize and surface information found within the images so you can reference them later.

In mid-October, Google released the final version of Android 15, which also included the October Pixel Feature Drop. Now, you can also jump into the Android Beta Program, if you want to get a taste of what Google's cooking up for future releases on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

In December 2024, Google released a new Pixel Drop, offering a number of improvements. Specifically to the 9 Pro Fold, Dual Screen was made available when using Portrait Mode. Plus, Made You Look introduced a new character, and the feature can now be used on the original Pixel Fold.

After initially being discovered in late 2024, Google has officially launched the Terminal app for Pixel devices as part of the March 2025 Pixel Feature Drop. Once it's enabled in the Developer Options, you'll be able to interact with a Debian Linux-powered Terminal.

In March, Android 16 Beta 3 arrived, bringing with it a few other improvements to the Terminal app. Notably, we now have the ability to use tabs while in the app, and there's a new button in the top right corner. However, we aren't exactly sure what this button will do, as tapping it doesn't currently do anything.

On top of that, the GrapheneOS team gave everyone a glimpse of what could be possible when using Terminal in a future update. A post on X shows "desktop Chrome running in a virtual machine with basic GPU acceleration."

Additionally, Google announced that the Pixel Fold can now enjoy Dual Screen Preview while video recording. Meanwhile, the 9 Pro Fold picked up the ability to "use Add Me with Dual Screen Preview so everyone's included in the moment."

Google simplified things in terms of split-screen multitasking, as you can only have two apps side-by-side. However, with Android 16 Developer Preview 2, it was discovered that Google might be working on a way to add a third screen to the mix.

From the looks of it, this will be very similar to the Open Canvas feature found on the OnePlus Open and OnePlus Pad 2. Then again, this could just be Google tinkering with different ideas, as this new "feature" is not actually available for everyone, even if you're running the latest Android 16 beta.

If you enjoy living on the bleeding edge, then you'll be happy to know that you can install the Android 16 Beta on the 9 Pro Fold. There's not much noticeable change in the way of non-folding Pixel phones. However, Google is implementing ways for apps to "automatically adapt to fit foldables," which will hopefully solve any problems you currently deal with.

With Android 16 Beta 2, Google is adding more control over how you capture pictures. Not only is a new "hybrid auto-exposure" option now available, but Google is also adding "support for fine color temperature and tint adjustments."

More recently, Google began rolling out Android 16 Beta 2.1 to Pixel devices. However, this is primarily focused on fixing bugs, as opposed to introducing new features or making any other major changes.

In addition to the Terminal changes mentioned above, Android 16 Beta 3 includes a variety of new features, such as Auracase support, accessibility tools, and more. Google also stated that this Beta 3 marked the first "Platform Stability" release, with the next Beta slated to arrive in April ahead of the final release.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold also receives monthly security patches, which occasionally feature bug fixes and new features. Most recently, Google rolled out the February 2025 security patch, which includes fixes for a "zero-day flaw," while also aiming to fix Bluetooth issues that have plagued owners since the Pixel 9 series was released.

Gemini itself is also getting an upgrade, as it can be invoked and will tell you information about the content on your screen. But the real exciting upgrade comes in the form of Gemini Live. Now, interacting with Gemini is more conversational, and much less robotic. There are also 10 different voices to choose from, adding another layer of personalization to an increasingly-personalized experience.

While we've been able to use the Gemini to create AI-generated images, the Pixel Studio app is to take that to the next level. It can be used to generate images based on text prompts, but thanks to the on-device AI model, Pixel Studio can do so much more.

In order to take advantage of these, and the many other AI-powered features, you'll need Gemini Advanced. Google is including one year of its Google One AI Premium subscription for free, after which you'll be looking at paying $20 per month. However, this also includes 2TB of storage, along with a few other great benefits, so it's probably something that will be worth keeping around.

The Google One AI Premium subscription unlocks the latest Gemini 2.0 models for use with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Lastly, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will receive seven years of OS and security updates, just like the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup. However, it remains to be seen whether the Android 14 to Android 15 update will play a factor in whether the phone stops getting updates in 2031 or 2032.

Additionally, it's worth watching Android's shifting OS update release schedule. Android 16 and future updates are expected to reach platform stability in Q2, a quarter earlier than before. This could help the Pixel 9 Pro Fold pick up seven Android OS updates despite starting a version behind with Android 14.