Although I have lived with a folding phone in the past, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold surprised me in a good way, far beyond what I had initially expected. Here is my review of the Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

What: Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold| Price: Rs 1,72,999

A rugged foldable phone

Every phone looks and feels the same these days, but when you hold the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, it upends this feeling, but in a good way. Although the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is almost identical to last year’s model, I still feel there’s room to experiment with the design and come up with a fresh take. Maybe that’s becoming harder these days. But since Pixel devices aren’t as common as iPhones, there’s something mysterious about seeing someone holding one.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is not your traditional foldable phone. I think a lot of emphasis has been placed on making sure it gives you a completely different feel when you pick it up. It’s a mix of both design and size, reminding me of how I felt after using the BlackBerry Passport. I bet you won’t see the Pixel 10 Pro Fold in the hands of teenagers. Don’t expect this device to be used for taking selfies in Delhi’s Connaught Place or at the gym. For a second, it felt like I was holding a Nintendo Game Boy and that’s a compliment.

The design of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is absolutely stunning. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

While Apple and Samsung are experimenting with ultra-thin smartphones, Google didn’t take that turn. Instead, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold has a noticeable heft to it. It feels solid and expensive, like the gadgets of the 2000s. It features an “aerospace-grade, high-strength aluminum” frame and a new multi-alloy, gearless steel hinge, also covered with the same aluminum alloy. The outer display and back are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, one of the toughest materials available. Google says the phone is more resistant to scratches and breaks than last year’s model. I spent several days using the Pixel 10 Pro Fold without a case, but eventually, I ordered one, partly to protect it from scratches and partly for peace of mind.

I remember when foldable phones were first introduced to the market. As one of the first tech journalists to try them, I had certain doubts and a bit of nervousness about using these devices in my day-to-day life. There were labels and guidelines on how to use a foldable phone properly. Well, I must say, my confidence in foldables has seen a sea change since then. I now use a foldable phone confidently, just like a regular smartphone. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s new IP68 rating, perhaps the first for a foldable phone, makes it more durable and rugged, on par with any high-end phone on the market.

I liked Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 (215 grams), which is really thin and light, but I also liked the Pixel 10 Pro Fold (272 grams). It may not be as thin and light as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but as I mentioned earlier, I am a sucker for solid devices much like the way Nintendo designs its products.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold outshines every other foldable phone on the market with a brighter OLED screen. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

In practice, I found the Pixel 10 Pro Fold to be mostly one-handable. Surprisingly, when unfolded, it’s very comfortable to use. When closed, it feels like a denser-than-regular phone; when unfolded, it feels like a lighter-than-normal tablet.

I used the device in a variety of ways whether responding to texts or reading articles with one hand, almost like holding a Kindle. Typing on the large screen is also comfortable.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold opens and closes like a dream, and there’s no gap when it’s fully closed. The phone has a power button on the right edge that doubles as a fingerprint reader, with the volume toggle positioned just below it. I do, however, wish the volume toggle was placed above the power button.

Apps have more room to spread out and show more information on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

The bottom edge houses the microphones, a USB-C port, and a speaker grille. Google has moved the SIM tray from the bottom to the top edge, where you’ll also find another microphone and a second speaker grille. The phone supports eSIM, but there’s no memory card slot. Google sent me the Pixel 10 Pro Fold in Moonstone, which has a subtle grey tone. It has a classic appeal, and it feels like it’s designed with business-class travellers and senior executives in mind.

A productivity device and a heavy dose of AI

Like any other foldable phone, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold also has dual screens: one on the outside and the other inside. The outer screen is 6.4 inches (up from 6.3 inches on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold) with a 20:9 aspect ratio, a resolution of 2,364 by 1,080 pixels, and a pixel density of 408 pixels per inch. It features a variable refresh rate from 60Hz to 120Hz, supports HDR content, and displays 24-bit color for up to 16 million hues.

Inside, you will find an 8-inch Super Actua OLED display with a resolution of 2,152 by 2,076 pixels at 373 ppi. It has a variable refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz and is slightly brighter, with an HDR brightness of 1,800 nits and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Google says the new dual layers of anti-impact films provide better protection against scratches.

If you are new to foldable phones (and I assume you are), dual screens offer an experience you can’t get on the iPhone or any other traditional Android smartphone. The screen on the outside of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is reminiscent of a slab-like phone, which I believe you already own and use. You can literally do everything on the exterior screen – texting, checking emails, asking Gemini about anything, changing music on Apple Music or Spotify, opening the camera, and taking pictures. Basically, I would say you can do everything. I loved pulling out of my pocket to use every single time; it just works as it should.

I am finally ready to solely rely on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which doubles as a phone and a tablet. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

However, it’s the inner 8-inch screen where things get exciting. You can do much more than what’s possible on your current smartphone. The extra screen real estate opens up new ways of using the device. It’s like holding a tablet that folds and fits in your pocket.

In my view, the biggest USP of a foldable phone is its ability to morph into a tablet – not the other way around, as many claim when they say foldables are just better smartphones. A “regular” phone already does everything you expect from a phone. What makes a foldable special is that it can replace both your smartphone and your tablet simply because you always have it with you. You don’t need an iPad or an Android tablet when you have a device like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

The great thing about a foldable is that you can do “normal” things on it, but on a much larger screen. For example, as a journalist, I receive a lot of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) before product releases, and frankly, reading those documents on a smaller screen is a pain. I often have to pinch and zoom just to read the finer details. But with the Fold, I can open a full PDF and view it at a reasonable font size without needing to pull out an iPad or a large tablet.

Everything just feels better on a bigger screen whether it’s browsing the web, playing games, watching videos, or even interacting with AI. Sure, the experience also depends on how well an app or video is formatted for a larger screen, but for the most part, it’s very good and you simply don’t get that on a regular phone.

Take multitasking, for example. Yes, you can open two apps at the same time on a regular phone, but the experience is limited by the smaller display. On the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, however, there’s plenty of screen real estate, and running two apps side by side actually makes a lot of sense.

It’s great to read an article in Chrome on one side while taking notes on the other, something I do frequently as a journalist. Or I can join a Google Meet call on one screen while reviewing the press kit on the other. That said, I would have loved to see support for running three apps at once, which unfortunately isn’t possible on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, on the other hand, does allow you to run three apps simultaneously, giving it an edge in terms of multitasking flexibility.

I also liked that there’s a floating taskbar that makes swapping apps and multitasking easier, and you can even pin it to the screen. The Fold also supports saving app pairs, allowing you to launch both at once in split-screen mode.

How software works on foldables is key, and while I do see improvements, there’s always room for more features on these devices. For example, certain apps like Google Calendar and Spotify recognise that you are using a large, tablet-like display and offer nicely optimised layouts. However, many apps like Reddit, which is my digital lifeline these days still feel like stretched versions of what you would see on a “normal” phone.

On the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Google gives you the option to open any app on the exterior screen and seamlessly continue using it on the larger internal display. The process is smooth for most apps, and the switching is almost instantaneous, though some apps can still face UI issues.

I would love to see Google introduce floating windows on the Fold. I think Samsung has done a better job with multitasking on its Galaxy Fold devices, but Google still has room to catch up.

I would also like to see support for different layouts on the exterior and internal displays. Right now, the user interface on all foldable phones, including the Pixel 10 Pro Fold feels like it simply mimics what you would get on a regular smartphone. That, I feel, needs to change.

The exterior screen works just like what you get on a “regular” phone. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

Otherwise, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold runs Android 16 out of the box. The interface is very clean and free of bloat, which means no junk apps or third-party software like you often find on other Android smartphones. I love how Google is building on the Material 3 Expressive theme; it feels fresh and, in my opinion, is a better implementation than what Apple has done with its Liquid Glass design in iOS 26.

Running Android 16 means the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, like other new Pixel phones in the latest Pixel 10 series, gets the same artificial intelligence features, including Magic Compose, Pixel Screenshots, Call Screen, as well as new additions like Pixel Journal and Magic Cue. Not every AI feature is equally useful or well-designed, in my opinion, but I really liked how Magic Cue and Gemini Live, which analyses what’s around you or what’s on your screen works. I have already mentioned in previous reviews how big  Google is going with AI and its Gemini on the Pixel 10 smartphones

You can read my review of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, where I have covered the new AI features in depth.
Google offers seven years of software support on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and it rolls out new updates every month through its Pixel Drops. Always remember that a Pixel phone will get exclusive features first than other Android smartphones.

Beefier processor and long battery life

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold doesn’t skimp on processing power, thanks to the new-generation Tensor G5 processor. It’s noticeably faster than the previous-generation Tensor G4, and I can genuinely feel the difference between using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Benchmark numbers may not tell the full story, but in real-world use, my Pixel 10 Pro Fold is clearly faster, stays cool even after extended gaming sessions, handles apps and everyday tasks effortlessly, and better at AI calculations on-devices due to improved TPU. This may be particularly true for Tensor chips, though I can’t say the same for Apple or Qualcomm processors. Those chips are already so fast that I can barely notice any difference between generations.

My review unit shipped with 16GB of RAM and only 256GB of internal storage. For a phone that starts at Rs 1,72,999, Google could have been generous and packed at least 512GB of internal storage for the base version.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold has so many AI features, I stopped counting. Some work as advertised and some don’t. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

However, the real hero of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is its battery life. It easily lasts beyond a full day, even when using both screens with a mix of 5G and Wi-Fi comparable to what you would get from a regular slab phone. It lasts even longer when you are primarily using the outer screen for typical phone tasks.

The larger 5,015mAh battery (up from 4,650mAh) certainly helps. Charging is also faster: the phone supports up to 30W wired charging with a compatible charging brick and 15W Qi2 wireless charging.
New to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is Google’s PixelSnap magnetic wireless charging tech: think MagSafe, but for Android. Alongside this, Google has rolled out a range of PixelSnap accessories, including magnetic cases, charging pucks, and charging stands. Google did not send these accessories for review, so I haven’t had the chance to test them with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

The best cameras (almost at par with flagship smartphone cameras)

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold features a 48-megapixel primary sensor with quad-pixel binning, an f/1.7 aperture, and an 82-degree field of view (FoV). The ultra-wide camera uses a 10.5-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 127-degree FoV. The telephoto camera includes a 10.8-megapixel sensor with an f/3.1 aperture and a 23-degree FoV. It supports 5x optical zoom and up to 20x Super Res Zoom.
All the cameras feature multi-zone LDAF (Laser Detect Auto Focus), and both the main and telephoto cameras come with optical and electronic image stabilisation.

The selfie cameras remain the same as those on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Both have 10MP sensors with an f/2.2 aperture and an 87-degree FoV.

I am someone who doesn’t get too caught up in raw camera specs. For me, what really matters is how easy it is to take pictures and what the end results look like. I tested the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s camera in a variety of conditions, and the results consistently had good detail and plenty of dynamic range. The photo quality also has a natural flair to it, and that’s true for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold as well.

Thanks to Google’s software optimisation, I was able to get natural-looking bokeh (basically, the areas around the main subject appear soft and blurry). Just open the camera, focus on the subject, and take the shot- it’s that simple. You can also get a bit creative with how zoom works on the Pixel Fold.

The camera app gives you four zoom levels: 0.5x, which uses the ultra-wide lens
1x, which uses the main lens, 2x, which appears to be a digital crop from the main lens and 5x, which uses the dedicated telephoto lens So how is the zoom? I was impressed with the shots I took. Even without a tripod, the Pixel Fold was able to capture clear, sharp images of faraway subjects using the 5x telephoto zoom.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold camera sample. Image resized for web.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold camera sample. Image resized for web.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold camera sample. Image resized for web.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold camera sample. Image resized for web.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold camera sample. Image resized for web.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold camera sample. Image resized for web.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold camera sample. Image resized for web.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold camera sample. Image resized for web.

What also impressed me was how the Pixel Fold handled night shots, though I must admit, the Pixel 10 Pro XL does an even better job at capturing low-light scenes. Overall, from a purely camera-focused perspective, I would still choose the flat Pixel 10 Pro XL over the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Keep in mind, the telephoto sensor on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is only 10.8MP, compared to the 48MP telephoto sensor on the Pixel 10 Pro XL. So yes, there are some camera limitations on Google’s most expensive smartphone, and it shows. But that’s something you might only notice if you have used both devices extensively, like I have.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold takes advantage of many generative AI features in the camera. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

So, should you buy the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold?

There are so many things to love about the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, from its beautiful screens and hulk-like build to its faster performance, long battery life, and useful built-in AI features that are thoughtfully integrated into the user interface.

But there are also a few big misses. I would like to see a more focused approach to multitasking on foldable phones, something that still feels underdeveloped. I also wish the Pixel 10 Pro Fold supported a stylus.

You might be thinking I have a long list of demands for the next version of the Pixel Fold, and you’re right. After all, this phone starts at Rs 1,72,999, and for that price, Google needs to deliver. That said, I believe Google has figured out a way to keep improving foldables. Its vision for a true flagship foldable phone is slightly different from others, and I respect that. We need variation and more individual voices to keep tech moving forward.

The biggest takeaway after using the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is that having a tablet in your pocket offers more utility than owning both a phone and a tablet. That’s where I began to realise why I no longer feel the need to carry multiple devices on long work trips. A device like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold doubles as a phone, a tablet, and even a gaming device, meaning I can travel lighter, and I am sure many users are thinking the same way.

Sure, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is expensive and won’t appeal to everyone, and that’s okay. Every product has its pros and cons. Foldables, too, come with their share of issues. Some can be fixed through software updates, but not everything can be pitch perfect.