Hands-on with the foldable iPhone Duo
Hands-on with the foldable iPhone Duo. The first foldable iPhone is finally here, and following its announcement, we got the chance to try the phone for ourselves. We've long been told that Apple would make a foldable iPhone once the tech was good enough – has it been worth the wait? It definitely feels like something different. The inner screen has […]
What happened
Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianReviewPixel 11 Pro Fold review: the foldable with the best triple cameraBig screen folder with slick software and advanced AI is just like a regular Android when closedGoogle’s latest folding phone sticks with its tried and tested design of a traditional phone shape when closed and almost square when open, in the face of new competition from Apple’s squat iPhone fold. Unlike Samsung’s slender Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra or squat models such as Apple’s iPhone Duo or the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the Pixel has the same ratio screen as Google’s slab phones and so handles precisely like them when shut with a bright and smooth 6.
Like all foldable phones the screen is also delicate compared with standard hardened glass phones. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianThe Pixel Fold has some of the best cameras on a foldable phone, including three on the back and two very good selfie cameras, one in each screen. For comparison, the Pixel 11 costs £879, Pixel 11 Pro costs £1,079, the Pixel 11 Pro XL costs £1,279, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra costs £1,899, the iPhone Duo costs £1,999 and the Honor Magic V6 costs £1,499.
As with all foldables the inside screen can be permanently marked by a fingernail if you press hard enough, so you must still be careful with it compared with a standard Pixel. Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Big, bright internal screen folds to the same size and shape as a regular Pixel.
The wider picture
Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianView image in fullscreenBig, bright internal screen folds to the same size and shape as a regular Pixel. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is Google’s fourth-generation folder and is still one of the only models with a full water and dust resistance rating similar to standard slab phones. It costs from £1,799 (€1,999/$1,899/A$2,799), which is £50 (€100/$100/A$100) more than last year as the pressure of RAMageddon continues to push up prices. The 11 Pro Fold looks identical to previous models, but it is 19g lighter and fractionally slimmer in all directions with a slightly larger outside screen.
View image in fullscreenThe Pixel 11 Pro Fold is just like a regular Android when closed. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianOpened up, the internal screen is essentially square, which allows you to run two full-size apps side by side but is less ideal for video. The display is very bright, crisp and smooth, but the crease where it folds is more visible and detectable with your fingers than the best rivals. The back of the phone hides the excellent Qi2 magnetic charging and accessory support from last year, while Google’s gimmicky HiLight notification LED, as seen on the other Pro Pixels, replaces the camera’s flash.
What has been reported
View image in fullscreenThe crease in the centre of the screen is visible under glare, but disappears when in use. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianSpecifications Outside screen: 6. 5in FHD+ 120Hz OLED (399ppi) Inside screen: 8in 120Hz OLED (372ppi) Processor: Google Tensor G6 RAM: 16GB Storage: 256, 512GB or 1TB Operating system: Android 17 Camera: 48MP wide, 10. 8MP 5x telephoto; two 10MP selfie cameras Connectivity: 5G, eSim, USB-C, wifi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6, UWB, Thread, GNSS Water resistance: IP68 (1. 5 metres for 30 minutes) Dimensions folded: 155.
4 x 5mm Weight: 239g Faster chip but slightly shorter battery lifeView image in fullscreenA full charge takes an hour and 40 minutes hitting 50% in 37 minutes with a 30W or greater USB-C power adaptor (not included). Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianThe 11 Pro Fold has the same Tensor G6 chip from the other Pixel 11 models with 16GB of memory, which works very well for all kinds of multitasking, remaining snappy and responsive with multiple apps on screen. It handles light gaming, but can’t match rivals for raw performance.
What happens next
The battery life is a little shorter than last year’s model and rivals, lasting about 36 hours between charges when used on a mix of 5G and wifi with the screens in active use for about 2. 5 hours each for browsing, messaging, apps and photos. Most will have to charge it nightly, but even on the heaviest of use days the Pixel managed to end the day without requiring a top-up. Android 17, Magic Cue and GeminiView image in fullscreenThe revamped Bubbles feature allows additional floating apps to be minimised to a separate taskbar in the bottom left or right of the screen.
Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianThe Fold runs the latest version of Android 17 with all of Google’s AI tools, including Gemini’s proactive system, the new supercharged voice dictation feature and six months of Google AI Pro subscription. Many of Google’s more creative AI tools, including the Omni video creation tool, Circle to Search and Gemini’s information cards benefit from the larger internal screen. Google has made a number of modifications to Android to better fit the folding form, including a floating taskbar and a split-screen mode that can resize apps beyond the bounds of the physical display introduced last year.