The Google Pixel Fold launched over the summer to mixed reviews, but now that the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro have launched, they really make me wish Google would wait a little longer to launch its first foldable phone.
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The $1,799 Google Pixel Fold is a really impressive first attempt by Google to move into the foldable space. In many respects, I think this makes a compelling argument to potential buyers. The compact and useful external display is unique in the market, and the internal display combined with Android’s built-in multitasking experience is a great combination. Additionally, it doesn’t affect the camera, as the Pixel Fold is able to overcome Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5’s inconsistent camera.
I really liked the Pixel Fold.
But my review of the Pixel Fold ended up not recommending it to buyers, and I think that’s even more true after the launch of the Pixel 8 series.
When I reviewed the Pixel Fold, this was the first time Tensor really became a breaking point. The first two generations of Tensor were lower quality chipsets compared to the latest Qualcomm and MediaTek chipsets, especially due to heat issues. But since Google phones were so affordable, I never considered them a deal breaker.
The Pixel Fold really changed that story, because it wasn’t any cheaper.
All foldable smartphones have heat issues, because they have to be incredibly thin. As a result, you are more likely to feel this heat. Even the ultra-efficient Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 often feel warm, but the Pixel Fold really takes that to another level. On several memorable occasions, the foldable device overheated quickly and for no apparent reason, to the point that the device was uncomfortable to hold. This would be reasonable if it only happened when playing games or performing other tasks that required effort, but I had to stop using the Fold once before literally while reading a document. It’s getting really hot.
However, the Tensor G3 in the Pixel 8 series goes to long A way to fix this problem. It’s still not perfect, and Google’s latest chips still tend to heat up more easily than the latest Snapdragon chips, but it’s within the range of being an acceptable flagship experience.
Additionally, Google has also set a new standard for updates with the Pixel 8, now offering an industry-leading (including Apple’s) seven-year update policy. This new timeline wouldn’t have changed my judgment of the Pixel Fold, but a better chip would have gone long method, and seven years of updates should make the Fold’s $1,799 price tag a little easier.
Of course, there is no way to know for sure how last The delay may affect the Pixel Fold. In our initial impressions of the device, we praised Google for waiting as long as it had to deliver a product that looked as polished as it did. And since the company has already waited so long, it’s completely understandable why the product needed to get out the door. But with such a high price tag, and such a dramatic improvement after just a few months, there were compelling reasons to hold out.
Hopefully the Pixel Fold 2 isn’t too far away.
The most important news of this week
Our Google Pixel reviews have arrived
In case you missed it, our reviews of Google’s latest Pixel devices are now available here. See below for our initial thoughts on the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel Watch 2.
The Fitbit Charge 6 is an excellent smartwatch alternative
This week we also reviewed the Fitbit Charge 6, which looks like more than just a simple fitness tracker this year. With improved software including Google apps, it’s more like a “Pixel Watch Lite.”
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