Google Chose Durability Over Sleekness for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and That’s OK

When Samsung made its debut the Galaxy Z Fold 7 last month, the spotlights were on the slim and the light of this foldable phone. On Wednesday, Google adopted a different approach during the disclosure of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, focusing more on internal upgrades as a larger battery of 5,015 mAh and an IP68 note for resistance to dust and water – a major step in the world of foldables – while almost sticking the design of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

The Samsung and Google updates are designed to make foldable phones as “normal” as possible. In an ideal world, foldables would be the whole whole: slim, difficult and powered by a large battery. But in the real world, where these niche devices always find their foot, you must always choose between elegance and durability. And Google bet that you choose the latter.

“The foldable market matured to the point where one-[size]-Fits-Tout no longer applies, “said Francisco Jeronimo, vice-president of IDC devices.” Some users will appreciate a device that feels as elegant, light and portable as a traditional flagship phone. “This is where the 215 gram galaxy is closed 7 arrives, which is only 4.2 mm thick and 8.9 mm in grams.

“Some other users will prioritize the function, reliability and peace of mind compared to aesthetics,” continued Jeronimo. “The Pixel 10 Pro Fold responds to the main concerns that have historically retained consumers: durability and life of the battery. Its IP68 note – a first for this type of foldable – offers a level of confidence for anyone who is less prudent using the telephone in more prone -subject environments. This user is willing to accept a heavier device in exchange for a more resilient.”

In the end, this comes to personal preferences. My preference, of course, would be to have everything, but we are not there yet.

A different approach to stand out

If you spend a lot of money on a phone, you want to make sure it checks all key boxes. And foldable phones are far from cheap. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $ 2,000 ($ 100 more than last year’s fold Z), while the Pixel 10 Pro Fold retains its price of $ 1799 compared to last year (still no pocket change).

Telephone manufacturers must distinguish their offers to attract your precious dollars. Loading a bunch of AI features, which Samsung and Google are, is only half of the battle. The main attraction of a foldable, after all, is the innovative design. Finding ways to make this design more practical can be a huge sale argument, hence the efforts of Samsung and Google (varied).

Samsung has slipped on its fold Z 7 helps to feel like a standard slate phone when closed, 8.9 mm thick and only 4.2 mm when it is open, weighing 215 g. The 200 megapixel main camera adds to the premium sensation and puts it equally with the high -end S25. But there is a major compromise: the battery of the fold 7 is a meager 4 400mAh. In addition, it has an IP48 rating, which means that it is only protected against solid objects greater than 1 mm – not smaller granules like finer sand.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold solves for these defects of battery and intellectual property, but with the compromise of strongly resembling the model of last year rather than decreasing. It is 1 gram heavier than the 9 Pro Fold, ending at 258 g. The 10 pro has a thickness of 10.8 mm when closed and 5.2 mm thick when open. For those who prefer to opt for daily longevity and robustness, it is not too pain of an exchange. But he certainly feels as less bending, once you have seen and held a thinner phone like the Z Fold 7.

There is a key area where I have the impression that Google is not entirely up to the name “Pro” in its Pixel 10 Pro Fold: The Cameras. I have not yet tested the cameras of the phone, but at least on paper, the specifications of the fold are a step by break in relation to what you will get on the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL.

The 10 pro Fold has a wide angle of 48 megapixels (such as the pixel 9a much cheaper), 10.5 ultrawid megapixels and a telephoto of 10.8 megapixels, while the non -folding pro models have a 50 megapixel camera. The fold also does not have the impressive zoom pro feature which uses a genetive AI to take clearer images up to 100x zoom, by sticking with the super res zoom which offers acceptable images at 20X zoom.

I may be spoiled by the loading by Samsung of its high-end camera on its thin foldable, but I have the impression that Google could also have pushed to add these really pro specifications to the fold, especially since they had more room to play with. But again, you can’t have everything.

A growing niche

A CNET survey from July revealed that 64% of people are not interested in buying a foldable smartphone in the next year, but a notable 13% said they wanted to take this jump. While foldables become more elegant, more powerful and more durable, it is likely that an increasing number of people will consider them when buying their next smartphone.

“Hardware and software progress in the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 7, as well as other devices such as The Honor Magic V5, reports that the foldable category matures quickly and drops the barriers that prevented the general adoption,” said Jeronimo.

IDC predicts that the foldable market will increase by 6% from one year to the next in 2025 (against 3.9% in 2024). In 2027, it could increase to 11% growth in annual shift.

“The strongest performances will be motivated by a stronger demand for foldable devices overall, the potential launch of Apple of a foldable iPhone and more models at lower points from Samsung, Huawei, Motorola and other Chinese brands,” said Jeronimo. “Nevertheless, we expect the foldables to continue to represent less than 3% of the total sales by 2029.”

And as competition inevitably increases, the same goes for innovation. And maybe one day you won’t have to choose what to prioritize.