Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
It’s been three years since Google ventured into the foldable game with an esoteric, shorter, and wider form factor. The original Pixel Fold made a statement against the narrow and tall foldables of 2023, proving that a different approach could exist. It had many issues with the way it unfolded, the durability of its hinge and build, and the large bezels and massive weight, so when it was time to release its successor, Google decided to scrap everything, including the original shape.
From the Pixel 9 Pro Fold onward, Google has been adopting a slimmer and taller design — not as drastic as Samsung’s, but still. We thought the wide foldable was completely dead, but with Apple’s iPhone Fold and a new wide Galaxy Z Fold both rumored to adopt that form factor, it’s time to give the Pixel Fold its flowers: It was a blueprint for the perfect foldable, but it might’ve been released just a few years too early.
Tall fold or wide fold? Pick one. 23 votes Tall. 0 % Wide. 74 % Aspect ratio doesn't matter to me. 4 % I don't care about foldables. 22 %
Compact and fun, unlike the other “serious” foldables
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
When I recently went back to my original Pixel Fold to see how well it measured up in 2026, the first thing that struck me was how pocketable it was compared to my new Pixel 10 Pro Fold. I spent an entire weekend doing some tourism, using it as a secondary phone, and almost forgot about it each time I put it in my pocket. It slipped so easily into my jeans pockets without sticking out or jabbing me when I sat down. That’s not something I could ever say about Google’s more imposing new Folds.
Before you unfold it or look at the larger inner display, a foldable has to be a good phone first for anyone to adopt it. The problem is that all foldables are already starting with a penalty there due to their extra thickness and heft. Making the Pixel Fold shorter mitigates part of that issue. It’s not as ergonomic as my Pixel 10 Pro, but going short is a good strategy that makes the phone more usable — at least to me.
The Pixel Fold fits so perfectly in my hand when closed, in an almost “fun” form factor. There’s something adorable about the compact shape and look of this phone that gave me the illusion that it’s lighter and more ergonomic despite its heavier weight and its outer display’s out-of-reach top corners.
Comparatively, modern foldables like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 7 are too serious and too productivity-oriented. They look like the kind of device a business partner would pull out in a meeting, whereas the Pixel Fold is the amusing and unassuming phone your friend carries around to dinner or a night out. I know I’m stereotyping here, but I can’t erase this image from my mind. They just feel like two very different phones.
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