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Google Pixel Fold
- Thread starter blairh
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Looking forward to your thoughts on it. Getting harder for me to resist, but I’ve made it further than I would have guessed.
It's been a long day of set up and updates (decided to opt into the Android 14 beta). Really early to tell how it's going to fare but so far I love it.
There's obviously issues, the non optimised app being the worst thing right now. But that aside this thing is so damn cool.
As ever, for those who care I will do a full post with my thoughts.
There's obviously issues, the non optimised app being the worst thing right now. But that aside this thing is so damn cool.
As ever, for those who care I will do a full post with my thoughts.
I also have the urge to buy a Fold but my conscious tells me to wait until Fall 2024 for the 2nd Gen or Fold 6
Some more early thoughts now i've had the phone for 24 hours.
I really like it. There's something cool about a folding Pixel 😎. Is it the perfect design? Nope, not for me, but when the Fold gets it right, it gets it very right indeed.
Hardware wise it's great. However the phone is very difficult to open for me as it has rounded corners and is shiny so I can imagine this will easily take a slip and a tumble out of my hand when trying to prize it open.
And this brings me on to the case... I HATE cases, but I especially hate them for foldables. Until this one ... 🤩. It's sooo good. Nice and thin, makes opening the phone an absolute breeze and provides decent enough protection for a phone of this form factor. I also think it looks great too.
Shocked by how much I actually like the case.
When I take the case off, I do appreciate the phone in all of its NEKKID glory. It feels completely premium, and looks it too... until you open it 😜.
The Porcelain colour is a winner. All through the initial launch I convinced myself the black was the better option this time, and whilst I do still like it, I'm pleased I opted for Porcelain. It appears in the render to have a gold sheen to it, but in the flesh it's practically cream and silver, which I think works much better.
I don't know whether it's just my unit, but the lock button isn't easy to press. It isn't 'clicky' it's mushy and I don't like it at all. 😑.
The inner display is where the premium feel kinda starts to fade for me.
It's a decent display in terms of colours, but it feels like a first gen folding screen. I'd need to have a play with a Fold 5 to compare, but this feels tacky and a bit cheap and I don't remember feeling that with the Fold 2 I had a few years ago, or with the Flip 5 I've recently just trialled.
It's also highly reflective, and the screen protector gathers every little piece of lint and dust you can think of, making it look dirty even after micro fibre wiping it. I can imagine this is a bit of a nightmare to use outdoors in the sun. Thankfully we only get two days of sun a year in the UK, so I'll be good! 😂
The bezels, which seem to be a huge point of contention, are a non-issue. At least, for me they are. I don't recognise them when using the phone. But it's nice to have something to hold onto when viewing content.
Speaking of which, it's a fantastic phone for media.
I've found YT to be extremely pleasent and much better than a candy bar slab. No ****, right? What else would you do with this big screen?!
I've also found myself going back through my photos to check photos out in full screen. They look so good on the Fold inner screen!
Some apps look terrible when used on the inner display. It's really quite disappointing. Particularly Facebook and Instagram. But some apps just look amazing. WhatsApp is very good, even Apple Music is decent enough and I highly doubt that has ever been optimised for foldables!
I'm hoping as time goes by, more and more apps are optimised as when they are it makes foldables make so much sense. Google's own apps are the gold standard and all of them are a pleasure to use on this phone.
Setting up the home screen has been both a delight and a chore. I love having a big screen to be able to give myself a nice setup. However, the fact the big screen is the same set up as what's on the outer screen becomes problematic and this is a fix that Google need to get onto ASAP. There is no good reason why we can't have two separate set ups!! A foldable should allow that.
For now, I've had to settle on a nicer setup unfolded than closed which does frustrate me.
Still, I knew this before I bought it, but it doesn't stop me moaning 😎. I just wish we had the choice.
I do, however, like the additional choices Android 14 provides. Particularly for lock screen customisation. It's loads better and I love the choice of clock faces to really make something unique. There's even more Material You colour choices based on wallpaper now too, and compared to Samsung's variation of this from the Flip I tried, it doesn't come close. Google and Material You are just miles better IMO. It's so much more polished.
One thing I am pleased about is the haptics. Google have nailed it, and whilst not as strong as those in the 7 Pro, they are up there with the best for me. Nice and tight feeling. Samsung's Flip 5 haptics were disappointing. And the iPhones are barely even there. Pointless. Well done big G 😅.
Cameras. Well, the small number of photos I've snapped so far look great. I'm struggling to see any difference between this and my 7 Pro. I'm sure if I Pixel peeped and maybe shot some lower light photos I'd be able to see differences, but for now it looks top notch.
I haven't had time to test other things like the speakers, but for call quality it seems like this phone cuts out background noise really well? Could just be coincidence, but I've had two calls on this now where the caller was driving (hands free) and whilst I normally know they're in a car, I couldn't tell to the point I thought there were at home or in work still. So the two calls I've had so far have been good.
Another thing I like is that this phone works with the Pixel Stand 2. And it charges wirelessly through the official Pixel Fold case. 😁. You'd expect it to, of course, but always good to not get a nasty surprise!
I fitted a Spigen screen protector to the outer display. It's good quality and went on easily due to the plastic mould you sit your Fold onto to stick it. Really clever. I'd recommend that for anyone looking to pick a Fold up that wants extra protection.
I guess those are all my thoughts at this time!
So far id say I'm using the phone with a 50/50 split of inner and outer screens.
I know most people say they like this because the outer display is so good to use (and it is, I've typed this whole post on it!), but I love opening it up and enjoying that big screen! Unless, I need to scroll twitter (X), Instagram or FB, then that baby gets snapped shut! 😜.
I think it's a keeper! I may end up selling for the 8 Pro, depending on how much has been updated, but by that point i'll know if foldables are for me or not. I definitely think you're either a Fold user or you're not. Be interesting to see which camp I fall into with extended use!
I really like it. There's something cool about a folding Pixel 😎. Is it the perfect design? Nope, not for me, but when the Fold gets it right, it gets it very right indeed.
Hardware wise it's great. However the phone is very difficult to open for me as it has rounded corners and is shiny so I can imagine this will easily take a slip and a tumble out of my hand when trying to prize it open.
And this brings me on to the case... I HATE cases, but I especially hate them for foldables. Until this one ... 🤩. It's sooo good. Nice and thin, makes opening the phone an absolute breeze and provides decent enough protection for a phone of this form factor. I also think it looks great too.
Shocked by how much I actually like the case.
When I take the case off, I do appreciate the phone in all of its NEKKID glory. It feels completely premium, and looks it too... until you open it 😜.
The Porcelain colour is a winner. All through the initial launch I convinced myself the black was the better option this time, and whilst I do still like it, I'm pleased I opted for Porcelain. It appears in the render to have a gold sheen to it, but in the flesh it's practically cream and silver, which I think works much better.
I don't know whether it's just my unit, but the lock button isn't easy to press. It isn't 'clicky' it's mushy and I don't like it at all. 😑.
The inner display is where the premium feel kinda starts to fade for me.
It's a decent display in terms of colours, but it feels like a first gen folding screen. I'd need to have a play with a Fold 5 to compare, but this feels tacky and a bit cheap and I don't remember feeling that with the Fold 2 I had a few years ago, or with the Flip 5 I've recently just trialled.
It's also highly reflective, and the screen protector gathers every little piece of lint and dust you can think of, making it look dirty even after micro fibre wiping it. I can imagine this is a bit of a nightmare to use outdoors in the sun. Thankfully we only get two days of sun a year in the UK, so I'll be good! 😂
The bezels, which seem to be a huge point of contention, are a non-issue. At least, for me they are. I don't recognise them when using the phone. But it's nice to have something to hold onto when viewing content.
Speaking of which, it's a fantastic phone for media.
I've found YT to be extremely pleasent and much better than a candy bar slab. No ****, right? What else would you do with this big screen?!
I've also found myself going back through my photos to check photos out in full screen. They look so good on the Fold inner screen!
Some apps look terrible when used on the inner display. It's really quite disappointing. Particularly Facebook and Instagram. But some apps just look amazing. WhatsApp is very good, even Apple Music is decent enough and I highly doubt that has ever been optimised for foldables!
I'm hoping as time goes by, more and more apps are optimised as when they are it makes foldables make so much sense. Google's own apps are the gold standard and all of them are a pleasure to use on this phone.
Setting up the home screen has been both a delight and a chore. I love having a big screen to be able to give myself a nice setup. However, the fact the big screen is the same set up as what's on the outer screen becomes problematic and this is a fix that Google need to get onto ASAP. There is no good reason why we can't have two separate set ups!! A foldable should allow that.
For now, I've had to settle on a nicer setup unfolded than closed which does frustrate me.
Still, I knew this before I bought it, but it doesn't stop me moaning 😎. I just wish we had the choice.
I do, however, like the additional choices Android 14 provides. Particularly for lock screen customisation. It's loads better and I love the choice of clock faces to really make something unique. There's even more Material You colour choices based on wallpaper now too, and compared to Samsung's variation of this from the Flip I tried, it doesn't come close. Google and Material You are just miles better IMO. It's so much more polished.
One thing I am pleased about is the haptics. Google have nailed it, and whilst not as strong as those in the 7 Pro, they are up there with the best for me. Nice and tight feeling. Samsung's Flip 5 haptics were disappointing. And the iPhones are barely even there. Pointless. Well done big G 😅.
Cameras. Well, the small number of photos I've snapped so far look great. I'm struggling to see any difference between this and my 7 Pro. I'm sure if I Pixel peeped and maybe shot some lower light photos I'd be able to see differences, but for now it looks top notch.
I haven't had time to test other things like the speakers, but for call quality it seems like this phone cuts out background noise really well? Could just be coincidence, but I've had two calls on this now where the caller was driving (hands free) and whilst I normally know they're in a car, I couldn't tell to the point I thought there were at home or in work still. So the two calls I've had so far have been good.
Another thing I like is that this phone works with the Pixel Stand 2. And it charges wirelessly through the official Pixel Fold case. 😁. You'd expect it to, of course, but always good to not get a nasty surprise!
I fitted a Spigen screen protector to the outer display. It's good quality and went on easily due to the plastic mould you sit your Fold onto to stick it. Really clever. I'd recommend that for anyone looking to pick a Fold up that wants extra protection.
I guess those are all my thoughts at this time!
So far id say I'm using the phone with a 50/50 split of inner and outer screens.
I know most people say they like this because the outer display is so good to use (and it is, I've typed this whole post on it!), but I love opening it up and enjoying that big screen! Unless, I need to scroll twitter (X), Instagram or FB, then that baby gets snapped shut! 😜.
I think it's a keeper! I may end up selling for the 8 Pro, depending on how much has been updated, but by that point i'll know if foldables are for me or not. I definitely think you're either a Fold user or you're not. Be interesting to see which camp I fall into with extended use!
I love it, nice pictures and write up @Aneres11 I just wish I could justify the price personally!
@Aneres11 excellent thoughts and pics ..my power button feels clicky nothing off but maybe you gotta get used to it ...calls have been great on my end ..speakers make sure you have Spatial turned on for them in settings as mine was off by default ...outdoors surprisingly the screen gets bright enough but Google has software to lower it after a little bit of time which gets me annoyed lol.... The case looks really nice I like it 
I feel like this phone is not good to handle without one.. I tried in the house and it just with its corners and slippery feel I had to put the case back on which helps with open and closing and holding it while I'm on the go... I find myself cleaning the inside screen so much it's definitely a fingerprint magnet smh
I feel like this phone is not good to handle without one.. I tried in the house and it just with its corners and slippery feel I had to put the case back on which helps with open and closing and holding it while I'm on the go... I find myself cleaning the inside screen so much it's definitely a fingerprint magnet smh
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The beauty of Android... the prices drop quick.
You can get the Google Fold for around $1500 nowadays online. I am going to pick up one around Christmas. I'm guessing prices would be around $1200 through third party websites.
You can get the Google Fold for around $1500 nowadays online. I am going to pick up one around Christmas. I'm guessing prices would be around $1200 through third party websites.
Nice run down
I’m super tempted to try the pixel fold now. Tempted to trade in my pixel 7 pro for pixel fold
i love the form factor
That was quick. Where is your willpower? 😁Pixel fold is here
That was quick. Where is your willpower?
I don’t mess around lol the guilt doesn’t hit until it’s too late
ChillingFirst photos on pixel fold
you can see them whiskers zoomed in
Chilling
Got everything set up now and so far really enjoying this aspect ratio. The app not optimised is a bummer but not all apps are not optimised. The ones that are shows how good it looks which is why I hope this move by Google forces developers to fix them
Blown up apps isn’t a good solution and it’s easy to accept instead of getting developers to sort it out
In the hand pixel fold just feels nicer than Z fold so far
Some good reviews on here... Cheers for that. Real.world, normal every day reviews are what count IMO
I'm still loving my 14PM and with having an Apple Watch Ultra I'll need to stick with an iPhone (and more than likely upgrading to the 15PM for the USB C capabilities...
But I've an upgrade with EE due and the Pixel Fold is really tempting come end of September
I'm still loving my 14PM and with having an Apple Watch Ultra I'll need to stick with an iPhone (and more than likely upgrading to the 15PM for the USB C capabilities...
But I've an upgrade with EE due and the Pixel Fold is really tempting come end of September
I love the aspect ratio.. such a pleasure to carry the phone around and get good usage folded or unfolded... I agree I wish more apps were optimized but I don't like the blown up apps... The Galaxy Fold was and is a solid device but I just can't deal with that front screen lol it's good to have choices
Yeah not a fan of z fold front display. This pixel front display is a joy. This will be my work phone so I wanted a great front display
A lot has been made of apps not being optimised on pixel fold but out of all the apps I use the only ones I’ve found that aren’t in either landscape or portrait
• instagram
• Reddit
• PL app
Apps I use that work in portrait
• X
• NBA app
• The Athletic
• goal
•BeSoccer
• bleacher report
• Sofascore
All others are optimised
so overall I think the app issue has been overblown but it’s certainly important to get these apps more optimised and I like the fact Google want to get developers to Optimised the apps and not just make the apps full screen by blowing up the apps. As that’s not a good solution
Ideal world all apps work in either portrait or landscape but it’s certainly a non issue using the ones that aren’t in landscape mode as you still get that tablet experience
Just my thought so far of the app situation on pixel fold on first few hours
• PL app
Apps I use that work in portrait
• X
• NBA app
• The Athletic
• goal
•BeSoccer
• bleacher report
• Sofascore
All others are optimised
so overall I think the app issue has been overblown but it’s certainly important to get these apps more optimised and I like the fact Google want to get developers to Optimised the apps and not just make the apps full screen by blowing up the apps. As that’s not a good solution
Ideal world all apps work in either portrait or landscape but it’s certainly a non issue using the ones that aren’t in landscape mode as you still get that tablet experience
Just my thought so far of the app situation on pixel fold on first few hours
I decided to get the same SP as the Flip since I loved the easy install and figured them micro scratches
