When we tested the original Pixel Fold, it was the foldable camera to beat with its periscope 5x zoom and Google’s notoriously reliable photo processing, but the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn’t look set to be such an instant camera hit. A year on, and the foldable landscape is very different, with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold facing stiff competition from the OnePlus Open and Honor Magic V3, both packing superior camera hardware.
So while Honor, OnePlus, and even Samsung upgraded their foldable camera hardware in 2024, Google is reprising the same small sensors as its debut foldable. When we covered the launch of the Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL, we held out hope that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold would still be a foldable camera champ, but after almost a month with the phone, it just can’t keep up with the less expensive, more specced-out competition even if it is good enough for most.
