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One Year with Pixel 10 Pro Fold: Software Shines

Android Central •
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It took me a while to like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold; I didn't like that Google basically retained the same feature-set as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and just added a bigger battery and IP68 ingress protection. At 258g, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is one of the heaviest foldables — only my Huawei Mate XT is heavier, and that's basically a tablet that folds down to a phone. The heft notwithstanding, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold has other issues: the cameras are underwhelming compared to the Vivo X Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, battery life is average, and cellular connectivity isn't quite as stable as I'd like.

But having used the foldable on and off for the better part of a year now, I will say that it is much better to use than its specs would suggest, and the software continues to be among the best around. Google's software is why I used the Pixel 10 Pro Fold instead of other foldables. I like the bright colors and customizability that's available in Material You, and Google does a great job with the interface in general, delivering a clean UI without any clutter.

And with the 10 Pro Fold, Google optimized the software a little better, and there's better fluidity than in previous generations, which makes a noticeable difference when navigating the interface. Magic Cue is one of my favorite additions, and I like that it pulls up any contextual detail without me having to dig for it. Whether that's sharing waybill details when calling DHL about recent deliveries or surfacing reservation details, it is genuinely useful.

The software has gotten better with Android 17, and Bubbles multitasking is easily my favorite feature. It's annoying that it won't be coming to other phones, but the floating windows mode makes it easy to maximize the real estate of the 8-inch inner panel, and I use it constantly. Other foldables do a great job with multitasking in general — Color OS' Open Canvas is the gold standard — and while Google should have stolen the feature, it's good to see some progress in this area.

I also like the size of the cover screen; the 6.4-inch panel is slightly wider than its predecessor, and it's the ideal size. While Google had its share of screen-related issues in the past, I didn't see any problems with the outer or inner panels in the year I used the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Both panels are among the brightest in the category, and they have good color vibrancy.

After a year of unfolds, the crease hasn't deformed, and the hinge articulation is just as smooth as the day I set up the device. A lot of that has to do with IP68 dust and water resistance. While I didn't submerge the foldable in water, dust ingress is a constant problem on these devices, and thankfully, I didn't have to worry about that in the slightest.