Google’s foldable fork: thin Samsung, thick Google, and a bet on AI

Pixel 10 Pro Fold makes history with IP68 dust resistance, but Google’s real wager is that on-device intelligence will matter more than millimeters.

Google’s new Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the first foldable certified IP68 for both water and dust, a milestone for a category notorious for grit-induced failures. The tradeoff is visible: it’s heavier and thicker than Samsung’s ultra-svelte Galaxy Z Fold 7. Google’s answer is to shift the premium argument to computation—Gemini-powered features on a new Tensor G5—while keeping the foldable’s price at $1,799 and touting durability gains.

AI-first, not razor-thin

Samsung chased physical refinement. Unfolded, the Z Fold 7 is around 4.2 mm thick and weighs about 215 g. Google’s foldable measures roughly 5.2 mm unfolded and 258 g. That difference you feel in a pocket.

Google counters with capability it says will grow over time. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold keeps last year’s price, adds the industry’s first IP68 on a foldable, and leans on seven years of Android and security updates. It’s a timeline bet.

G5 silicon and what it enables

Tensor G5 is Google’s first fully self-designed Pixel chip built for on-device AI. Google claims a ~34% CPU uplift and ~60% faster TPU versus the prior generation, but the point isn’t synthetic scores; it’s what runs locally.

At launch, Google highlights Gemini Live for conversational help, Magic Cue for context-aware prompts (think pulling an address from email when someone texts “Where do I go?”), Daily Hub for personalized at-a-glance info, and Camera Coach for real-time guidance. These are workflow features, not spec sheet trophies. That’s intentional.

When two screens meet computation

The Fold’s software leans into the form factor. A dual-pane camera UI lets you frame on the right while reviewing fresh shots on the left. Instant View previews photos as you shoot across the inner display. Enhanced split-screen and drag-and-drop make shuffling files between apps feel less like a hack and more like a desktop habit.

Samsung favors hardware-led experiences—thinner chassis, lighter carry, bigger main sensor—while Google tries to make the “unfold” moment smarter. Different philosophies, same goal: make the extra screen feel justified. Both approaches have merit.

Durability is the message (with fine print)

The headline spec is IP68—finally, a foldable you won’t baby around dust or a splash. That’s a first. Google also moved to a gearless hinge, claims doubled durability over last year’s hinge, and rates the mechanism for years of folding. Bigger battery, tougher glass, and a titanium backplate for the inner display round out the rugged tilt.

Reality check: water and dust resistance degrade with wear, drops, repairs, and time. Google says so in its own materials. Certification is not a forever shield. Use care anyway.

Displays, charging, and the quiet quality-of-life gains

Both Pixel 10 Pro Fold screens are brighter this year—up to a claimed 3,000 nits peak—with the outer panel growing to 6.4 inches and the inner display at 8 inches. It’s easier to see outdoors and roomier to work.

Charging moves forward but not to class-leading. The Fold can hit around 50% in 30 minutes on a 30W USB-C PPS charger; the Pixel 10 Pro XL is the sprinter, reaching roughly 70% in the same window on a 45W brick. Wireless tops out at 15W on the Fold, but Qi2 support arrives with Google’s new “Pixelsnap” magnets, so MagSafe-style stands and grips finally come to a foldable. Small thing, big daily win.

Cameras and the limits of computation

Google’s foldable sticks with a 48 MP main sensor and a strong 5x optical telephoto. Samsung jumped to a 200 MP main on Z Fold 7 but kept a shorter 3x zoom. In daylight, both will look excellent; at the margins—fast action, extreme crops, mixed light—the sensor gulf can still matter.

Google’s computational photography remains a strength. Yet some AI flourishes (notably live voice translation) looked shaky in early demos. Promises need proving in hands-on use. That’s the risk of shipping on a software thesis.

The strategic split, in plain terms

This is a clean A/B test of premium value. Samsung optimizes for immediate, tangible gains: lighter, thinner, cleaner lines, bigger sensor. Google optimizes for compounding capability: more durable hardware to keep, more on-device intelligence to grow into.

If you prize pocket feel and camera hardware, Samsung makes the case today. If you prize staying power, platform features, and a bet that on-device AI will matter more next summer than this one, Google’s pitch is coherent. Neither path is wrong. They just pay off on different timelines.

Why this matters

• Google is using a flagship foldable to test whether evolving on-device AI can outweigh visible hardware disadvantages in a category where thinness and weight usually win.
• The clear split with Samsung signals the foldable market’s next phase: from hardware experimentation to software differentiation, with durability as table stakes.