I Love My Samsung Z Fold 7, But These Google Pixel Upgrades Would Win Me Over

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold (left) competed pinch nan Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (right) past summer.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is expected to motorboat connected August 20, but it mightiness not spell connected waste till October 9.
• It will beryllium difficult for Google to hit Samsung successful nan foldable conception this twelvemonth owed to creation differences.
• Unless there's an really useful AI characteristic aliases importantly amended artillery life, I'll instrumentality pinch my Galaxy Z Fold 7.

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Samsung turned astir its foldable telephone lineup astatine its Galaxy Unpacked event past month. After years of iterative upgrades, nan Galaxy Z Fold 7 is yet fresh for premier time. Naturally, I expect different folding phones to travel suit, including nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold. But it seems for illustration Google's upcoming foldable has already nonaccomplishment immoderate crushed to nan Galaxy Z Fold 7 owed to an unexpected proviso concatenation delay.

According to a study from WinFuture, nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold won't get successful stores alongside nan remainder of Google's telephone lineup this month. While nan Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL are rumored to spell connected waste starting August 28, proviso concatenation woes constituent to users perchance having to hold until October to get their hands connected nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold. 

Also: Do yourself a favour and skip buying a Google Pixel correct now - it'll beryllium worthy it

WinFuture says nan proviso concatenation issues widen to nan Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a, pinch nan trio not being disposable to acquisition until October 9.

If true, this could beryllium a immense setback for nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold because its rival retains astir of (and is apt to build) its momentum this year. I've been utilizing nan Galaxy Z Fold 7 since its motorboat and americium pleased pinch nan experience. Clearly, I'm not alone. Samsung worked connected (almost) each downside of nan Fold 6 and delivered a close-to-perfect folding phone.

How nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold tin triumph maine over

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is thinner, slimmer, and features a stronger hinge and nan smallest crease connected a foldable. Its screen surface is now much functional, and nan full-screen acquisition has been much than capable to fulfill my powerfulness personification needs. Samsung's Galaxy AI is besides nan astir complete suite of AI features connected a phone, and it is accompanied by One UI 8 customizations. It is truthful bully that I don't want to put it down. However, nan $2,000 is not without its flaws.

There are 2 parameters for nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold to amended and outshine Samsung: artillery life and telephoto camera. I usage my telephone much than nan mean user, truthful my Galaxy Z Fold 7 hardly lasts maine into nan evening. While nan 4,400mAh artillery mightiness beryllium good for users pinch nether six hours of surface time, for personification for illustration maine who averages 8-9 hours, I request thing bigger -- and nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold could present conscionable that.

Also: I spent a week successful New York City pinch nan Samsung Z Fold 7 - and it spoiled maine nan full time

According to leaks, nan upcoming Google foldable could get a 7% summation successful its artillery capacity to astir 5,000mAh. That's 600mAh much than its South Korean rival. However, it will beryllium powered by a Tensor chip, which isn't expected to beryllium arsenic businesslike arsenic nan Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. Sure, nan Tensor G5 whitethorn beryllium much powerful than ever, but I'm much funny astir nan ratio gains. 

As for nan optics, Google's Pixel 10 Pro Fold is touted to characteristic an unchanged 12MP telephoto camera, which doesn't look promising erstwhile compared to nan Galaxy Z Fold 7. I conjecture we'll person to hold for different update rhythm for a foldable telephone to beryllium 1 of nan best camera phones retired there.

All eyes are connected August 20

I'm not penning disconnected nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold conscionable yet, and americium still looking guardant to each nan caller AI features it'll apt bring. Tensor G5's upgraded TPU is said to let for aggregate caller AI features successful photograph and video editing. 

But unless there's a unsocial AI characteristic that's really useful successful day-to-day usage and a important value difference, it is going to beryllium difficult for Google to guidelines retired pinch nan Pixel 10 Pro Fold -- particularly if it won't beryllium disposable for acquisition adjacent to 2 months aft launch. 

That said, this is only a leak, and Google hasn't shared immoderate readiness specifications yet. We dream to study much astir nan Pixel 10 lineup astatine nan Made By Google event connected August 20, and person reached retired to nan institution for remark regarding nan reported news.