{"id":245736,"date":"2026-01-22T07:25:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T07:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/245736\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T07:25:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T07:25:10","slug":"the-google-pixel-10-pro-fold-is-the-most-durable-folding-phone-and-that-makes-it-special","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/245736\/","title":{"rendered":"The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is The Most Durable Folding Phone, and That Makes it Special"},"content":{"rendered":"

Durability has always been an Achilles heel for folding smartphones<\/a>. When the original Samsung Galaxy Fold<\/a> launched in 2019, its futuristic form factor was hampered by an incredibly fragile display. In the seven years since, there have been many iterations and the phones have gotten much more usable, but anyone who\u2019s used one (myself included) will tell you that they require more care than the average phone, and that sensitivity is one of a handful of reasons why they\u2019re tough to recommend if you don\u2019t actively want one.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s changing, though. The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which launched last summer, is the first folding phone with an IP68 ingress protection rating<\/a>, matching the waterproofing and dustproofing you get from an iPhone<\/a> or the standard Pixel 10<\/a>. After spending a few months with the phone in my pocket, this is the first folding phone I really feel comfortable telling the average person to buy, specifically because it can handle the wear and tear of everyday life, and I didn\u2019t need to worry about it any more than I do any other device.<\/p>\n

And I do recommend it. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is sleek and delivers stellar technical performance, including its sharp multi-sensor camera. It\u2019s been my go-to Android phone, and I think it will continue to be for a while.<\/p>\n

\"Pixel<\/a><\/p>\n

Key Specs<\/p>\n

Screen Size6.4 in.Resolution2608 x 1600 pixelsRefresh Rate120 HzIt’s All About the Hinge<\/p>\n

Shoring the Pixel 10 Pro Fold\u2019s durability started with a new gearless display hinge that \u201cdramatically increases its resilience to wear and debris,” according to a Google engineer involved in the phone\u2019s design.<\/p>\n

The hinge itself acts as the central spine of the phone’s chassis, creating a perfectly flat, stable surface for the flexible display. That protects the screen from pressure and torsion. It also gives the phone a satisfyingly smooth opening action, which makes using the phone that much more fun.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Stefan Vazharov<\/p>\n

According to Google, that hinge is built to last through a decade of use \u2014 far longer than the processor and battery inside. I was told the engineering team developed new tests to stress test it, simulating hundreds of thousands of folds and exposure to extreme temperatures.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s all very technical, though, and frankly, there\u2019s a lot of jargon that we\u2019ve filtered out of the explanation. The difference here is simple: The hinge has made the phone a bit more rigid and less susceptible to dirt and dust. I felt comfortable taking the phone with me to the beach and on a hike. I was able to carry it around and feel comfortable using it because an accidental dip in the sand or a fall onto a dirt trail wasn\u2019t a major risk to the display.<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s perfect. I was still a bit more careful about dropping the Pixel 10 Pro Fold than I would be with a standard phone. Even though it\u2019s tougher than other folding phones, the shape-shifting mechanics are still an extra weak point that could theoretically create a problem. I, of course, did my best to deal with the issue by slapping on a protective case.<\/p>\n

This Doesn\u2019t Mean Folding Phones Are For Everybody<\/p>\n

Samsung\u2019s Stunning design and versatility aside, book-style foldable phones are expensive. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7<\/a> starts at $2,000, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold<\/a> is available for $1,800. Motorola announced a third competitor, the Razr Fold, at CES 2026, which will launch this summer. Rumors of a folding iPhone have been present for some time, but there\u2019s still no word on when or if Apple will announce it.<\/p>\n

All of which is to say, the folding phone is still a niche item, and I\u2019m not necessarily saying that you need to run out and buy one as your next upgrade. If you\u2019re thinking about trying one out, though, I think the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the smart choice because it\u2019s the one that feels like it\u2019s actually built for real life. The Z Fold7 has a bit of an edge in processing power, but the Pixel’s tougher build, superior battery performance, and lower starting price make it a more practical choice.<\/p>\n

Shop for The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold Here<\/a><\/p>\n

Getting a Pixel 10 Pro Fold? These Are My Favorite Cases<\/p>\n

Best Official<\/p>\n

\"Pixelsnap<\/a>Google Pixelsnap Case for Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold<\/p>\n

Best Value<\/p>\n

\"Slim<\/a>Spigen Slim Armor Pro Case for Pixel 10 Pro Fold<\/p>\n

Now 25% Off<\/p>\n

Best Clear<\/p>\n

\"Ultra<\/a>Spigen Ultra Hybrid Case for Pixel Pixel 10 Pro Fold<\/p>\n

Now 42% Off<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Stefan is an award-winning consumer technology editor with over a decade of experience in reviewing gadgets, particularly smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, desktop and laptop computers across multiple form factors and platforms, as well as accessories for them. He also covers televisions and audio equipment, including headphones, earbuds, wireless speakers, and soundbars. Since joining Hearst in 2015, Stefan has contributed to BestProducts, Popular Mechanics, and numerous other publications. Prior to his current role, he served as the US Editor for\u00a0GSMArena.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Durability has always been an Achilles heel for folding smartphones. When the original Samsung Galaxy Fold launched in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":245737,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[5666,143657,2117,2120,2462,342,111,139,69,143656,145],"class_list":{"0":"post-245736","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-content-type-product-review","9":"tag-contentid-9d556208-fba4-4f3b-9196-daa82af4c9ae","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-hasproduct-true","12":"tag-locale-us","13":"tag-mobile","14":"tag-new-zealand","15":"tag-newzealand","16":"tag-nz","17":"tag-shorttitle-google-pixel-10-pro-fold-review","18":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=245736"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245736\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/245737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=245736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=245736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=245736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}