The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn’t an affordable device. At $1,799, it’s one of the most expensive foldable phones on the market. As such, you’d expect it to have all the key features of its more affordable siblings, the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL.
That’s not the case, however, as the expensive Pixel 9 Pro Fold lacks some of the AI-powered Video Boost features. It also doesn’t support Video Boost with 20x lossless video with Super Res Zoom. This seems like an odd choice on Google’s part, as buyers typically expect a company’s most expensive phone to have every feature available.
The Video Boost with AI feature lets the Pixel 9 Pro take 4K video and use AI to upscale it to 8K resolution. This won't be a problem for many users, as they likely don't have an 8K display to watch incredibly sharp footage. But it's still disappointing.
As the name suggests, the Video Boost with 20x Lossless Upscaling with Super Res Zoom feature is designed to let you get closer to your subjects without degrading the video quality. This will probably apply to more people, since everyone likes to zoom in on their subjects. For example, getting close to the lead singer at a concert is not possible if you are not in the front row, but a feature like 20x Lossless Video with Super Res Zoom lets you get videos of a concert that look very close.
AI and the cloud do a lot of the heavy lifting for these features, which makes it even stranger that Google isn't offering them on the 9 Pro Fold. However, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has slightly weaker cameras than the 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL, with its 48MP main lens, 10.5MP ultrawide, and 10.5MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom.
In contrast, the Pixel 9 Pro models feature a 50MP main sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 48MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. Apparently, these improvements are enough to prevent these features from working on the more expensive foldable model.
To be fair, the even more expensive Galaxy Z Fold 6 doesn't offer the same flagship-grade cameras as the Galaxy S24 Ultra. But we'd like to see this trend of offering lighter specs and features on more expensive foldable phones come to an end.