Foldable phone cases are finally good, and Google Pixel Fold is the proof

Ben Schoon | Jun 27 2023 - 12:20 pm PT

When foldable phones first hit the scene, cases were a huge problem. Now, a few years later, it’s a problem that’s been solved, and the proof of that is Google’s new Pixel Fold.

Phone cases are something that an overwhelming number of customers use, and really, why wouldn’t they? Smartphones aren’t cheap and aren’t nearly as durable as they should be. The glass slabs we’re spending upward of $1,000 on break far too easily and often aren’t very grippy either.

At first glance, foldable phones don’t seem to fit the idea of a traditional case. How do you put a protective barrier on something that folds in half? It’s easy to assume it’s just impossible, as some have done recently.

The case question is one that even Samsung, the first big foldable maker, clearly didn’t have a good answer for at first.

Cases for the first couple of generations of the Galaxy Z Fold were pricey and, I’m not joking, didn’t even cover half of the device. I begrudgingly forked over $80 to Samsung for a Galaxy Z Fold 2 case that only covered the back half of the phone, and all because I was desperate for some grip and protection for my $2,000 smartphone. At the time, as we covered in our ongoing “Foldable Diary,” there were just very limited options, and most came with some big trade-offs.

Slowly but surely, though, Samsung made strides. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 launched with cases that could protect both the front and the back, though with varying levels of success in actual usability. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 brought further improvements here, with better fits and exploring some ideas with kickstands and more.

On the flip phone side of the situation, the popularity of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Flip 4 have led to thriving third-party offerings, as well as some clever offerings from Samsung directly. The new Motorola Razr+ also has some solid cases.

The Pixel Fold is proof that foldable cases are a solved problem because, right out of the gate, Google nailed it with a first-party offering. The Pixel Fold’s official case is grippy, holds onto the phone with minimal adhesives, and has a snug fit that doesn’t add too much bulk to the device and is actually nice to use. Around the corner, too, is a Pixel Fold case from Bellroy, which should be killer if it’s anything like the company’s offerings for other Pixels.

Google had the chance to learn from Samsung’s mistakes to create a case that’s just plain good, no asterisk needed. It’s also not overly expensive at $59.

Now, I’m not saying all foldable cases are perfect just yet. Some still don’t fit quite right. Some are too chunky. Many rely on way too much adhesive. And, yes, it’s a totally valid complaint that a lot of cases don’t protect the exposed hinge at all.

But still, foldable cases exist, and they’re getting better and better with time.