Beyond the Alphabet
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Beyond the Alphabet is a weekly column that focuses on the tech world both inside and out of the confines of Mountain View.
When it comes to finding the best Black Friday deals, it sure feels like looking for a needle in a haystack. But then there are deals that jump out and make me want to share them with anyone and everyone who will listen, and this Pixel 10 Pro Fold deal that falls in that latter category.
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In order to save $1,000 on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, you’ll need to either add a new line, upgrade an existing line, or open an account with T-Mobile. Shocking, I know, but it’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. From there, you’ll also need to have a phone to trade in, with many recent flagship phones qualifying for the full discount.
However, even if you don’t have one of last year’s best phones, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least try to trade in your existing phone. That’s because T-Mobile is offering six trade-in promotions at the time of this writing, with savings starting at $500. So you’ve still got a decent chance of saving a bunch of money on the 10 Pro Fold no matter what.
(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
Reading this, you might be wondering if I’m just being a bit over-the-top about how good this deal is, but that’s not entirely the case. Truthfully, I LOVE seeing great deals on my favorite foldable phones, because it immediately squashes one of the most common hurdles that people face: the price.
While Google didn’t raise the price of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold over its predecessor, the $1,800 price tag can be a tough pill to swallow, even when the payments are split up and added to your monthly bill. So with this deal, instead of shelling out enough money to cover a month of rent for a one-bedroom apartment somewhere, you’re getting a 10 Pro Fold for the price of a Pixel 10!
(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)
Going hand in hand with the price hurdle is the concern about durability with foldable phones in general. We can thank Google for this one, as it looks to squash any worries for those considering the 10 Pro Fold, thanks to its IP68 water- and dust-resistance rating.
Frankly, I thought Samsung might’ve gotten there first with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, especially after removing the S Pen digitizer. Nope! It was Google, although I suspect this will change when Samsung releases the Galaxy Z Fold 8 sometime next year.
(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)
To this point, I’ve been pretty glowing on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but even with the improved durability and premium design, it’s far from perfect. My biggest complaint has been how it lacks the flagship camera experience you would find with the Pixel 10 Pro XL or Galaxy S25 Ultra.
I mean, Samsung managed to make its foldable thinner than a #2 pencil, but upgraded the primary camera to feature the same 200MP lens as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. You’ll find no such luck with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and that’s just downright disappointing, regardless of how much you spend on this foldable phone.
I was hoping that since Google wasn’t going to introduce a completely new redesign, it would at least implement the same sensors as the 10 Pro, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)
My other issue is definitely a “first-world” problem, but it’s that there is some wonky stuff going on with gaming performance on the Tensor G5. Apparently, it has something to do with the GPU drivers, and Google claims those drivers will be updated at some point in time. The downside is that we just don’t know when that will be, meaning that it’s a tough recommendation if you were excited about the expected gains that were supposed to be introduced with the Tensor G5.
So while it’s not perfect, and it might not even be on your radar, we’re talking about saving $1,000 on a phone that’s only about a month old. Let me put it this way: I was already considering switching from Verizon to T-Mobile, and this deal is so good that it might actually push me over the edge.
FAQ
How do I qualify for the $1,000 discount on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold?
In order to save $1,000 on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, you’ll first need to either have an account with T-Mobile, or be willing to open a new account. From there, you’ll need an eligible phone to trade-in, and T-Mobile offers an estimate tool on its website.
Is this deal only for new T-Mobile customers?
Unlike a lot of smartphone deals, this deal from T-Mobile is available for everyone, regardless of whether you have an account or not. The only catch for existing subscribers is that your line must be eligible for an upgrade, or that you add a new line to your plan.
How durable is the Pixel 10 Pro Fold?
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the first foldable phone to feature an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, which is an upgrade over the IPX8 rating from the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
