Google has made significant improvements to its official cases for the Google Pixel 9 & Fold Pro Fold Pro, addressing a key issue that troubled users last year. A major focus of Pixel design now is ensuring that the devices work well with cases. However, Google’s previous attempts, particularly with the Pixel Fold and Pixel 8 series, encountered some challenges.
Before the 2021 Tensor reboot, Google’s Pixel cases were known for their premium fabric design. However, that was replaced by a plastic material that the company has struggled to perfect. The Pixel 6 cases aged poorly, and while the Pixel 7 cases showed improvement, a new problem emerged last year: the cases for the Pixel Fold and Pixel 8 were simply too grippy.
While the cases fit the phones perfectly and looked stylish, their overly sticky exterior made it difficult to slide the phone in and out of pockets. Typically, grip is a desirable feature for phone cases, but in this instance, it turned into a drawback.
Fortunately, Google has largely resolved this issue with the Google Pixel 9 & Fold Pro. The new cases for the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold have a much more balanced finish. While they still offer some grip, it’s nowhere near as extreme as last year’s version. Even in our controlled, air-conditioned test environment, the difference was noticeable.
There’s still some uncertainty about how outdoor humidity might affect the grip, but it seems likely that this problem is now a thing of the past. Aside from improving the grip, Google has kept the overall design of its cases similar to previous years. The colors match the phones, and the cases fit snugly around the Pixel 9’s flat sides. It’s clear that Google has put a lot of thought into making the cases feel like an extension of the phone itself, rather than just a cover.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold case is particularly noteworthy. While last year’s Pixel Fold case demonstrated how far foldable phone cases have come, the new design of the 9 Pro Fold—especially without curved side rails—raised questions about how well a case would fit.
The good news is that the new case fits the Pixel 9 Pro Fold perfectly and remains incredibly thin, maintaining the phone’s slim profile. However, the front panel of the case relies heavily on adhesive to stay in place. Adhesive is common in foldable cases, but some users were hoping for less reliance on it this time around.
