Gemini on Pixel 9 Pro Fold: are the new AI features different on foldables?

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is finally official – Google's second-gen foldable – with AI-powered experiences thanks to its built-in Tensor G4 chip, and Gemini.

What the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's Tensor G4 chip means is faster processing of not just your text inputs, but any images, speech and audio you throw at it, making all of the Gemini features we'll talk about possible.

So with that in mind, let's take a look at what you will be getting, in terms of Gemini AI features, on the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold phone.

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Gemini is the default personal assistant on Pixel 9 Pro Fold – here's what it can do, and how much it may cost you

First and foremost, Google's most powerful AI assistant yet – Gemini – will be the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's default personal assistant. However, you will be able to go back to the old Google Assistant, if you prefer that option.

As a generative AI, having Google's Gemini assistant as your default option opens a whole lot of new opportunities for you as a user. Besides being able to have continuous chat conversations with Gemini, and it remembering past context and inputs, you can use it to generate ideas for you in seconds.

For example, you can ask it to generate an image of whatever comes to your mind (within reason), and it will; you'll even get several options to choose from. This could be handy if you need ideas for your new YouTube thumbnail, your new song's cover, you want to visualize a dream you had, or anything else you can come up with.

In addition, Gemini on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be able to do quick tasks on your phone for you, instead of you having to do them manually. Those can include making a call, summarizing an email you've received, brainstorming creative ideas with you, and finding something you're looking for in your Google Drive, such as a specific file or text paragraph.

Obviously simpler, more conventional virtual assistant tasks like setting a timer, an alarm, or a Google Calendar event will work too.

It's worth noting that some features, such as being able to have human-to-human-like conversations with Gemini on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold, are powered by a specific feature called Gemini Live.

Sadly, but unsurprisingly, this is a paid subscription feature, but the good news is that Google says it'll give a year of the "Google One AI Premium plan" to those who buy a Pixel 9 Pro phone, including the 9 Pro Fold.

After that year, it's $19.99 (£18.99) a month, although obviously you'll have the option to outright cancel your subscription after your free trial expires.

Camera AI features on Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Add Me

Because the Pixel 9 Pro Fold can serve as its own kickstand, taking selfies or group photos (without missing anyone out) is super convenient. But besides the usual folding business, what AI features are you getting on it?

Well, on the topic of group photos, there's a feature called "Add Me," and like the name suggests, you'll essentially be able to add yourself to group photos you've taken, and thus are missing from.

In order for this to work, you'll need to snap the group photo, then ask for somebody in the group to do the same while you're in it, and supposedly 15 on-device AI models will get to work splicing the two photos together, adding everyone in seamlessly.

We'll see how good this works, and whether it's worth the hassle, as opposed to just propping your folding phone and taking a normal group photo from a distance, when it's released. According to Google, the Add Me feature will arrive sometime this year, but we don't have an exact date yet.

Magic Editor

This isn't a new feature, but Google's photo editor will predictably be getting new features. It uses AI to perform complex photo editing beyond the usual filters, color grading and cropping.

We're talking about repositioning people and objects around, erasing them at will, and more. But let's get to those new features coming to a Pixel 9 Pro Fold near you…

Reimagine is a new feature coming to the Magic Editor on your Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which can completely change your photo with a simple prompt from you. Say you want parts of the background to be different (e.g. making the clouds purple), or you want fireworks above the group photo, a plane taking off, or whatever fun, creative ideas come to mind – it can generate it out of thin air.

Auto Frame is another new feature, which will let you reposition yourself, say, to be in the center of a shot, and attempt to generate what's missing from the image on the fly. Again, we'll have to wait and see how well these features will work, but one thing's for sure – it'll be fun to try them out on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's big screen nonetheless.

In conclusion – it's all the Gemini Pixel 9 Pro features, but on a bigger screen

As you may have noticed, Pixel 9 Pro Fold users will not be getting any exclusive AI features, but the opportunity to enjoy the ones all Pixel 9 Pro phones are getting, on a bigger screen.

Whether you're editing your photos with all of those fun, new AI-powered tools, or asking your Gemini assistant to generate images for you, it'll all be bigger and better on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Stay tuned for our review, and in the meantime, feel free to check out our Pixel 9 Pro Fold review, and summary of all the new Gemini AI features coming to Pixel phones soon.