Exciting events are happening all across the Android world this year. Google is accelerating the Apple-ification of its Pixel devices, the original smartwatch is back, and Samsung decided to make a foldable for everyone.

I'm excited to see the impact of Apple's first foldable. Samsung and Motorola have nearly perfected the book-style and flip-style foldable phone, respectively, but there's one foldable manufacturer that we seem to have forgotten about. Google.

Google isn't thinking outside the box with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold

I can't tell what we're supposed to be excited about

Since Google debuted the Pixel Fold in 2023, it has continued to refine and improve the device. The is an excellent foldable that, while not groundbreaking, has everything you could want from a folding Pixel.

But the inexorable march of smartphone "progress" continues, and Google has teased us with a promotional video of the upcoming Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

My reaction? Underwhelmed.

For the Pixel 11, Google housed the cameras in an iPhone 16 Pro-style island. It's also reportedly made the device .

Gripping stuff.

Google doesn't want to spill the beans too much, but it seems clear where Google is heading with its Pixel 11 Pro Fold strategy.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is for power users, and that means Gemini Intelligence

But other manufacturers have different ideas

The final frame on Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold promotional video is a mysterious shot of the device with the subheading "Gemini Intelligence."

Google has discussed how it wants to turn Android from an operating system . The idea is that Gemini is constantly running in the background, automating tasks and responding independently.

Google is pushing this on all new Pixel devices, but the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the best platform for it.

Most people don't buy book-style foldables. They are expensive, less durable, and the use cases are unclear for everyday needs. However, power users love them.

Promoting a device built for power users with Gemini Intelligence feels like the right decision. But it won't appeal to everyone, and that's where Google is going wrong.

Foldables are no longer exclusively for power users

They are more accessible and practical than ever

The most disappointing part of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is its price. A device like that, built with everyday users in mind, deserves better than a $1,900 price tag.

Nevertheless, with careful use of discount codes and promotional offers, you can secure one for under $1,000, which makes it the first book-style foldable I would recommend to anyone.

At the other end of the spectrum is the Motorola Razr (2025). This flip-style foldable is affordable, functional, and suitable for everyone.

With devices like these on the market, it's easy to see foldables finally , a process that will be accelerated after Apple launches its first foldable.

But Google is betting on Gemini Intelligence, and that's the wrong decision.

Google is betting big on AI when its peers are improving the user experience

I know which approach I prefer

The reason I'm excited about foldables is that manufacturers are finally working to improve the user experience.

The wow factor of foldables is long gone, so companies like Samsung and Motorola need to prove that owning a foldable is not a gimmick.

Unfortunately, Google is betting on a gimmick.

The Pixel 11, Googlebook, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold appear to integrate Gemini more than ever before. Google is betting that you'll want Gemini integrated across your entire ecosystem, but I don't think that's true.

AI has plenty of practical applications, but baking it into devices at the hardware level will put people off, regardless of the device's other features.

While Motorola and Samsung promote AI, neither has baked it into their devices as Google has. So when the choice is between practical, user-friendly devices and mandatory Gemini features, what will people choose?

However, there's a chance that, by adopting recent advancements in foldable technology, Google could compensate for mandatory Gemini tools. While it sounds like a minor feature, anyone who's used the Galaxy Z Fold 8 knows exactly what I mean.

And there's the price. Google is rumored to launch the Pixel 11 Pro Fold at €1,999/£1,799 (no US price has been announced), which won't help.

Google needs to show that it's capable of giving consumers what they want

What would steal the show at Made By Google 2026 is a Pixel A-series foldable. While Motorola has , we haven't seen a similar approach for a book-style foldable.

This is mostly down to the hardware involved in building such a device. But if Google managed to connect book-style foldables with lower budgets, we would be a lot more excited than we are about the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.