- The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s inner screen costs $1,199.99 / £1,127.99 to fix
- iFixit calls the repair ‘Difficult’
- Foldable are a delight, but should be handled with care
You’re likely trying to take good care your Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but you might want to be extra careful with the foldable, as iFixit has listed its repair kit (spotted by 9to5Google) for the phone’s inner screen, and it costs $1,206.99 / £1,134.99 (that’s about AU$1,830) with the screen on its own costing $1,199.99 / £1,127.99.
That’s about as much as an iPhone 16 Pro Max or a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which means that if your foldable screen smashes you might be better off just buying a whole new device from our best phone guide instead of fixing it.
Interestingly it’s also pricier than the same part for the Google Pixel Fold – which costs $909.99 / £904.99 (about AU$1,400) for the kit or $899.99 / £894.99 for the part only. The only saving grace is that at least a replacement is available, as iFixit doesn’t provide repair kits for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
You’ll only need to spend this much if you want to repair your phone yourself. If your phone is under warranty, or if you have Google’s Apple Care-like Preferred Care plan for your foldable, the cost of fixing it won’t be quite as steep.
If you do need to arrange the fix yourself, taking it to a professional will also save you a lot of time, as iFixit says replacing the inner screen will take roughly three to four hours and rates it as a “Difficult” fix – advising you to “Proceed with caution and patience” when undertaking it.
Buy with caution
Ideally, of course, you don’t want to have to fix your foldable, so it’s important that you don’t mistreat it.
While you can’t buy inner screen protectors for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, you can get phone cases which should be able to absorb the shock of a drop better than the phone’s chassis alone. And bear in mind that the non-dust proof devices shouldn’t be taken to the beach, or anywhere particularly dusty.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t still consider getting a foldable despite these challenges. I’ve tried out the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and I’m currently testing the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and love both phones.
That larger inner screen is a delight for games and reading – effectively giving you a mini tablet in your pocket – and with the Pixel foldable its full-sized outer screen means you won’t always feel the need to unfold it (something which isn’t as much the case with the Z Fold 6).
That said, it’s worth considering a foldable’s added cost and extra fragility before you commit to making what will be an expensive investment.