Google and Samsung Just Launched Foldable Phones That Are Almost Identical in Size
Google and Samsung both unveiled their top-of-the-line foldable phones today at competing events on August 12, 2026. For the first time, the two devices have nearly identical screen sizes, which means the comparison between them comes down to the processor, the cameras, and how they are built. The Verge published a full comparison table covering both devices alongside their less expensive siblings, and the spec sheet tells a detailed story.
The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is powered by Google's Tensor G6, a custom chip (the brain of the phone) that Google says is built for advanced AI and delivers up to 50% more computing power. It runs Android 17 with 16GB of RAM and comes in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage sizes. The screen on the outside is a 6.5-inch OLED panel; the screen on the inside is an 8-inch OLED. Both screens adjust their refresh rate from 1 to 120 times per second depending on what you are doing, which saves battery when the screen is mostly still and smooths out scrolling and video. Android Central reports peak brightness of 3600 nits on both displays. The device weighs 239 grams and measures 155.2 x 76 x 10.1 mm folded, opening to 155.2 x 150.4 x 5 mm unfolded. Google's blog describes it as the company's latest foldable with a thinner and lighter design, a brand-new main camera, and added durability. The marketing language calls it "thinner, lighter, and 3x stronger."
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, a custom version of Qualcomm's latest chip, and also ships with Android 17. RAM comes in 12GB or 16GB, with the 16GB version reserved for the 1TB model. The Ultra matches Google on screen size exactly: a 6.5-inch OLED outside and an 8-inch OLED inside. It weighs 215 grams, 24 grams lighter than the Pixel. Samsung's product page notes the Ultra measures just 4.1mm thick unfolded. It uses Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 on the outer screen and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the inner screen, while the Pixel uses what Google calls "Ultra-durable ceramic cover glass" outside and "Ultra Thin Glass" inside.
The camera systems are very different. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold has a 48-megapixel main camera, a 10.5-megapixel ultrawide, and a 10.8-megapixel 5x telephoto (a lens that lets you zoom in on distant subjects). The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra goes much higher on resolution: a 200-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, and a 10-megapixel telephoto. Megapixels measure how much detail a camera sensor can capture, though more megapixels do not automatically mean better photos. Google has historically relied on computational photography — using software to enhance images rather than depending on sensor size alone — to close the gap with competitors who use higher-megapixel cameras. The Tensor G6's stated AI focus fits that approach. Whether the G6's claimed 50% more computing power actually results in faster photo processing compared to Samsung's chip will be a question for hands-on testing.
Durability and charging also differ. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold carries an IP68 rating, which is the more robust standard for resistance to water and dust. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is rated IP48, meaning it offers some water resistance but less than Google's. Wireless charging is faster on Google's device at 25W versus Samsung's 20W, though the Ultra supports wired charging up to 45W via USB-C. Both devices support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and 5G across both major frequency types (mmWave, which offers very high speeds over short distances, and Sub-6GHz, which covers wider areas). The Fold 8 Ultra adds UWB, a short-range radio technology used for precise location tracking, which the Pixel does not include.
The less expensive Galaxy Z Fold 8, also covered in The Verge's comparison, helps show where Samsung's lineup sits. It has a 7.6-inch OLED inner screen (Samsung's newsroom specifies a resolution of 1,848 x 2,448, or 403 pixels per inch), a 5.5-inch outer screen, a 50-megapixel main and 50-megapixel ultrawide dual-camera setup, and weighs 201 grams. It runs the same Snapdragon chip as the Ultra. PhoneArena's comparison notes the Fold 8 has two rear cameras while the Pixel 11 Pro Fold has three. The previous-generation Pixel 10 Pro Fold, also in The Verge's table, used an older chip called the Tensor G5, ran Android 16, weighed 258 grams, and had a 48-megapixel main camera. That means the new 11 Pro Fold is 19 grams lighter than last year's model while also getting a new chip and a new operating system version.
Both flagships have the same networking features — Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and full 5G — so the connectivity differences this cycle are narrow, limited to Samsung's inclusion of UWB. For businesses that need precise indoor location tracking or digital key sharing, that could be a practical deciding factor.
Google's Made by Google 2026 event described the Pixel 11 Pro Fold as having enhanced AI tools alongside the hardware changes. Samsung's launch similarly emphasized its Galaxy AI features. Both companies are now treating their foldables not just as impressive hardware but as a way to deliver AI features directly on the phone, and both are building that effort on Android 17.
The broader context is that foldable phones have been iterating for years toward becoming a realistic choice for everyday use. These two devices are the closest the market has come to two major competitors offering essentially the same physical product. Identical screen sizes, the same operating system, similar connectivity, and prices that will likely be in the same range mean the decision between them increasingly comes down to which company's software and services you prefer, which camera approach you trust, and which chip you want inside. The question of whether a foldable phone is ready for daily use, at least for this generation, appears to be settled.
In my view, the most striking thing about this cycle is not any single specification but the fact that the two devices have converged this closely. When two major competitors arrive at nearly the same screen size, the same operating system, and overlapping feature lists, the conversation shifts from whether the technology works to which version suits you better. That shift is a sign of a product category growing up, and it has taken a while to get here.
