When picking up the latest devices, getting something that’s made to last is a high priority for the vast majority of buyers. This is especially true with foldables since they’re designed to be bent into multiple shapes. With the launch of Google’s first foldable, the Pixel Fold, many are wondering how it will fare when compared to the durability of other foldables on the market.
Water resistance is a big concern for many people since smartphones get exposed to water nearly every day. In the house, bathrooms and kitchens pose a threat. Outside, your phone could take a dip in pools, lakes, and the ocean. While getting dunked or splashed usually doesn’t mean death for most modern smartphones, there is a spectrum of how much damage, if any, will be done. Here’s what you need to know about whether the Pixel Fold is waterproof and if you should be bringing it poolside when it launches in the summer.
The Google Pixel Fold has an IP rating of IPX8, meaning that it’s about as waterproof as smart devices can get based on the current scale. The IP scale ranges from zero to nine, with most modern smartphones being rated at an eight, the same as the Pixel Fold. A more proper term for this phone would be “water-resistant” rather than “waterproof,” but this is as good as it gets for smartphone water protection.
While it’s pretty resistant to being submerged in water, there are limitations to how wet the Fold should get. IPX8 reassures that the Fold can be fully submerged in water roughly9 feet deep and still work when taken out and dried off. But it’s not a device that’s meant to be used underwater, so it’s best to keep it out of the pool or bathtub.
Luckily, this does mean that you don’t have to sweat it if your Pixel Fold gets splashed or takes an accidental dip as long, as it gets dried off. However, remember that the Pixel Fold shouldn’t be exposed to saltwater, whether in the ocean or in saltwater pools, as the salt can damage it.
Additionally, the “X” in the Fold’s IP rating means that it isn’t rated for particles, so it’s not a good idea to get sand or other small particles like dust in it. Damage to the phone can also drastically impact how water resistant it is, so if your Pixel Fold takes a nasty drop that leaves it broken in any way, it’s a good idea to leave it at home when heading to the pool.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.