Google replaced my Pixel 9 Pro Fold
About a week ago, I made a post here detailing my latest issue with Google Pixel Fold hardware. After experiencing not one, but two spontaneous screen cracks in my first-generation Pixel Fold, my next-generation Pixel 9 Pro Fold had been holding up relatively well... That was until my phone's ability to detect a SIM card seemingly went down the drain.
I was using my phone on January 27th, 2025 and went to send a text message when I was greeted with a message telling me that I had no SIM card installed. I thought this was a little odd, but no big deal. I popped my SIM tray out and reinserted it, expecting the phone to carry on without issue. Instead, nothing happened. To get my cellular connection working again, I ended up popping out my SIM card again and then rebooting the phone with the card still out. Once the phone was back up and running, I reinserted the SIM card and things came back online. I assumed that would be the end of it.. Unfortunately, about three hours later, it happened again. This time, I discovered that doing a network reset in Internet Settings would fix the problem, but it would continue happening over and over.
At this point, I went to Mint Mobile's website and ordered a replacement SIM card, which they sent very quickly. I assumed my SIM card had just worn out from years of constantly swapping phones and hoped that this would be the fix.
It was not.
At this point, I did the only thing I could do. I fired up Google's support chat and told them what was going on. They told me that my phone was under warranty and that I should go to my local uBreakiFix, so that's what I did.
After about five days to order the part and complete the installation, one of the boards inside my phone was replaced. I think we all figured that would be a simple enough fix. Before I even made it to my car with my newly repaired phone, my SIM card had vanished again. I did my quick reset to bring it back and sat in my car for a couple of minutes, and guess what? It vanished again.
I went back inside and told them what was going on, and they said the next step would be to replace the entire motherboard. So there I was, thinking about the prospect of replacing the entire motherboard inside my $1,800 phone and then continuing to use it after it had now been opened up and tampered with not once but twice. Yeah, I don't think so.
This time, I called Google and explained the situation and luckily, they were very quick to offer a full replacement device. I now have a refurbished, but brand-new-looking, Pixel 9 Pro Fold and my old device is sitting in a box ready to be shipped off at my local FedEx. Once they receive it, they'll release a hold on my card for the price of the phone, and all should be well.
I should note, there was a slower option where I would send my phone in, and then they would send me a replacement with no hold on my card. I'm impatient, what can I say?
So what now? I guess first thing is that I 100% stand behind my stance that if you own a foldable you should have some form of third party insurance. When my refurbished Pixel Fold 1 also cracked, it was Mint Mobile’s insurance that saved me. I paid a deductible somewhere around $100 (I can’t recall exactly) and within a week I had a brand new Pixel Fold delivered literally from Amazon. Fantastic experience.
Sure, Google didn’t fight me on this replacement, but boy did they ever when my screen cracked. It wasn’t my fault and they know this sort of thing happens and yet they refused to help me.. right up until I made a video chronicling what was going on. I’m sure that was a coincidence..
Beyond that, I can’t possibly say with honesty that my confidence in Google hardware isn’t shaken. This is now the third Fold that has failed in some way on me. Beyond my OnePlus Open’s fingerprint scanner going (likely due to leaning it against something in my pocket unwittingly), I haven’t had a single such issue with any other foldable. What makes matters worse is that the 9 Pro Fold is my Foldable of choice. I love the thing, but my goodness do Google’s foldables not love me back. I would love nothing more than to speak honestly while also proselytizing for the brand of phone I prefer, but I can’t do both at the same time. Not when they keep going out on me.