ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Pixel 10 Fold is first foldable with IP68 dust, water rating.
• Pixel 10 Pro Fold resists dust better than rival foldables.
• One of few upgrades in Google’s $1,799 foldable.

Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers.

Did Google just pull off the impossible? At its Made by Google hardware event this week, the company unveiled its new Pixel 10 Pro Fold, a $1,799 foldable phone that’s the first of its kind to feature an IP68 rating.

Those two digits — especially the first one — are really important, whether you’re a frequent beach goer or often find a pile of dust and debris when you pull your phone out of your pocket. An IP68 rating represents the device’s Ingress Protection code, a compliance standard for how well it can resist water and dust.

Also: Everything announced at Made by Google 2025: Pixel 10 Pro, Fold, Watch 4, and more

While foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 have long offered water resistance (IPX8), their vulnerability to dust and small particles has made many consumers hesitant to commit — especially at premium prices. That’s why the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s IP68 rating is as noteworthy as it is.

The enhanced durability should greatly reduce the likelihood of the phone being damaged by everyday wear, particle intrusion, and more. An IP68 rating also puts the Pixel 10 Pro Fold in the same protection level as traditional slab phones — it’s quite the feat considering how difficult it is to design a device with moving parts that also withstand dust and debris.

Also: The best flip phones of 2025: Where does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 stand?

Google says the Pixel 10 Pro Fold features a remodeled hinge, with a gearless, high-strength beam system made from spacecraft-grade materials. You’re looking at a foldable phone that’s advertised to withstand more than 10 years of folding.

The redesigned interior also gave room for Google to squeeze in a larger 5,010mAh battery (up from last year’s 4,650mAh) as well as magnetic adapters for PixelSnap accessories — think MagSafe for Android.

Also: Finally, Pixel 10 ends Android’s MagSafe envy with its new PixelSnap feature

How significant is the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s durability upgrade to you? Does the IP68 rating make it a more enticing option than other foldable phones? Sound off in the comments below.

Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.