Foldable phones are the latest in mobile technology and generally the most expensive devices in their respective lines. So it’s no surprise that a repair for that beautiful room divider will cost a pretty penny. But according to a new vendor, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s primary display will cost a whopping $1,199.99. That’s two-thirds of the price of the entire device.
And keep in mind that this is only for the part sold through the DIYers at iFixit. The repair specialists have been selling official OEM parts for Google phones for years, but this example is downright staggering. It’s $300 more than last year’s equivalent for the original Pixel Fold, and enough to buy a brand new Pixel 9 Pro XL with 512GB of storage. The iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S24+ also come under that price tag.
Comparisons are difficult because foldable phones still make up a small portion of the smartphone user base. But I found a replacement screen for the last-gen Galaxy Z Fold 5 for around $540, and one for the Oppo Find N3 for less than $400, with no guarantee that those parts are new. A much more dramatic comparison comes straight from Samsung, which will offer a full inner screen replacement service for the Z Fold 6 for “just” $549. Pricey, sure, but considering the price of the phone, the rarity of the part and the expertise needed to repair, it seems justified.
In addition to Google’s apparent price for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s primary display, provided without a repair and relying on the end user for the extremely delicate replacement process, it’s a bargain. (I assume the vast majority of the price is Google’s OEM costs, not iFixit’s profit margin). Google doesn’t mention how much out-of-warranty repairs will cost. It’s a good thing that these foldable phones protect their inner screens by design, I guess.
The rest of the replacement parts for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold on the iFixit store are much more reasonable, such as a rear casing for $130. The rear camera module is considerably more expensive at $257 (with a selection of iFixit tools along for the ride), but that is also understandable, considering the amount of technology crammed into advanced mobile cameras.
If I picture myself with a $1200 bill for an $1800 phone, I think I’d probably just call it a wash and make do with a perfectly usable Pixel A for the next few years. (Though in a literal sense it’s not much is more useful). If I wanted to keep my lovely Pixel folder, I might be tempted to get an extended warranty just to be on the safe side.
I might wonder if selling more of those extended warranties was even the point of raising the price of the most vulnerable part of the phone. Hmm. Google Preferred Care costs $15 per month if you’re wondering.