I tried Google’s first foldable smartphone – it’s got a huge perk and an even bigger catch

GOOGLE’S Pixel Fold is finally here – and I’ve felt its glossy folding surfaces on launch day.

The tech giant had a few handsets out on display at its Google I/O event in Mountain View, California.

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The Google Pixel Fold in the flesh (or glass)[/caption]

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It folds up to look like a regular smartphone – but it’s got a big hidden secret[/caption]

And I managed to snag a bit of time with the company’s first foldable smartphone.

It feels great, for a start.

The foldable Google gadget opens and closes like a book, which you would think might make it feel flimsy.

But the build quality is definitely very premium, and it certainly looks good too.

This could live alongside a top-end Pixel Pro model or high-end iPhone Pro Max and not look out of place.

But of course it has the benefit of folding, which means you get far more screen real estate than either of those alternatives.

On the outside is a normal 5.8-inch OLED display, but opening it up using the smooth hinge reveals a huge 7.6-inch screen.

Switching between the displays feels very fluid – an impressive engineering feat.

It’s very easy to see how having a smartphone that hides an enormous screen for watching TV, gaming and more can be tempting.

The device is also thin enough to not feel like a giant burden.

It’s a svelte 6mm when unfolded, and doesn’t feel awfully thick even in its 12mm folded form.

I didn’t get a chance to truly test some of the devices’ more important features.

For instance, I’ll need to do a full review to check out the triple-camera set-up, which combines a 48-megapixel shooter with telephoto and ultra-wide snappers.

And I’ll need to put in hours of testing to get a gauge on whether the Tensor G2 chip holds up to scrutiny.

But it seems like a decent enough offering, with 256/512GB storage options, face- and fingerprint-unlocking tech, and a 24-hours-plus battery life that will also need testing.

The big downside, of course, is the enormous price tag.

If you want one of these impressive mobiles, you’ll need to fork out a whopping $1,799/£1,749.

Still, the device will almost certainly attract tech geeks who want the latest and greatest Google model.

But it’s hard to say whether the price is worth it until we give it a full review.

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The handset can be folded open at a right-angle to activate a tabletop viewing mode – and apps like YouTube will know you only want to view on the upper half of the interior screen[/caption]

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The hinge action is very satisfying – you’ll be folding on for days[/caption]