Pixel 9 Pro Fold: New Feature to Tackle Magnetic Interference

Foldable phones, like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, rely on tiny sensors to know when they're open or closed. These sensors can be tricked by magnetic accessories, causing the screen to turn off unexpectedly. Google is aware of this issue and is working on a fix. The upcoming Android 16 update might include a new feature called "robust open/close detection. " This feature is designed to make the phone smarter about detecting its open or closed state, even when magnetic accessories are attached. In the latest Android 16 Beta 2, some users have seen a notification suggesting they turn on this new feature. This notification includes a button to enable the feature, but as of now, the actual setting to toggle it on or off isn't visible in the settings menu. This is similar to how some features roll out gradually. The issue with magnetic accessories has been a known problem for foldable phones. When a magnet, like a third-party MagSafe ring, is placed on the back of a closed foldable, it can interfere with the phone's ability to detect whether it's open or closed. This new feature is expected to reduce these false positives and make the phone more reliable. It's not yet clear what additional hardware might be used to achieve this. Hopefully, this improvement will also be available for the original Pixel Fold. Google is continually improving the user experience for its devices. This new feature is a step in the right direction, showing that the company is listening to user feedback and working to address common issues.