Google exhibits Android smartphones “Pixel 8” and “Pixel 7a” … [+]
This story was updated on April 18th. Updated below.
After discounting the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro in December, January, February, and March, Google has slashed the price of its flagship phones again in a new sale.
The Pixel 8 ($549) and Pixel 8 Pro ($799) will sell for $150 and $200 less, respectively. Google has maintained this level of discounts for most of its previous sales, but larger discounts are often reserved for the Pixel Fold, which is currently $500 cheaper.
The company is gearing up for next month’s Google I/O, where the Pixel 8a will likely be announced. Due to its impending release, the Pixel 7a has been discounted several times recently, and the budget phone is currently selling for $150 less than its regular price of $499.
As I’ve said before, if you want to buy the Pixel 7a as cheaply as possible, and you’re patient, I wouldn’t be surprised if the price drops again. Google is likely to further discount the device during the transition period to Pixel 8a. Other retailers will also want to clear their remaining inventory in preparation for the 8a release.
The latest sales numbers mean Google has slashed the price of its current Pixel lineup by hundreds of dollars at some point every month in 2024. This is alongside giving away a $125 gift card to YouTube Premium subscribers with the purchase of a Pixel 8 and emailing a $100 coupon to a random Google Photos user.
Google is no stranger to discounts, but this level of aggressive pricing is a new strategy for the company. It’s not alone, Samsung has repeatedly discounted its Galaxy S24 series, and Motorola appears to be running a near-permanent sale on every phone in its lineup.
Google is currently undergoing a major overhaul of its core subscription service to make it as attractive as possible, which is likely leading to constant hardware discounts. Once they are in an ecosystem, they tend to stay there.
The company recently bundled Nest Aware and FitBit Premium with its Google One cloud storage plans. It’s also added new AI-powered editing tools to the Google Photos platform on desktop, allowing Google One subscribers to save more edited photos each month (non-subscribers can save more than 10 of his photos). only).
There’s never been a better time to buy an Android smartphone, but low hardware prices may have a catch. You’re starting to see the difference between a free experience and a paid, AI-powered experience. Certain features, such as increased Google Photos saves and garage door detection on the Nest Aware platform, are protected by a paywall. Samsung has already hinted that it will charge for certain AI features starting in 2025, and I suspect we’ll see more examples of tiered smartphone experiences as companies go all-in on mobile AI.
April 18th update: Samsung has now launched a new deal to compete with Google. The Korean company will apparently be giving away a Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Plus for free when you pre-order some TVs. Samsung is emailing the offer to customers who have registered on its site. The offer requires users to fill out a survey about what type of TV they prefer and which freebie they want (either a phone or a soundbar).
The email says the “free gift” will be applied at checkout and only applies to pre-orders (new TVs coming next week), but looking at the terms and conditions, this offer only runs until May 14th Seems to be available. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is not included in the deal, and the three TVs eligible for the free S24 Plus are QN900D, QN800D, and QN90D. To get the base Galaxy S24 unit for free, you must purchase a QN95D/, QN90D, or QN85D.
