Google’s surprise Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro sale, which offers discounts of $150 and $200 respectively, will end tomorrow, February 24th. Originally starting on January 24th and scheduled to end on February 3rd, Google unexpectedly extended the sale until February 24th. This promotion includes significant price reductions on nearly all of Google’s flagship devices, such as the Pixel Fold, Pixel Buds Pro, Pixel 7a, and Pixel Watch 2.
This isn’t the first time Google has discounted the Pixel 8 series. Earlier this month, Google reduced prices by £150 (approximately $190.17) and £100 (approximately $126.78) for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro in the U.K. In addition to these discounts, the company has offered $125 gift cards to YouTube Premium subscribers purchasing a Pixel 8. Moreover, it emailed $100 store credit coupons to selected Google Photos users and temporarily increased its trade-in prices.
Google has a history of pricing its handsets competitively, from the affordable Nexus phones to slashing prices of early Pixel handsets just before Christmas. However, the frequency of discounts seen with the Pixel 8 series is unprecedented. Back-to-back sales are uncommon, indicating that Google may continue offering promotions.
For those who miss this sale but still want to purchase a Pixel phone, there will likely be more opportunities in the coming months. This is especially true as Samsung prepares to launch its Galaxy Fold 6 in the summer. Google recently launched a new Mint-colored Pixel 8 to rival Samsung’s Galaxy S24, highlighting the intense competition between the two smartphone giants.
Competition among smartphone makers is fierce, with consumers holding onto their devices for longer periods. This has increased the importance for companies to ensure customers choose their phones. The repeated hardware discounts from Google and hints from Samsung suggest that paywalled AI features may be on the horizon.
Simultaneously, Google has revamped many of its core products, such as YouTube Premium and Google One, to attract more customers. Google One has seen significant success, recently reaching 100 million paying subscribers. To incentivize sign-ups, Google is offering a few months of free Gemini Advanced access to Google One 5TB+ subscribers.
Looking ahead, consumers can expect more bundled service deals and potential price increases for existing subscriptions, similar to Google’s adjustments for YouTube Premium, as hardware prices continue to drop.
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