Google’s $100 hike is eyewatering, but the Pixel 8 series seems worth it

There’s lots to dive into with the new Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, but I’m certain everybody’s instant consideration is drawn to the new price ticket. For the first time since 2021, Google has raised its smartphone costs, risking a good bit of the goodwill it’s earned over the previous two years of good smartphones.

Starting at $699 for the Pixel 8 and $999 for the Pro, each fashions are $100 dearer than their predecessors. Price hikes are steeper elsewhere; the UK sees a £150 enhance, and €200 is the toll in Europe. However, these modifications seem like all the way down to forex charges reasonably than outright gouging. Still, there’s no getting round the proven fact that larger costs are at all times arduous to swallow and can undoubtedly give shoppers pause for thought earlier than hitting the purchase button.

Is the Pixel honeymoon interval over then? Well, not essentially.

Previous era Pixels have, frankly, been a steal. $599 for one in every of the finest digicam telephones in the enterprise, 4 OS upgrades, and bundled additional Google goodies has been distinctive worth. The 6 Pro and seven Pro have been equally strong, typically rivaling the finest smartphones whereas costing tons of much less. We’ve been spoilt, actually.

Undoubtedly, aggressive pricing has been important to Google’s development over the previous two years. Undercutting the competitors has doubled Google’s US market share to a nonetheless admittedly small 4%, but that’s nonetheless spectacular at a time when different manufacturers are preventing to carry off declines. Now that the Pixel line is (considerably) well-established, maybe the series can stand up to pricing that’s barely extra in step with the broader market.

Google definitely wouldn’t be the first; HUAWEI, OnePlus, and others indulged in aggressive early methods to penetrate the market earlier than elevating costs as soon as the foot was in the door. For occasion, we wouldn’t have loved a complete series of OnePlus handsets with out the $299 OnePlus One, roughly half the worth of the Samsung Galaxy S5. Value for cash wasn’t the solely cause to purchase into these manufacturers in the long run, nor is it for the Pixel.

All the earlier era perks are nonetheless legitimate for the Pixel 8 series, even at $100 extra. Indeed, the Pixel 8 is nonetheless arguably the finest value-for-money flagship. It’s $100 lower than the Galaxy S23 and iPhone 15, but checks off nice cameras, an IP68 score, wi-fi charging, distinctive software program options, and way more. Likewise, the Pixel 8 Pro’s excellent digicam array and far improved Tensor G3 processing energy proceed to make it strong competitors for rival Plus, Pro, and Ultra fashions whereas nonetheless costing the similar or rather less.

But Google has a stronger weapon to maintain us invested in the series — the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro’s seven-year replace coverage. $699 for a telephone that may final till 2030 (with a battery substitute or two) must be worth for cash in anybody’s guide — consider it as $8.30 a month, and the Pixel 8 prices lower than Netflix Standard. If something, Google is possible squeezing its margins by offering software program assist for thus lengthy. The firm additionally dangers undercutting future gross sales development, as prospects received’t must improve for a very long time. With years of assist left on the clock, the second-hand gross sales worth of the Pixel 8 will likely be fairly interesting too, and may even find yourself a greater various to future mid-rangers. We’ll simply should see.

Industry followers have lengthy famous that smartphone {hardware} has hit the plateau. While the easiest telephones can take barely sharper footage and run video games at marginally larger frames, day-in day-out wants are nicely catered for by even immediately’s mid-range {hardware}. Our most constant latest grievance has been that telephone software program typically offers out earlier than the {hardware} is out of date. With the Pixel 8 series, Google embraces this actuality, launching smartphones that excel immediately and can proceed to carry up over their lifespan.

While our fling with Google’s inexpensive pricing construction could have come to an finish, we’re simply at the begin of a longer-term relationship with the Pixel series.