Following one of its most aggressive Pixel 9 price drops yet, Google has once again slashed the price of its flagship smartphone. However, for serious deal hunters the company’s new Pixel 8 Pro bundle offer might be the better deal.
Let’s start with the Pixel 9 discount. All models, including the Pixel 9a, are cheaper for this sale, which ends on June 15th. The Pixel 9 price cut is similar to what we have seen in previous sales, but Google does have some new bundle deals, alongside discounts for virtually all wearables.
- Pixel 9 – $599, $200 off
- Pixel 9 Pro XL -$899, $200 off
- Pixel 9 Pro Fold – $1,499, $300 off
- Pixel 9a – $499, $50 off
Virtually all of Google’s wearables and smart home devices are on sale, too. These are the standout deals.
- Pixel Watch 2 – $149.99, $100 off
- Pixel Watch 3 – $379.99, $70 off
- Pixel Tablet – $359, $140 off
Forget The Pixel 9, Try The Google Pixel 8 Pro
The most eye-catching promotion is for the Pixel 8 Pro, which is now down to $599. Google lists this as a $400 discount, but the 2023 flagship hasn’t cost $999 since it launched two years ago. Despite the chicanery, this is a solid deal for a phone that isn’t wildly different from the Pixel 9. The promotion is boosted by Google throwing in a free Pixel Watch 2 LTE and a free case with the Pixel 8 Pro.
To me, this makes the Pixel 8 Pro the better choice if you’re on a budget because the free Pixel Watch can be sold to extend the discount. If you’re worried about buying older tech, there’s very little daylight between the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 ranges.
The Pixel 8 has many of the Pixel 9’s features, including AI tools like Magic Editor, Best Take, and Video Boost (on the Pixel 8 Pro). Formerly exclusive Pixel 9 features, such as the Pixel Weather app, have now migrated over to the Pixel 8. Only the updated hardware separates the two phones. I wrote more extensively about why the Pixel 8 Pro may be the better choice for tight budgets here.
Crucially, the Pixel 8 still has five years of software support left. When the device launched in 2023, Google extended the amount of Android updates and security patches its Pixel phones would get to seven years. We will have to see if Google (and Samsung) honor that promise as we edge closer to 2030.
But if we take Google at face value, that extended support adds value to the Pixel 8, especially since there are fewer reasons to buy new hardware that only marginally improves per year. Manufacturers may struggle to convince fans to buy new phones when the near-identical predecessor is half the price. This is good news for Pixel 9 and Pixel 8 shoppers because it is currently the best time to buy high-end, cheap, phones.
