For the second year in a row, iPhone rumors claimed Apple would raise the iPhone Pro prices. And Apple surprised buyers by keeping the same price structure in place for the iPhone 15 series, with one twist. You don’t have the option to get a $1,099 128GB iPhone 15 Pro Max this year. It starts at $1,199 for the 256GB storage option, but that matches the 256GB iPhone 14 Pro Max price tag from last year.
Pixel rumors predating the iPhone 15 launch event similarly claimed that Google would raise the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro prices this year. We saw at least one wild price rumor that suggested unreasonable price hikes. And then we saw a more down-to-earth leak listing purported price information for the 2023 Pixel phones.
In either case, these prices would have been more affordable than Europe’s then-accurate iPhone price structure. But Apple then lowered iPhone prices in Europe for the iPhone 15 series and older models.
With just one week to go until Google’s October 4th Pixel 8 event, everything about the two handsets has leaked after an insider obtained marketing materials made by Google for the handsets.
It turns out the Pixel 8 phones will not be more expensive, though there is a tiny caveat. Not only that, but Google is ready to offer a few amazing perks for preordering the new handsets. And I wonder whether the iPhone 15 launch forced Google to reconsider its Pixel 8 pricing structure.
Remember the first rule about Pixel phones: Everything leaks, and the leaks are almost always accurate. The shady Pixel 8 price report I mentioned before is a rare exception. But as I said when discussing the more believable one, an iPhone 15 Pro price increase would be a good excuse for Google to raise prices.
Apple having dropped iPhone prices in Europe and other regions makes sense, considering the current landscape. The smartphone market is in a slump, and most vendors have been suffering greatly. The iPhone is the rare exception, and strong demand for the expensive iPhone 15 Pro Max is proof of that.
But the US dollar isn’t as strong as last year, which prompted the iPhone price hikes in Europe and other markets last year.
Fast-forward to this week and leaker Kamila Wojciechowska posted Google’s presentation materials for the Pixel 8 phones on Twitter/X. Among other things, the leaks indicated Google plans to offer Pixel 8 buyers 7 years of software updates.
Also, Wojciechowska posted the price comparison above between the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 series.
As you can see, the Pixel 8 will start at $699 instead of $599, which is a $100 price increase compared to the base Pixel 7 model. But the Pixel 8 Pro will start at $899, just like its predecessor.
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will come with 6 months of free Google One Premium 2TB plan, 6 months of Fitbit Premium, and 3 months of YouTube Premium.
The most exciting Pixel 8 perk will be available to Pixel 8 Pro buyers: The new Pixel Watch 2. The first-gen Google smartwatch cost $350 at launch. It’s likely the successor would be at least as expensive.
That said, it’s unclear whether Google will offer the same Pixel 8 Pro preorder deal internationally. But it shows that Google is looking to convert as many buyers to the Pixel 8 as possible, even though customers aren’t spending as much money on Android phones this year.
The Pixel 8 phones will probably be available for preorder online next week after Google’s big Pixel-centric event.