Google has a reputation for providing smartphones at a lower cost than its competitors. The exact difference in price always depended on the model, but if you go back 14 years, Google’s phones were thought to be less expensive than products like Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy S line.

 

Despite a few exceptions, such as the Nexus 6, which was actually $50 more expensive than the iPhone 7 that year, you could typically acquire a decent phone without spending as much money, even as Google’s flagship models became more costly.

 

But this year, that has altered. Another price increase for the Google Pixel 9 series has brought the cost of Google’s entry-level phone into line with similar flagships.

Pixel 9 price hikes and shrinkflation

When the Google Pixel 7 was released in 2022, you could have purchased it for $599. That cost was $200 less than the most affordable models of the Samsung Galaxy S22 and iPhone 14. Although the Pixel 7 did have several issues, one that stood out was its pricing. Despite costing significantly more than the ordinary model at $899, the Pixel 7 Pro was still $100 to $200 less expensive than other Pro and Ultra-label phones this year.

 

Fast forward a year when the Pixel 8 series pushed Google’s prices up by $100. The Pixel 8 cost $699 compared to $999 for the Pixel 8 Pro, all while the iPhones and Galaxy S23 kept their prices more or less static. The higher-priced Pixels weren’t ideal, but the Pixel 7 remained a cheaper option while also delivering a lot of big improvements.

 

This year, the cheapest Pixel 9 will cost $799 — $100 more than the Pixel 8 and the same price as the iPhone 15 and Galaxy S24. The Pixel 9 Pro looks like it’s the same price as last year’s Pro model, until you realize it’s not. Because this new version has a smaller screen and battery than the Pixel 8 Pro, making the Pixel 9 Pro XL the only true successor to that model.

 

Starting at $1,099, the XL variant is $100 more expensive than the Pixel 8 Pro at launch. Furthermore, even if you qualify the term with “relatively,” calling a phone cheap once it surpasses $1,000 is not appropriate.

 

The absurd thing is that despite both of those high-end models experiencing price increases, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is still less expensive than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The main distinction is that Apple and Samsung maintained the price of a 256GB model at the same level while eliminating the 128GB storage option. Thus, although the initial cost increased, it remained constant from a

Pixels are less appealing now

It makes sense to purchase a Pixel phone for a number of reasons. All of the newest Android upgrades are first available to you, new features are added to your phone on a yearly basis, and some models come with seven years of software support, something that not even Apple can match.

 

In addition, several of the most recent AI features that debuted on the Pixel 9 are anticipated to be extended to previous models, such as the Pixel 8, allowing current Pixel owners to take advantage of the latest features without having to give up on their old phone. It’s still a flagship smartphone even if not every function works as effectively as it could on a handset powered by the Tensor G4 or transfers to previous year’s models.

 

The issue here is that one of the main justifications for people to suggest Google phones has always been their reduced price. It’s hard to argue against being able to have a similarly premium phone experience to an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy without having to pay quite as much, especially when you consider the other benefits of the Pixel.

 

Other Android phone manufacturers have surpassed Google in terms of quality over time. While Google leads the industry in software rollout speed, Samsung has been making every effort to release upgrades even more swiftly. Longer software support has also been made available by other Android phones; Samsung has even matched Google’s seven-year commitment.

 

Over time, several low-cost flagship smartphones have emerged, and their technological advancements have been significant. One excellent example is OnePlus, which was formerly thought to be a wonderful brand but was frequently disappointed by the quality of its cameras. Even if it’s not nearly as amazing as the flagship phones from Google, Samsung, and Apple, the OnePlus 12 is now one of the greatest cameras on a phone, and it’s obvious that the company is here to stay.

 

Furthermore, Pixel phones frequently have a lot of problems. Not simply ordinary teething issues that make news soon after introduction, but also wildly uneven performance across the board. Google has long struggled with battery life; in our own battery test, the Pixel 8 lasted less than 10 hours, while Samsung’s regular Galaxy S24 lasted 13.5 hours.

 

Additionally, Google hardly ever used a flagship chipset, even prior to implementing the exclusive Tensor series. The price increase for Pixels makes that performance decline far less alluring. While Tensor’s emphasis on security and AI optimization makes sense and raw performance may not be everything, we can’t help but question if Google could have been performing much better if it had tried.

Bottom line

One can still find reasons to appreciate Pixel phones. Going forward, Google’s AI-focused approach will be crucial, and the company continues to provide some of the greatest software support available for Android smartphones. We have high expectations for the camera and visual quality of the Pixel 9 models, even if we haven’t conducted any formal testing with them yet.

 

However, the greater price is like the proverbial “elephant in the room,” meaning Pixels are no longer the great deals they previously were. If anything, Google has given the less expensive options a significant advantage. In particular, the OnePlus 12 costs the same as a Pixel 9 at $799, but it’s really the Pro model under a different moniker, making it on par with far more expensive competitors. If OnePlus can avoid raising the price of the OnePlus 13 too soon in the new year, it could be able to win over some Pixel exiles who are put off by the higher cost of the Pixel 9.

 

The A-series Pixels will always be an alternative if we need a less expensive option. Or we will if Google manages to hold off on raising the Pixel 9a’s pricing when it launches in the spring of next year.