Google’s first smartphone line – the Nexus series – was by no means synonymous with ultra-premium design and features. Google has tried to change this perception with its current phone family, the Google Pixel series. But that Nexus-to-Pixel name and strategy change also resulted in another key change – higher prices.
While error-free hardware is not yet Google’s strong suit, the company’s software innovation has taken the Pixel series from zero to tech enthusiast hero in zero four short years. In 2020, the Pixel price range now spans $ 349 to $ 999, which is a huge departure from the early years. More recently, Google’s mid-range “Pixel a” series has put Google hardware on the radar for mass consumers.
To see how the company’s roadmap has changed since 2016, we’ve put together price tags and some key points for key products for every Pixel handset so far.
Read more: All Google Pixel phones have been released so far
Google Pixel Price: $ 649 – $ 869
At $ 649, the original Pixel looks pretty cheap compared to today’s flagships, but this was not a particularly affordable debut. Samsung launched its Galaxy S7 flagship for $ 689. Meanwhile, the swanky S7 Edge variant launched for $ 769, just a fraction more expensive than the Pixel XL’s $ 769 debut. The 128 GB Pixel XL cost an eyewater of $ 869, while the badly fated (see flammable), but much sunnier, Galaxy Note 7 cost $ 850. The Pixel series was clearly meant to play with the big kids of day one off.
See also: Google Pixel Redux Review: Proof of Software Power
Google is not ashamed to charge premium prices, although, honestly, the first generation Pixel hardware was hot ashes. The metal and glossy finish chips too easily, the phone lacks the increasingly standard IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, and the rear camera does not even have OIS. There really was not much hardware to offer for such a high price tag.
Instead, Google Assistant, the Pixel Launcher, and Google’s impressive HDR + photography software gained some early fans. To this day, software remains one of the most compelling reasons to purchase a Pixel handset.
Google Pixel 2 Price: $ 649 – $ 949
Google tried to keep the entry point of the Pixel series reasonably affordable with the advent of the Pixel 2, sticking to its base entry point of $ 649 for 64GB storage and $ 749 for the 128GB version. However, Google saw room for a price increase with the Pixel 2 XL. The base cost jumped to $ 849 and $ 949 for the 128 GB variant, a full $ 80 more than its first-generation equivalent.
See also: Google Pixel 4a vs Older Google Phones: Need to Upgrade?
$ 80 is hardly the biggest price increase in history, but that sets the Pixel 2 XL directly up against the $ 850 Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus. Maybe not the best move for a phone that would prove to have some battery life and display issues, while also daring to dig the headphone jack for the curve. However, Google took steps with its own hardware, and introduced the Pixel Visual Core to improve the phone’s AI and image processing, giving rise to one of the best camera phones on the market.
Even with the remarkably high cost to eyes, Google did enough to refine its original vision and justify the higher price precisely. As we said at the time, you do not buy Pixel just for the hardware. Instead, the Pixel 2 series was powered by its stellar software, three years of OS updates, and a best-in-class camera system.
Google Pixel 3 Price: $ 799 – $ 999
After paving the way with the 2017 Pixel 2 XL, it was only a matter of time until the smaller entry in the series also saw its price go up. That happened a year later with the $ 799 Google Pixel 3. That’s a full $ 150 more than the most basic original Pixel and Pixel 2.
See also: Google Pixel 3 XL redux: It’s not very outdated
At the same time, the Pixel 3 XL saw its price increase by $ 50 compared to its predecessor. This puts the 128 GB storage option directly on the $ 999 mark. Pretty expensive for a phone with only 4GB of RAM and a single rear camera. This was the year that Apple and Samsung normalized the idea of $ 1000 + smartphones, which at the time caused a lot of backlog. Maybe Google just felt like just keeping pace with the big players.
The $ 150 price increase of Pixel 3 is Google’s most controversial (to date).
However, this time around, Google has made efforts to justify its higher price with more competitive hardware. An IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, cracking P-OLED display, wide-angle selfie camera, wireless charging, and a revamped premium look launched the Pixel series from a faulty but plucked underdog into a mainstream-worthy smartphone. Just take the invisible “bathtub” notch on the Pixel 3 XL as the dubious battery life.
Google Pixel 3a Price: $ 399
2019’s Pixel 3a marked a major shift in Google’s smartphone strategy. With an affordable $ 399 price tag ($ 479 for the 3a XL), the Pixel 3a keeps the cost of entry into Google’s ecosystem.
Google’s less than perfect hardware was easier to overlook at this price point. Plastic bodies, thicker edges, and slower memory were all perfectly acceptable deviations. Especially since the Pixel 3a packs in many of Google’s earlier high-end software features, including its industry-leading camera capabilities. Better yet, the specs of lower endings have helped ensure that Google’s more affordable phones can easily last a full day of use.
Overall, the Pixel 3a XL may have been a bit on the expensive side, especially in markets with many affordable alternatives. But the smaller and cheaper Pixel 3a was a really competitive package, priced just for western audiences.
Google Pixel 4 Price: $ 799 – $ 999
After testing their fans with the Pixel 3 series, there was a collective sigh of relief when Google held on to further price increases with the Pixel 4 and 4 XL. Both models and storage variants cost exactly the same as the previous generation. In a year of $ 1000 smartphones, Pixel 4’s stagnant pricing strategy swept the wider sector.
At the same time, the Pixel 4 and 4 XL packed in more hardware than ever before. The phones include dual rear cameras and a wide-angle lens for the first time. Display quality led the field and Google was fast on the 90Hz display trend. The Pixel 4 series also introduced Google’s Motion Sense and Soli radar system. While perhaps not worth the hit for already weak battery life, Motion Sense showed Google’s ongoing efforts to marry unique hardware with enhanced software experiences.
See also: Google Pixel 4 vs Pixel 4a – Which One Should You Buy?
But Google’s willingness remained the greatest strength and weakness. While the Pixel 4 offers some of the best camera and software features around, its other features could not shake the lack of poles that plagued early Pixels. Until that is addressed, a flagship Pixel above $ 1000 would be a tough sale.
Google Pixel 4a Price: $ 349
This brings us to the latest offering from Google – the Pixel 4a. Priced at $ 50 less than the Pixel 3a, this is the first time that Google has actually lowered the asking price for a new generation. And talk about a bargain.
Better hardware processing removes the accidental jitters of 3a, the camera is sublime, and there is of course the top class software from Google. All that for a third of the cost of some flagships. As stated in our review, it represents the best Google experience for way less cash.
However, the Pixel 4a has even more competition this year. The Apple iPhone SE, the OnePlus Nord (outside the US), and the Samsung Galaxy A51 all compete at similar price points. Do not forget many other affordable phones from brands like Xiaomi and Realme in Europe and Asia. But the light price cut of Pixel 4a gives it an advantage in this ever-busy market segment.
There is no generation XL model, but the Google Pixel 4a 5G is on the way. However, this phone will sell for $ 499, making it $ 20 more than last year’s 3a XL and more expensive than the 5G-enabled OnePlus Nord. $ 20 is not a huge mark-up for 5G, but it definitely places the phone in a different market segment than the 4a. The $ 150 price gap with the Pixel 4a is Google’s largest yet. We’ll have to see if the Pixel 4a 5G’s hardware does enough to convince consumers of its value proposition.
Read more: Google Pixel 4a 5G: Everything We Know So Far
Google Pixel Price History: The big picture
At the time of this writing, the cheapest entry point in Google’s Pixel flagship costs $ 150 more than it did when it launched four years ago. That’s a pretty steep markup over just four generations, but actually quite typical for the mobile sector. Google’s phones have never been cheaper, but a price-free time after the Pixel 3’s leap has helped them stay competitive as flagship rivals Apple and Samsung have been pushing for four-figure sums.
Even the highest spec entries in the Pixel series have yet to weigh in at the $ 1000 mark. After the release of the Pixel 4, however, there is the unfortunate feeling that future Pixels may cost even more, especially as we enter the era of 5G.
While the flagship range Pixel has become increasingly expensive, Google’s affordable series has gone in the other direction. The Pixel 4a is a whopping $ 50 cheaper than the Pixel 3a and comes with some much improved hardware and Google’s blend of software excellence. The upcoming Pixel 4a 5G is set to retail at $ 499, making it Google’s most expensive mid-range phone to date. But that is to be expected with the move 5G and further hardware upgrades.
Google’s product portfolio has (so far) tried to please everyone. Expensive flagships for the enthusiasts and affordable versions for the more budget conscious. Google does not like to talk about sales, but the “Pixel a” range seems to be the more commercially successful of the two approaches. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that the Pixel 4a is even more aggressive on price.
This brings us to the Google Pixel 5. All Pixum 5 rumors so far have suggested that it will be powered by a more affordable mid-tier chipset from the Snapdragon 700 series. That could help keep the price of Pixel 5 down. We’ll just have to see if Google considers the future of its flagship Pixels as ultra-premium and expensive, as more mass-consumer and affordable.
What do you think about Google Pixel’s pricing and its two-tiered device approach over the last four years?
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