A Google Pixel for less than 200 euros? Google nip the idea in the bud

With the recent release of the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, rumors about the arrival of entry-level Pixel mobiles have surfaced. An idea that Google was quick to disqualify.

What if Google offered all the advantages of its Pixel range, but at a price of less than 200 euros? The promise is certainly attractive, but the search giant has no intention of entering this very competitive market.

A Pixel for less than 200 euros “ very unlikely “

In an interview with the Austrian newspaper DerStandardthe head of the mobile branch at Google, Nanda Ramachandran, explained that a Pixel at 200 euros would require “ to make too many compromises “. He explains that in his opinion, the promises of the Pixel range cannot be kept on an entry-level mobile.

Public expectations regarding photo quality, artificial intelligence features, or even software tracking are simply not achievable in this price segment, according to Google. “ It’s very unlikely we’ll get into this. “, insists Nanda Ramachandran.

At the same time, it’s difficult to prove Google wrong. The market for smartphones priced at 200 euros and less is certainly teeming with products, but just in terms of software tracking, none can boast of offering the 7 years of major updates that Google promises with its Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.

The justification is very simple, it is not profitable for a company to offer so much tracking for a mobile purchased so inexpensively. In addition, the components embedded in this type of product are often too underpowered to last in the long term.

Towards smartphones that last

For those who wish to discover the joys of the Google world for a price lower than the 800 euros required to obtain the Pixel 8, the Pixel range therefore seems ideal. The Pixel 7a, released in May 2023, for example, sells for around 479 euros, significantly less than the Pixel 7, which had a price of 649 euros at the time of its launch. And good news, a Pixel 8a is indeed planned at Google.

Ecologically, Google’s logic holds up rather well. Ensuring software monitoring for 7 years allows a user to keep their phone longer, and therefore make it profitable in the long term rather than buying a phone for 200 euros every two years.

Still, you have to be able to spend 800 or 1,000 euros at once to afford a high-end phone, which many cannot afford. To offer truly durable and affordable products, Google could offer rental offers, a bit like what Samsung does.

Source : DerStandard