Are you so head-over-heels in love with Google's ecosystem that you're thinking of getting not one but two different Pixel devices this fall? Do you want to know even more about the already thoroughly leaked Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, as well as see the two technically unannounced handsets in the flesh once again, this time alongside a third unreleased Google-made product and a fourth gadget that's been around for a while now?
Then you might be in for quite a treat today, as the incessant rumor-mongering preceding Big G's big hardware (and software) launch event scheduled for October 4 continues with a nice pair of revealing promotional images and a juicy new nugget of inside information relayed by Roland Quandt.
A $200-worth gift for a $700 phone
You may or may not remember this now, but if you pre-ordered last year's Pixel 7 directly from Google, the search giant was kind enough to throw in some free store credit you could then use to get discounted accessories like a smartwatch or some earbuds.
Predictably enough, a somewhat similar launch deal is currently being cooked up for the improved Pixel 8. But surprisingly or not, it appears that early adopters will be treated to a gratis pair of Pixel Buds Pro instead of a $100 Google Store voucher this time around.
The Pixel 8 Pro (pictured here) will come bundled with an even greater gift (also pictured here) than the Pixel 8 (pictured above).
That's an arguably less "flexible" but also objectively more valuable freebie, as Google's premium alternative to the likes of Apple's AirPods Pro 2 and Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2 Pro normally costs $200. Technically, Roland Quandt doesn't mention these high-end noise-cancelling buds by name in his latest tweet (X.com post?) revealing the upcoming pre-order bundle, but we're 100 percent certain those are the Pixel Buds Pro and not the lower-end and lower-cost Pixel Buds A-Series pictured together with a non-Pro Pixel 8 in a swanky "Peony Rose" color.
The Pixel 8 Pro, meanwhile, is now rumored by two independent and equally reliable sources to come bundled with a free Pixel Watch 2, which also eclipses the $200 Google Store credit included with Pixel 7 Pro pre-orders last year in terms of value, at an expected retail price of around $350.
Speaking of retail prices, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are likely to start at $699 and $899 respectively, which would actually set the smaller model apart from the Pixel 7 while putting the larger variant at exactly the same level as the Pixel 7 Pro. That's a pretty odd strategy on Google's part that could keep devices like Samsung's fast-approaching Galaxy S23 FE in the race for the title of best budget 5G phone at the end of 2023.
Is there anything left to be revealed?
To be honest, we don't know but we really can't think of a lot of details that haven't appeared in some way, shape, or form on the interwebs over the last few weeks. Both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro (and even the Pixel Watch 2) are essentially as transparent as glass with a week still to go until they will technically be officially announced and fully detailed, making us wonder what even is the point of a glamorous launch event now.
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All that Google will do next Wednesday is confirm that the non-Pro Pixel 8 is indeed a 120Hz AMOLED affair with slightly less screen real estate than its 6.3-inch predecessor but somehow with a heftier battery under its hood, as well as unchanged (at least at first glance) dual rear-facing cameras.
This is just one of the promotional images Google has already released of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
On the same date, we should also get final and proper confirmation of the Pixel 8 Pro's big upgrade from a 12 to a 48MP ultra-wide-angle shooter and the integration of an all-new skin temperature sensor... that we highly doubt will prove as useful and as accurate as some of you might hope.
The two next big Google-made phones are also guaranteed to pack the same all-new Tensor G3 processor and offer absolutely unrivaled software support, which might prove to be the number one selling point here, possibly followed by a bunch of camera tricks and wizardry that only the search giant can consistently deliver, improve, and refine year after year and Pixel generation after generation.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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