How excited are you for the four high-end smartphones Google is reportedly preparing to release by the end of the year? Unfortunately, we may have some news today (translated here from French) that will probably cause your excitement to plummet.
Of course, it's still way too early to know anything for sure about the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold. In fact, those very names are far from etched in stone, and if you ask this writer, following the simply branded first-gen Pixel Fold with a Pixel 9 Pro Fold would be a terrible marketing move on Google's part.
But the price tag of the search giant's sophomore foldable effort is much more important than its moniker, and the same undoubtedly goes for the three expected sequels to last year's Pixel 8 duo.
That's a lot of (European) money for the "vanilla" Pixel 9
128GB Pixel 9 - €899;
256GB Pixel 9 - €999;
128GB Pixel 9 Pro - €1099;
256GB Pixel 9 Pro - €1199;
512GB Pixel 9 Pro - €1329;
128GB Pixel 9 Pro XL - €1199;
256GB Pixel 9 Pro XL - €1299;
512GB Pixel 9 Pro XL - €1429;
1TB Pixel 9 Pro XL - €1689;
256GB Pixel 9 Pro Fold - €1899;
512GB Pixel 9 Pro Fold - €2029.
Before we even start to analyze these rumored numbers, it's crucial to highlight (once again) that we're dealing with mere speculation for the time being and that nothing is confirmed just yet. It's equally important to remind you that there's no point in converting those European prices into US dollars, which would only create unnecessary panic.
The Pixel 9 could be considerably more expensive than the Pixel 8.
No, the Pixel 9 will most definitely not start at $975 (which is the equivalent of €899) stateside, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is all but guaranteed to cost less than $2200 (which equals €2029 at today's conversion rate) in a top-of-the-line 512GB storage configuration.
Unfortunately, the non-Pro and non-XL Pixel 9 would be a whopping €100 more expensive than the "standard" Pixel 8 in an entry-level 128 gig variant and a simply bonkers €140 costlier with 256GB storage in France if this new report pans out. That could certainly result in a significant price hike around the world (North America included), which is going to be pretty hard to stomach even for the most devoted Google fans out there.
On the bright side, the Pixel 9 Pro is not currently tipped for a similar price increase, which makes sense when you consider the possible addition of a new XL model to the stock Android-running handset family. The state-of-the-art Pixel 9 Pro XL will naturally cost more than the Pixel 8 Pro and reportedly come in a grand total of four storage configurations, which would be rather uncharacteristic for Google.
Last but certainly not least, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (aka Pixel Fold 2) is expected to expand beyond its predecessor's four markets and retain the first-gen Pixel Fold's base European price while costing €10 more with 512GB storage.
So what should you expect in terms of US prices?
128GB Pixel 9 - $799;
256GB Pixel 9 - $899;
128GB Pixel 9 Pro - $999;
256GB Pixel 9 Pro - $1099;
512GB Pixel 9 Pro - $1229;
128GB Pixel 9 Pro XL - $1099;
256GB Pixel 9 Pro XL - $1199;
512GB Pixel 9 Pro XL - $1329;
1TB Pixel 9 Pro XL - $1589;
256GB Pixel 9 Pro Fold - $1799;
512GB Pixel 9 Pro Fold - $1929.
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To be perfectly clear, these figures are merely one writer's educated guesses based on the relatively trustworthy Dealabs Magazine predictions listed and discussed above, as well as recent history and general common sense.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold (aka Pixel Fold 2) is likely to remain just as expensive as the first-gen Pixel Fold.
If everything pans out as predicted, Google may have a big problem marketing the Pixel 9 Pro XL at higher prices than Apple's iPhone 15 Pro and presumably the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro as well. Fortunately for Big G, the likes of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra will remain costlier, but it's unclear if the price difference is large enough to make the Pixel 9 Pro XL a solid value proposition.
The same goes for the "vanilla" Pixel 9, which would have to go head-to-head against the non-Plus and non-Ultra Galaxy S24, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is expected to remain a little cheaper than the hot new Galaxy Z Fold 6 (killer pre-order deals notwithstanding).
Although a lot of things about Google's impending handsets seem to have been prematurely revealed by rock-solid tipsters and leakers, plenty of key details that could make or break the Pixel 9 family are still under wraps. That means you should continue to keep your eyes peeled on our website for the eventual culmination of this very interesting saga.
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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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