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In recent years, when Samsung and Google launched a new Galaxy or Pixel phone, both companies offered a pre-order bonus to encourage would-be customers to put their money where their mouth is.
That’s often been in the form of the companies’ most recent wearable, which makes sense as it locks buyers further into the ecosystem while encouraging them to buy the phone before price reductions kick in. You may remember that early adopters of the Pixel 8 Pro could choose either a Pixel Watch 2 or a pair of Pixel Buds Pro to go along with their new handset.
But this time around, it looks like Google will be offering something a bit less flashy to get people to put their money down after the upcoming August 13 event.
As previously hinted at by code leaks, buyers of the Pixel 9 will get six months of Google One AI Premium worth $120, which not only features the company’s more sophisticated Gemini Advanced AI model, but 2TB of cloud storage and other benefits too. This is upped to 12 months for the Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, worth an even greater $240.
Additionally, Google looks set to take a leaf out of Samsung’s book by initially offering 256GB models for the same price as the 128GB one. That’s a saving of around 60 bucks, if the company sticks to previous pricing models.
There will also apparently be a trade-in bonus available, with carriers reportedly offering €150 (~$164) off the Pixel 9 or €200 (~$218) off the Pixel Pro or Pro XL if you surrender an old handset at the same time.
It’s an interesting move, and undeniably a lot less flashy than the physical gift of a free smartwatch you can wear right away. But perhaps enough people are already wearing smartwatches that a free Pixel Watch 3 isn’t the incentive it once might have been.
