What it is and how to save on your Pixel

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In addition to the reveal of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro last month, Google also announced its new Pixel Pass subscription. The plan includes one of the company’s latest smartphones, as well as a combination of premium services, device protection, and regular updates. It’s clear that Google is trying to catch up with the likes of Apple and Samsung, who both offer similar subscription plans. But how does Pixel Pass compare and is it really worth your hard-earned cash every month? Let’s dive right into it.

What does Pixel Pass include?

If you subscribe to Pixel Pass, you will receive Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, in addition to the following services:

YouTube Premium – Watch ad-free and play in the background while using other apps. YouTube Music Premium: Ad-free, non-stop listening, included as part of YouTube Premium. Google One (200GB): 200GB of cloud storage for full-resolution photos, videos, and other files, discounts on the Google Store, automatic phone backups, and more. Google Play Pass: Access to hundreds of ad-free games and apps and in-app purchases. Preferred Care Coverage – Hassle-free device repairs and customer support.

These are essentially Google’s biggest services rolled into one convenient subscription package, although Stadia stands out for its absence – this would have been a great way to promote the game streaming platform. If you choose the Pixel 6, the price is $ 45 per month for two years, while the Pixel 6 Pro costs $ 10 more at $ 55 per month.

VIDEO OF THE DAY ANDROIDPOLICE How does it compare with offers from Apple and Samsung?

Google’s two biggest smartphone rivals offer their own subscription services, although Apple’s model is more fragmented. If you’re interested in a similar offer for an iPhone plus Apple services, you’ll need to sign up for two separate subscriptions.

The first is the iPhone Upgrade Program which starts at $ 35.33 per month for an iPhone 13 or $ 49.91 for the Pro variant, payable in 24 months. This includes AppleCare + to help you cover the costs of any repairs or replacements you may need during that time.

Plus, you have the Apple One subscription. For the individual plan, you’ll pay $ 14.95 per month for Apple Music, Apple TV +, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud storage. For $ 29.95 per month, the Premier plan includes all of the same services, but takes your iCloud storage to 2TB and adds Apple News + and Apple Fitness +. There’s also a Family plan for $ 19.95 that lets you share the smallest service package with up to five others.

All in all, you’re looking at around $ 50 a month for an iPhone 13 and the cheapest Apple One plan, which more closely represents what you get from the Google Pixel Pass. For those who want to maximize everything, it will give you the best part of $ 80 a month back.

Image credit: Apple

If you want to go with Samsung for your next smartphone, Samsung Access might be of interest. It currently only includes the Galaxy Note20 series of smartphones, so if you’re looking for a Galaxy S21 or foldable, you’ll have to make do with the Samsung Upgrade Program.

Samsung Access includes the smartphone, Samsung Care +, 1 TB of OneDrive Cloud Storage and Microsoft 365 Personal for up to five devices, including PC and Mac. Microsoft 365 subscription gives you Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access and Skype.

All of this will cost you $ 35.18 per month, but there is an additional cost of “Second Month Added Services” for a total of $ 11.82, bringing it to $ 47 per month from the second month on.

When you compare the Google Pixel Pass to Samsung Access, it appears to offer a decent selection of services and the search giant’s latest hardware at a competitive price. In my opinion, Google services add more value than Samsung Access, plus you’re getting the latest phone, not one from over a year ago at the time of writing.

The Apple equivalent will require two separate registrations to get everything you’re after, but the experiences are, of course, very refined. You will also get exclusive content from Apple TV +, and Apple Music is arguably better than YouTube Music.

In terms of how Pixel Pass stacks, I’d say it’s as good as Apple’s subscription package and beats Samsung’s offering, but it will really depend on the ecosystem you’re already tied to. That said, there is something to be said about the actual savings you will make over the course of two years.

Is Pixel Pass worth the money?

The value or not of the Google Pixel Pass depends on how often you actually use the services included and on whether or not you are already subscribed to any of them. Depending on who your SIM is, you may already get devices like the Google Play Pass included for a limited time, such as with Verizon’s Unlimited plans, so keep that in mind before clicking the “Order” button.

When compared to separate subscriptions for each item, Pixel Pass seems like a pretty sweet deal. For individual monthly subscriptions to YouTube Premium, YouTube Music, the 200GB option of Google One, Google Play Pass, and Preferred Care, you’re looking at $ 26.98 per month for the Pixel 6 and $ 28.98 for the Pixel 6 Pro. That’s without the cost of the phones on top, so if you include it in the Pixel Pass monthly price of $ 45 or $ 55, that means you’re getting a Pixel 6 for an extra $ 18 a month ($ 432 total) or a Pixel 6 Pro for $ 26 per month ($ 624 total).

This equates to a saving of $ 166.56 over two years for the Pixel 6 or a saving of $ 274.56 for the Pixel 6 Pro, which is $ 6.94 and $ 11.44 per month, respectively. That sounds good enough, as long as you want to use all the services, but the savings get a little less impressive if you’re already paying for those subscriptions every year.

Paying annually for subscriptions that allow it, such as the Google Play Pass and Google One’s 200GB plan, reduces the savings made to the smallest of monthly margins. You’ll then only have to save $ 75 over two years for a Pixel 6 with Pixel Pass or $ 186 for the Pro. Those figures equate to just $ 3.13 and $ 7.75 on a monthly basis, which can be quickly reversed if you already have an existing family plan for YouTube Music used by the whole family. With Pixel Pass, you’ll need to cancel that family plan and switch to a single-user plan. This will leave your family in a distinctly negative financial position, which defeats the point of signing up for the service in the first place.

Alternatively, Pixel Pass can be purchased through Google Fi, the search giant’s phone service provider, and you’ll receive an additional discount if you go this route. You’ll pay $ 45 or $ 55 for the Pixel Pass, depending on which phone you choose, plus the price of the Fi plan you choose, but you’ll get an extra $ 5 per month discount. This means you can get an unlimited Google Fi plan and Pixel Pass with a Pixel 6 for $ 70 per month. If you’re already a Fi subscriber or plan to upgrade to Google’s MVNO, this savings could be really useful.

Ultimately, as much as we love the services offered in Google’s Pixel Pass, the savings offered here aren’t the biggest, especially for those who already subscribe to what they need with the cheapest annual plans. However, if you’re looking for the convenience of paying for everything for your phone in one convenient bill, the subscription might be worth it for you. We recommend that you carefully understand if you will get the most out of your savings by taking into account any existing family plans or if you are already paying annually for one of the services.

The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are among our favorite Android phones you can get right now, with excellent software features, snappy performance, superb cameras, and high battery life as reasons why they’re worth getting. You can check out our Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6 reviews for full details.

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About the author Chris Jecks (3 articles published)

Chris has been an avid Android fan since the days of the Samsung Galaxy S5. Since then, it has long supported the Google Pixel line of phones and believes they are the best Android phone you can get. After quitting his full-time job in 2016, Chris has been writing about games and technology for over 5 years on the web. In his spare time, he can be found drowning in a gaming backlog, catching up on the latest Netflix craze, or taking photos outdoors.

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