The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have been the most anticipated Android devices of 2021. There have been numerous leaks and speculations regarding the devices regarding camera upgrades and whether or not will the smartphone support 5G. The gadgets have finally been released and the initial reactions are quite positive.
The tech giant launched another product with the Pixel lineup which is the Pixel Pass. Pixel Pass is a hybrid of Apple’s One and Samsung’s Access subscriptions, as well as a carrier plan. It includes a Google Fi network plan, YouTube Premium, Google One cloud storage, Play Pass games and apps, and an extended phone warranty, as well as a “Pixel phone with frequent enhancements.” While the Pass bundles your subscriptions into one neat little package, it is not as cost-effective as users have been led to believe.
Is Pixel Pass Cost-Effective?
During the debut of the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, there was a virtual flood of new Pixel features and services, ranging from the most substantial camera improvement the Pixel series has ever seen to lightning-fast dictation and AI talents. The devices can carry out functions such as SMS Sharing seamlessly. While everyone was gushing about Real Tone, Direct My Call, Magic Eraser, and all the other dynamic wonders of Material You, there was one update that was consigned to a press release and a new page on the Google Store called Pixel Pass.
As previously stated, the Pixel Pass is a monthly subscription that includes charges for Google One storage, Google Play Pass, YouTube Premium, extended warranty, and accidental damage insurance. The service appears to be excellent in principle, and it saves you hundreds of dollars over two years, but there are some caveats.
Pixel Pass cannot be added to a Pixel 6 purchased via a carrier or retailer: Because the phone’s financing is related to the payments, you must subscribe to Pixel Pass through the Google Store or Google Fi. If you currently have a YouTube Premium subscription, you’ll need to cancel it and re-subscribe to Pixel Pass for a single-user plan. Pixel Pass does not allow you to bundle YouTube Premium family plans. Furthermore, Google One storage is limited to 200GB.
It’s also only available in the United States, and you have to get the unlocked or Google Fi model, which means you won’t be able to obtain a Pixel 6 or 6 Pro with mmWave compatibility.
The problem is that the services are billed monthly rather than annually, which saves you just $68 if you do the math. Those savings are already gone if your family members have to purchase their own YouTube Premium subscriptions or a separate Family plan without you. Consequently, Pixel Pass thus becomes no better than buying individual services a la carte with yearly billing.
Summing Up
Those who already subscribe to these services are the most likely to purchase Pixel Pass. Pixel owners are considerably more likely to burn up the free Google One storage and buy extra space for all those extra movies now that they don’t get free Google Photos backups. Similarly, now that YouTube Music is the default music player, Pixel users are more likely to subscribe to YouTube Premium to receive the greatest YTM experience and avoid YouTube commercials, which are, to put it mildly, the worst.
Preferred Care and Google Play Pass will almost certainly benefit from Pixel Pass, although Google Play Pass is currently reasonably priced every year. In conclusion, it is better to finance the Pixel separately rather than going through all the hassle to get the pass.