Following the launch of the new Pixel 9 family of smartphones and a major update to its Artificial Intelligence suite, Google has confirmed that the pre-order special offers for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be available until September 5 2024, here in the UK. Those committing to the foldable can look forward to discounts, storage boosts, and more AI capabilities.
While there isn’t a straightforward price discount, Google is offering a ‘double the storage’ offer on the handset. The purchase price of the 512 GB Pixel 9 Pro Fold is now £1,749, matching the price of the 256 GB model. With only two storage options (alongside two colour options), there is, unfortunately, no option for those purchasing the 512 GB model to bump up to an unlisted 1 TB version of the foldable phone.
Google also offers attractive trade-in prices, with discounts on the list price of up to £835. You will be offered a maximum trade-in value of £535, with Google topping up the value by up to £300 as part of the pre-order promotion. To get that maximum discount, you must trade in a flagship-tier model, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB cited as the model required for the most value.
There’s one more surprise lurking in Google’s online store: a forty percent discount on the Pixel Watch 3. If bought as part of a bundle, you’ll get a £200 discount on the wearable.
Of course, the real star during the Made By Google presentation of the Pixel 9 family was Gemini AI and the use of generative AI throughout the Pixel’s software. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold also comes with one year of access to Google’s Gemini Advanced options for various parts of the Google ecosystem, including but not limited to Gmail and Google Docs.
Google’s special offers are broadly in line with those from Samsung; its recent Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 launch have offered similar discounts, trade-ins and bundled accessories. While the Pixel family is aimed at consumers, where these special offers will be welcome, the Pixel family is also used to highlight the direction Google feels smartphones should be developed in—as witnessed by the near universal take-up of generative artificial intelligence since the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were launched as “the first AI-smartphones” in late 2023.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold pre-order certainly offers value for consumers, but neither does it undercut Google’s partners.
Now read my hands-on review of the Pixel 9 Pro XL…
