The newest batch of Google Pixel 6 leaks revolve around the phone's price. And if the details turn out to be true, the Pixel 6 Pro seems like a much smarter buy than the standard Pixel 6.
M. Brandon Lee of This Is Tech Today revealed in a lengthy Twitter thread the potential pricing for the phones, and for the new Pixel Stand, the refreshed version of Google's wireless charging stand. That's not all, though, as Lee's leaks encompass colors and features, too.
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The most important part of the leak is a screenshot from the terms and conditions of a Google-sponsored sweepstakes which for legal reasons showed the price of the basic Pixel 6 as $850. The price was apparently removed from a later version of the document, but not before Lee got his hands on a screenshot.
$850 would make for an odd starting price for Google to pick. It's higher than the price of the Pixel 5 ($699) as we expected, since the Pixel 5 was seemingly aimed at a cheaper segment of the market. but it looks pricey when put up against other phones.
The Pixel 6 at $850 would cost more than both the iPhone 13 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 (which both cost $800) but less than the Galaxy S21 Plus ($999) and iPhone 13 Pro ($999). Granted, it's not a huge difference, but considering the base Galaxy S21 handset offers quite a bit more hardware value (like a higher refresh rate and telephoto zoom), and the iPhone 13 features the fastest processor around and stellar cameras, it shows that Google might be being a little too bold with its pricing.
The possible cost of the Pixel 6 Pro is not mentioned directly, but is more of an educated guess. As we can see in another screenshot provided by Lee, the Google "Raven" and Google "Oriole" appear next to the numbers 649 and 899, respectively. Lee claims that these figures are the price of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro in euros.
Lee uses the 899 euro number (about $1,039 when converted directly) to make an estimate of a price in dollars for the Pixel 6 Pro. Taking into account the alleged inclusion of mmWave 5G support seen in other leaks, he puts the price of the Pro model at $1,099, although he adds the caveat that prices can change at the last minute. This price seems a better bet when you look at rival phones, since the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts for the same price, with the Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra costing $100 less and more respectively.
If anything, these details suggest that the Pixel 6 Pro is going to be the better buy of the two phones if you can afford it. The Pixel 6 Pro will give you a larger 6.7-inch display with a faster 120Hz refresh rate (vs 90Hz for the regular Pixel 6), as well as a telephoto camera with a reported 4x optical/20x digital zoom. We're also anticipating that the Pixel 6 Pro will have a larger battery, so it should last longer on a charge.
Google Pixel Stand
Next, Lee reveals the pricing and other details of the redesigned Pixel Stand. Apparently going on sale for $79, the stand offers up to 23W wireless charging to the Pixel 6 series. There's a built-in fan helping to keep things cool and you get all the same features while docked, plus support for Google Meet.
There are also two charging coils inside the stand, with a lower one designed to charge wearables like the Google Pixel Buds 2. You get a choice of two colors. One seems to be the white version seen in the pictures Lee posted, although he doesn't mention what the other option is.
More Pixel 6 details
If you're curious about what Google's named the new batch of colors for the Pixel 6 series, Lee claims to know them. The base Pixel 6, he says, is available in Kinda Coral, Sorta Seafoam or Stormy Black, while the Pixel 6 Pro gets Sorta Sunny, Cloudy White or Stormy Black.
The image that shows these names also shows how Google is apparently marketing both of its new phones. The Pixel 6 is focused more on value (although that doesn't seem quite right given the pricing discussed above), and comes in 128GB or 256GB storage variants, while the Pixel 6 Pro is the true flagship, offering 128GB and 256GB storage in most markets, with a 512GB option also offered in the US and Australia. Lee also shows details of the "Pixel Pass", a combination of upgrade program, extended warranty and Google services subscriptions.
The Pixel 6 series marks the second big rework of Google's flagship smartphone in two years. However, this revamp has caught the phone world's attention due to Google showing off the phones' brand new look and due to a host of leaks giving us more reasons to be excited. These include Google's most fully featured camera system ever, larger displays, much bigger batteries plus a new Tensor chipset, designed by Google and focussing on AI and machine learning features.
Google is holding a Pixel event for the Pixel 6 on October 19, a week from today. It'll be then that all these rumors are finally confirmed (or denied), with the opening of sales expected to happen the following week on October 28.
