Deals: Google Pixel 9 series arrives with free storage upgrades and trade-in bonuses

The biggest launch this week so far was the arrival of the Google Pixel 9 series. The search giant launched two new flagships, a new near-flagship phone, and a new foldable, all of which are currently on pre-order.

In the U.K., the phones come with free storage upgrades — typically, that means getting a 256GB model for the price of a 128GB one. However, for the higher-end phones, you can get a 512GB model for the price of a 256GB one (the new Fold starts at 256GB, so 512GB is the only option right now).

Let’s take a look at the Google Pixel 9 first. Both Google and Amazon are offering a £150 bonus for exchanging an old device – and that’s a good thing, because trade-in valuations are terrible. A Pixel 8 in good condition is worth just £165, or £315 with the bonus. The iPhone 15 costs a more respectable £463 (including bonus), while the Galaxy S23 costs £310, which is less than the Pixel. For older devices, such as the Pixel 7 or Galaxy S22, the trade-in bonus is higher than the trade-in value.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL both get a slightly higher £200 trade-in bonus. Plus, you get a year of Gemini Advanced for free (usually £19 a month).

Note that there is limited availability when choosing colors and storage. For example, the Pixel 9 Pro XL in Rose Quartz is only available in 256GB. The smaller Pro is limited to 256GB when looking at the Porcelain and Rose Quartz versions, but there is also a 512GB option when switching to Hazel or Obsidian. Google may stock more color/storage combos, but keep in mind that the free storage upgrade offer expires on September 5.

The trade-in bonus on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold goes up to £300 and you get a free upgrade to the 512GB model. The original Pixel Fold costs £581 (including the bonus), the Galaxy Z Fold4 (the newest option in the trade-in menu) gets you £491 (again, this includes the £300 bonus). As we said, the trade-in deal is mostly made up by the bonus as the old phone is worth so much less. You also get a free year of Gemini Advanced, which is well worth it.

Google has launched a new 45W charger, which you’ll need to get maximum charging speeds with the Pixel 9 Pro – the old 35W charger won’t do it. However, if you have a USB-PD charger you’re happy with, you can skip this one.

The new Google Pixel Watch 3 comes in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm, whereas the Watch 2 was only available in a 41mm size. The 45mm option gets you a larger 1.4″ display (vs 1.2″) and a bigger 420mAh battery. We’ve linked the Wi-Fi watch below, but you can get the LTE version for £100 more.

Finally, Google unveiled the new Pixel Buds Pro 2. This is the first time its custom Tensor chips have been included in a TWS buds form factor, but promise massive improvements in noise cancellation (2x in the 400Hz-2kHz range). And ANC automatically adapts to your environment. The buds have no stem (cough, Samsung, cough) and promise long battery life (8 hours for buds with ANC, up to 30 hours with the case).