money Pixel Pass bundles a phone with Google services for $45 per month
You'll get a Pixel 6 and everything you need for one monthly fee.
The rumors were true: Google has an answer to the Apple One bundle. The company has introduced a Pixel Pass subscription that includes a Pixel 6 or 6 Pro phone (with an upgrade in two years), an extended warranty, 200GB of Google One storage, Google Play Pass, YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium. In theory, you'll have everything you'd want for one monthly rate.
The Pass starts at $45 per month for the regular Pixel 6, and climbs to $55 for the Pixel 6 Pro. You can subscribe through either the Google Store or Google Fi depending on your choice of carriers, but it's only available in the US for now.
Google's strategy is familiar: like Apple, it's hoping to boost adoption of its services and keep you ensconced in the company's ecosystem. You may be less likely to switch to a competitor (even another Android vendor) if you feel you're getting a better bargain with the Pixel Pass. This takes things a step further by including the phone, though — you're buying the whole experience rather than just a spate of extras.
Even so, the subscription may be helpful simply by recognizing a practical reality. Many people want more than just a phone, and Google is including those modern must-haves rather than asking you to pay for them after the fact. Don't be shocked if other phone makers take this approach before long.
Catch up on all the latest news from Google's Pixel 6 event!
