After ultimately deciding against buying the Pixel 8 Pro last year, I have come to the conclusion that it’s time to ditch my aging Pixel 6 Pro. After almost 3 years with the former flagship, I am a firm convert to team Pixel. Not only because I get all the latest Android updates right away, but also thanks to the exclusive features no other Android phone has to offer.
Naturally I’ll be swapping out my Pixel 6 Pro for a Pixel 9 Pro of some kind. Maybe not the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which is probably going to be far too expensive for my salary, but certainly the 9 Pro or the Pixel 9 Pro XL. However, choosing between the models isn’t my biggest concern right now. I’m actually pondering whether it’s actually worth buying the Pixel 9 Pro at launch — or if I should wait a few more months
Waiting could be easier on my finances
One of the things I’ve noticed over the past several years is that Google phones go on sale with alarming regularity. More importantly they also start getting discounted very early on in their life cycle. One good example of this was during last year’s Black Friday sales, when the Pixel 8 Pro had $200 knocked off the asking price — a savings of 20%.
We became aware of that discount on November 16, while the Pixel 8 series went on sale on October 12. So in the space of five weeks, the price of a major flagship dropped by a fifth. It’s not the first time this has happened to Pixel phones either; I remember the sinking feeling in my stomach, watching the price of a Pixel 6 Pro drop for Black Friday when I had pre-ordered my handset at full price just a few weeks prior.
Pixel phones are slightly more expensive than they were in 2021, thanks to last year's price hike. And while we still don't know what the Pixel 9 series will bring, the opportunity to save as much money as possible is always a smart decision.
Were the Pixel 9 series being released in October, as usual, I wouldn’t have any qualms about waiting another month and a half to buy one. It’s not a huge amount of time to wait, and while I’ll miss out on any pre-order gifts the prospect of saving even $100 off the price tag is very appealing. But this year’s a little different, because the Pixel 9 series is launching two months early — at a Made by Google event on August 13.
Patience doesn’t just revolve around money
That wait may not be as bad as it seems at first glance. For starters, one of my main reasons for getting rid of the Pixel 6 Pro is that it’s scheduled to get its final Android update sometime in October.
The fact the Pixel 9 is arriving early isn’t going to change that timetable and it should still get the launch version of Android 15. Plus up until a month ago I was perfectly fine with waiting for a presumed October Google event — and I don’t really see why that should change because Google’s changing things up.
It’s also worth remembering that buying products at launch has inherent disadvantages. Pre-ordering means you’ve committed to buying a device that nobody has used yet, and waiting means the phone can be thoroughly tested and evaluated — working out its battery life, hardware performance and the quality of the camera. Battery life is particularly important for me, because that’s one of the things Google can’t seem to get consistently right.
On top of that a lot of phones have issues out of the box, some of which don’t get fixed for weeks or months after they’re first spotted. This has been particularly problematic for Pixel phones over the past few years, and every year we see a bunch of people report various problems that may or may not get fixed.
So not only could you potentially save money by waiting until the Black Friday sales season, it also gives you a chance to do your homework — and make sure you know exactly what to expect when you buy the new phone. Sure you miss the pre-order bonuses, but there’s nothing stopping you from picking those up on sale at a later date either.
I won’t lie, though, the prospect of saving money is definitely the more enticing reason to wait. The rest of this is just an added bonus.
Whatever happens, it’s still the right time to upgrade
No matter what happens with the Pixel 9 Pro this year, I know I’m not going to be waiting another year to upgrade. I’ve spent three years with the Pixel 6 Pro, with no regrets, but now’s the time to move on — for a variety of reasons.
The big one is that the phone is losing Android update support this year, since it arrived before Google made 7 years of updates the norm. While it is still set for security updates until October 2026, the lack of features is something I’d rather avoid, particularly since my job revolves around knowing about all the latest phones and features.
In recent months I’ve also found my phone is starting to get pretty dated. The battery is not what it used to be, and believe me the Pixel 6 Pro never had a particularly good battery life to begin with. I’ve seen more single digit battery percentages in the last three months than I have in the last three years, and it’s getting to be rather annoying. I’ve also come to the realization that the camera is quickly falling behind some of Google’s rivals.
It’s still a good camera, but when a flagship is being outperformed by an A-series Pixel that cost half the price you know that camera tech has been advancing rather rapidly over the past couple of years. I’d quite like to be able to take advantage of those advances myself, while also being able to use the one thing the Pixel 8a lacks — a telephoto zooming lens.
Finally, my 6 Pro’s case is clinging onto the last few breaths of life. It’s quite a small thing to be annoyed about, especially since buying a new case is significantly easier and cheaper than a new phone. But this case is also coming up to its third birthday and it’s literally being held together by duct tape in places. If that’s not a sign the phone may be getting past its best, I don’t know what is. (Yes, I could get one of the best Pixel 6 Pro cases, I know).
Bottom line
I had always planned to upgrade to the Pixel 9 Pro later this year, but Google has thrown a wrench into my initial plan by bringing the launch event up by two whole months. So now I have to make that decision of whether it’s more prudent to upgrade right away, and take advantage of whatever early adopter deals are on offer from carriers, or if I should wait a little longer and see what the Black Friday sales season brings.
Right now I’m leaning towards the latter. It was exactly what I had intended to do in the first place, and my Pixel 6 Pro isn’t so decrepit that I can’t keep hold of it for another couple of months. I’m not hedging my bets on Black Friday sales being as lucrative as they have been in the past, especially after the Pixel 8a only got a $50 discount during Amazon Prime Day. But there’s a chance I may be able to save a couple hundred dollars on a new flagship — and right now that feels like a risk I’m willing to take.
Maybe I’ll change my mind between now and August 13, based on a new rumor of what Google actually unveils at the Made by Google event. Or maybe I’ll go back and forth more times than a hallway chase in Scooby Doo. We’ll just have to wait and see.
