Samsung is rolling out a suite of new AI tools to Galaxy S24,S25, Galaxy S26 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 users via One UI 9. Read more here about what those phones will get. But, more importantly, the update makes the Galaxy S25 Ultra an excellent deal right now.

Buy The Galaxy S25 Ultra Renewed US — $684

Buy The Galaxy S25 Ultra Renewed UK £685

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is only £685 in the U and $684 in the US. It has six years of software support left and a host of new AI tools, including some that were exclusive to the new Galaxy Z Fold 8.

That includes My FanCam, Now Nudge, AI Privacy Alerts that monitors which apps are quietly accessing your location and microphone, and Secure Lock—a one-tap Quick Panel button that disables all biometrics instantly.

So you’re getting the most up-to-date software experience (minus Gemini Intelligence) for under $700 and £700. The Galaxy S26 is only an iterative hardware upgrade on the Galaxy S25, so don’t worry about it being outdated.

A quick note on Amazon Renewed if you haven’t used it: every Renewed product is inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers before sale. Batteries must exceed 80% of original capacity.

We earn a small commission from these affiliate links to keep the newsletter running.

Standard purchases come with a 90-day guarantee for a full refund or replacement — Renewed Premium items get a full year. You want to pick “excellent” condition phones, which these are.

If you want brand new, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is currently $200 off on Amazon at $1,099.99 for 256GB, which is a solid deal itself.

Buy The Galaxy S26 Ultra — $1,099.99 ($200 off)

For either phone, pair it with the Anker 100W USB-C charger with smart display — currently $59.99, down from $69.99. The display shows real-time wattage so you know it’s actually working at full speed.

Buy The Anker 100W USB-C Charger — $59.99

Here’s the real story behind the leaked Apple iPhone 18 Pro viral video you’ve probably already scrolled past.

What happened: Tata Electronics, one of Apple’s manufacturing partners in India, got hit by a ransomware attack. Over 200,000 files were stolen, including documents mapping iPhone 18 Pro components to named suppliers and drop test photos taken at a Tata facility. That part’s confirmed by Reuters, and it’s a genuinely significant breach, the kind of supplier mapping Apple guards more closely than almost anything else.

What you actually saw: A video claiming to show that same drop test footage went viral on X yesterday, racking up 13,000+ views in hours from an account using the handle @evleaks, the name long associated with veteran leaker Evan Blass.

But it wasn’t him. Blass publicly disowned the account, confirmed he’d changed his own screenname, and the impersonator account has since been suspended. So that makes me wonder if the video itself was in any way doctored.

There will, of course, be many leaks about the iPhone 18 Pro from tipsters who have a solid track record. Pay attention to those, but be wary of fake accounts that claim to be someone, or something, they’re not. I have you covered here, just keep opening these emails!

My full Forbes story is here. For some real leak news, here are some early case images, charging details and confirmed names for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8Wide.

Apple has officially raised prices across its entire hardware lineup — Mac, iPad, HomePod, Apple TV and Vision Pro are all more expensive today. The MacBook Air is now $1,299 (up from $1,099). The HomePod mini jumped from $99 to $129. Vision Pro starts at $3,699. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman broke the full list.

iPhone pricing hasn’t officially moved yet. But in my latest Forbes story, I found that iPhone 17 retail prices in Japan had already risen 10% at Yodobashi Camera before today’s announcement. The warning signs were there before Apple made it official.

Meanwhile, retailers in Spain and Australia are actively discounting the iPhone 17 right now — 6% off in Spain, 6.5% off in Australia. If you’ve been thinking about an iPhone 17, this may be your last window before everything gets more expensive.

Read the full story here.

Yes, eyes are on WWDC today so naturally Samsung, feeling jealous of being out of the limelight, slashes the price of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Meow. This isn’t me editorialisng, smartphone companies do it all the time, luckily I’m here to pick up these deals for you.

You can grab the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB) for $1,099.99 right now. That is $200 off the $1,299.99 regular price, with no gift card gymnastics or trade-in strings attached. If you want the 512GB model, that is also $200 off, dropping from $1,499.99 to $1,299.99.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.

The Verdict

This is one of the best outright prices I’ve seen for the Galaxy S26 Ultra this year. It is only beaten by the memorial day sale that knocked $250 off the flagship. The WWDC connection also means this deal almost certainly runs through the week before quietly disappearing once Apple’s news cycle fades.

If you’ve been sitting on the fence, this is the window.

One note on trade-ins: Amazon’s trade-in valuations are still well behind Samsung’s. If you have a recent Galaxy or iPhone to hand over, check Samsung.com first. If you have nothing to trade in, buy it here.

👉 Grab the Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB) for $1,099.99 at Amazon

The One Accessory Worth Buying

Samsung still doesn’t include a charger in the box. Few do these days. They all say it’s for environmental reasons but it’s also conveniently cost effective for smartphone makers too.

The fastest way to charge the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the Anker 60W USB-C charger at $29.99. It will get the phone from 0% to around full in 30 minutes. It is not discounted today, but $29.99 is a good price for a 60W charger from a brand that won’t fry your $1,099 phone. When you’re already saving $200, it’s an easy add.

👉 Grab the Anker 60W USB-C Charger on Amazon ($29.99)

Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 was cheaper last Black Friday. But we live in a new world where buying RAM needs a guarantor and three months of payslips. In response Samsung quietly hiked prices, including for its flagship foldable, last month. But there is a new deal that wipes that out. Amazon’s current $1,579.99 price is a huge $420 off and it beats Samsung.com by $20.

👉 Grab the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 deal on Amazon before it moves.

Why It’s Still Worth It

This is as cheap as the Fold 7 will get until the Galaxy Z Fold 8 arrives. If you’re holding for the new model, leaks suggest it won’t be wildly different to its predecessor. The only noteworthy upgrade is the rumored larger battery on the Fold 8 (up from 4400mAh to 5000mAh) and a spec bump in the ultra-wide camera to 50MP. Of course, these aren’t confirmed specifications.

One heads up: Amazon delivery means an Amazon driver. Order it, then don’t leave the house — these things have a way of ending up wedged behind a recycling bin rather than handed to a human.

Spend The Savings

Put that $20 saving straight toward a Spigen case for the Z Fold 7, which is also discounted right now. Don’t be like me and go screen free (intentional rhyme) because your greasy fingers will drop this phone and there are two screens to break. Spigen cases are my go to because they fit well, don’t add bulk, and protect the hinge properly.

Google Pixel 10 Gets Huge $250 Discount In New Sale

Despite price rises for Samsung, Motorola, and Xiaomi phones due to the ongoing memory chip crisis, Google is still slashing prices for its Pixel 10 series. Google doesn’t make its money from hardware; it takes a hit on pricing to lock you into the Gemini and Cloud ecosystem. That is, ultimately, good news for discount hunters.

You can now grab the Google Pixel 10 for $549.00. That is a $250 discount (31% off) its $799 launch price.

If you want the Pro’s camera features and higher resolution screen, the Pixel 10 Pro is on sale for $749 ($250 off / 25%).

This Is The Pixel Deal To Get

Base models of flagships have historically been a compromise. But Google rectified that with this generation, and the base Pixel 10 is absolutely worth your attention at this price. It has the same Tensor G5 architecture as the Pro, produces nearly identical camera results (the 5x telephoto lens is a highlight), and features the best screen in this price range.

At $549, you are getting 80% of the Pro experience for nearly half the price. From experience, this is likely as cheap as the phone will get until the Pixel 11 lands later this year.

But the Pro unit (the one I own) is the better device if you have the extra money to spend.

👉 Grab the Pixel 10 for $549 at Amazon here

👉 Grab the Pixel 10 Pro for $749 at Amazon here

Spend The Savings On These Accessories

If you aren’t banking the full $250 savings, there are three essential accessories on sale today. Even if you buy both below, you are still sitting on a $22.02 surplus compared to the phone’s original $799 MSRP.

1. Google 45W USB-C Fast Charger Google “forgot” to put a brick in the box. This official charger will power the Pixel 10 from 0-70% in about 30 minutes. If you get nothing else, this is the essential accessory. 👉 Buy the Google 45W Charger for $17.99 (40% off) here

2. Pixel Buds Pro 2 Whatever earbuds you have will work, but these unlock the exclusive “Pixel-only” features: clearer calls, spatial audio, and hands-free Gemini. 👉 Buy the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for $209.99 (8% off) here

3. This is absolutely a luxury, but my Pixel Stand acts as a notification center and clock on my desk, while (slowly) charging it. One for the desk nerds here if you’re into productivity tech. 👉 Grab the Google Pixelsnap phone stand and wireless charger for $69 here

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.

Samsung upped its prices for the Galaxy S26 series this year, but smart shoppers (who read this newsletter) know it’s simply a waiting game. That wait has paid off, with Amazon giving the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra its first serious discount of 2026.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.

$220 Off Instantly

You can buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB) at Amazon for $1,079.99 today (link). That is a $220 discount off the $1,299.99 regular price. No gift cards, no down-the-line refunds and no chicanery. Just a good ol’ fashioned price drop. It’s also $20 less than Samsung’s deal if no phone is traded in.

👉 Grab the Galaxy S26 Ultra for $1,079 at Amazon here

Speaking of trade-ins. There is a catch with Amazon’s deal. Amazon’s trade-in prices are still a bit crap compared to Samsung’s.

For example, Samsung will pay $800 for a used Galaxy S24 Ultra (don’t trade in a phone this new, please), while Amazon values it at $375. A more realistic trade-in, like the Galaxy S22 Ultra, is valued at $160 by Amazon, while Samsung offers $500. Even with Amazon’s $220 discount, they don’t beat a high-value trade-in at Samsung.

The Verdict

• Have a trade-in? Buy from Samsung.com

• No trade-in? Buy it on Amazon right now. This is a rare, direct discount on a flagship that’s only a month old.

Buy The Galaxy S26 Ultra

Don’t Forget The Fast 45W Charger

Since you’re saving $220 upfront, use a fraction of that on the one thing Samsung “forgot” to put in the box: the Official Samsung 45W USB-C Fast Charger for $23.22 (11% off).

The S26 Ultra supports Super Fast Charging 2.0, which will get your phone from 0% to 50% charge in under 30 minutes.

Buy the Samsung 45W charger here.

If you kept your impulses at bay and held your nerve just long enough to buy the Galaxy S25 at its cheapest... you missed it. Sorry, M8. This isn’t crypto; it’s the more volatile world of phone discounts. Now, if you had been a Signal Booster since November, you’d know Samsung’s Black Friday Galaxy S25 Ultra deal, at $859.99, was the cheapest the phone has ever been.

All is not lost, though. There’s one final Galaxy S25 discount available ahead of the Galaxy S26 launch.

U.K. Readers: 20% Off

Samsung U.K. has dropped the price of the Galaxy S25 by 20% if the code “GALAXY” is used at checkout. This isn’t actually advertised anywhere (I just know these things), but it absolutely works. I don’t know for how long, though.

Claim 20% Off S25 (Use Code: GALAXY)

U.S. Readers: 19% Off

For my U.S. readers, there’s no similar voucher code, unfortunately, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra 256GB has been discounted by 19% on Amazon, bringing it down to $1049.99.

Get the Galaxy S25 Ultra for $1049.99

Why Buy Now?

Amazon’s price is how much Samsung is likely to charge for the Galaxy S25 Ultra over the next six months. It did the same thing with the Galaxy S24 Ultra by applying an instant $250 discount after the Galaxy S25 launched. The Amazon price cut predicts Samsung’s upcoming official Galaxy S25 discount.

TL;DR: You missed the $859.99 all-time low price, but you can still grab the Galaxy S25 Ultra for $1049.99 (19% off) in the U.S. or use code GALAXY for 20% off in the U.K.

Affiliate Disclosure: If you click these links and make a purchase, we may earn a small sales commission at no extra cost to you.

If I have one piece of phone buying advice, it’s that you should never pay full price for a Google Pixel phone. Please accept my apologies for not starting this newsletter sooner if you have. By my unscientific count, Google ran one major discount every month between the Pixel 8 and later months of the Pixel 9.

The Pixel 10 is now getting the same treatment. The Google Store and Amazon U.S. have slashed the price of the Pixel 10 ($649, a $150 discount), Pixel 10 Pro ($799, a $200 discount), and Pixel 10 Pro XL ($949, a $250 discount).

The Pixel 10 Pro is the obvious choice here because of the size of the discount and the ultimate, sub-$800 price for Google’s best flagship (the only difference with the XL is the size, which apparently doesn’t matter).

Now, if you buy through Amazon and have a phone to trade in, you’ll get less than at the Google Store. For example, Amazon values the Pixel 8 Pro at $200 (shocking considering it cost $999 at launch and is only two generations old), while the Google Store will pay $230. The unfortunate reality is that no one, including Google, thinks your Pixel phone is worth anything. So keep that in mind before committing to #TeamPixelNoResaleValue.

Buying through the Google Store means slightly better trade-in prices but also slower delivery. The upside is that if you’re a Google One member, you get 10% back in store credit with every hardware purchase.

In my experience, a $200–$250 discount is about as good as it gets for Google’s current flagships. The company may stack other discounts into this price cut in the future (such as a free wearable or, God forbid, a crappy free keychain), but it won’t be much cheaper than this until Black Friday.

Amazon Links

• Pixel 10 ($649 — Save $150)

• Pixel 10 Pro ($799 — Save $200)

• Pixel 10 Pro XL ($949 — Save $250)

Google Store Links

• Pixel 10 Series

Like that guy who only goes on vacation to countries immediately after a natural disaster, political uprising, or terrorist attack because that’s the cheapest time, the best time to buy hardware is after it dramatically and publicly flops.

Let this email be your civil defence siren that Apple’s own unnatural disaster, the iPhone Air, is heavily discounted and ready to receive your pennies. If you don’t know the backstory of why Apple’s ultra-slim phone flopped so spectacularly, watch my Forbes video on it here.

If you just want to get to the buying, Amazon has dropped the price of the iPhone Air in the U.K. by £150, bringing the final price down to £849 from £999. It is rare to see iPhones discounted by more than £50 anywhere, especially current-generation handsets that are only a few months old. This is as clear a sign as any that the Apple device is struggling to sell. And, of course, this is the cheapest the iPhone Air has ever been.

Unfortunately for my dear American subscribers, only Apple sells unlocked phones and Apple.com doesn’t do direct cash discounts. You might find some sort of ‘deal’ at a carrier, but we don’t typically do carrier chicanery here. When I fed my ChatGPTGeminiGrok machine the Verizon ‘Magna Carta’ terms and conditions document, it blew up. True story.

If you like this service and enjoy my waffle, consider supporting these alerts by buying through our website, Early Phone Deals, where we earn a commission through each sale.

Apple iPhone Air £849 256GB link

This one is for the serious deal hunters. Amazon is selling a refurbished iPhone 16 Pro Max for $799, which is what Apple charges for the base iPhone 17. Previous-generation Pro and Pro Max iPhone models are rare because Apple doesn’t sell them directly after new models come out, so you have to do some digging to find them. That’s what we’re here for.

Now, you’re wondering if buying a refurbished phone is a good move. What does it even mean? Refurbished typically means parts (usually the battery) have been replaced on a used phone that was sold to a buyback firm. Other replaced parts can include a new display if the original was damaged. Apple also does its own refurbished program (as does Samsung), and these are obviously the gold standard.

Outside of buying directly from Apple, you need to buy from a trusted seller. Amazon is one, because it guarantees that battery health (how much charge it can still hold) will exceed 80% and it vets “Renewed” sellers on its platform.

To be allowed to sell under the Amazon Renewed banner, suppliers have to submit detailed reports of their inspection process, which are sometimes checked by Amazon (like a random drug test kinda thing). Additionally, the company has to prove it has bought at least $2.5 million worth of Apple products in the last 90 days. There’s also a 90-day guarantee that comes with most Renewed phones (some go up to a year).

In this case, the seller is ItsWorthMore, which has been around since 2013 and is well-reviewed. In short, this should be a safe bet, and if it isn’t, you can return it. If you want to do some sleuthing to ensure genuine parts were used when the iPhone 16 Pro Max was refurbished, go to Settings > General > About and look for Parts and Service History. If you see “Unknown Part,” consider sending it back.

TL;DR — A refurbished phone gets a thumbs up if it comes from the right seller. This deal comes from the right seller.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (Renewed) — $799

It is January, but the January smartphone deals are not “giving,” as the yute-dem say these days. I probably won’t ever type a sentence in Gen Z parlance ever again, so take a screenshot and NFT it if you want a worthless collectible.

There are, however, a couple of decent Android discounts worth shouting out if you’re holding cash that needs to be disappeared ASAP.

Google’s Pixel 9 Pro XL is down to $769 at Amazon, which is $20 more than its Black Friday price. It’s a good discount for a phone that is functionally almost identical to its successor, the Pixel 10 Pro XL. There’s no point in paying extra for the latest Google phone because the updates are often marginal, but the price difference isn’t. Bars. Read more about that here.

I should note that Amazon’s trade-in prices are not competitive. For example, Amazon will pay $200 for your used Pixel 7 Pro (a realistic trade-in) compared to Google’s $230. Both are shockingly low for a flagship that is only two generations old (and has five years of updates left), but Amazon’s price is the lowest. You’ll find the same price gulf if you hand over your Apple or Samsung device, too.

The upside to buying from Amazon is that these low trade-in prices are made up for by some of the lowest smartphone prices on the web (from a legitimate seller) and, of course, the fast delivery.

Get the Pixel 9 Pro XL here.

Google’s Pixel 10 128GB is still sitting at $599 (down from $799) at Amazon and the Google Store, with no further discount coming for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. This is the best price for the base Google phone, with deeper price drops likely landing early next year when the Galaxy S26 launches in January.

1. Lowest Ever Price: With this $200 discount, this is the lowest the Google Pixel 10 128GB has been since it launched. Unless you want to wait until 2026, it won’t get any cheaper for a month or two.

2. Trade-in Strategy: the Google Store is the only place you will receive decent prices for used Pixel phones, with eBay or Swappa following closely behind. The Google Store will pay $240 for the Pixel 7 Pro (a realistic trade-in) compared to Amazon’s $100. Similarly, Google is offering $260 for the iPhone 14 compared to Amazon’s $190 valuation.

3. Key Freebies: slim pickings for freebies in this deal. Amazon is offering two months of Audible for free with Pixel 10 purchases, while the Google Store offers nothing.

The Verdict: This is, for now, as good as it gets for the base Pixel 10. There will be more discounts after Cyber Monday in the form of vouchers for Google One subscribers, or a Christmas discount. But the price won’t drop below $599 until next year, when the Galaxy S26 lands. If you have a phone to trade-in, the Google Store is the better option. If you don’t, take Amazon’s deal for faster delivery and the 60 days of Audible for free.

Amazon Link: https://earlyphonedeals.com/us/deal/google-pixel-10-128gb-drops-to-599-a-200-discount

Google Store Link: https://store.google.com/config/pixel_10?hl=en-US&selections=eyJwcm9kdWN0RmFtaWx5IjoiY0dsNFpXeGZNVEE9In0%3D

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The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has dropped in price again at Samsung.com. This is the lowest price we have seen for the 512GB model since the phone launched.

1. Lowest Ever Price: The unlocked Galaxy S25 Ultra 512GB is now down to $859.99 at Samsung.com. This beats Samsung’s last $849.99 deal because it includes double the amount of storage for $10 more. This includes a $440 no-trade-in discount.

2. Beats Amazon (just): Amazon isn’t far behind with its $899 price for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but it comes with half the storage (256GB).

3. Trade-In Strategy: Samsung will pay up to $700 for your old phone. BUT, that requires handing over a Galaxy S24 Ultra, which you shouldn’t do because the phone has years left of software support. More realistic trade-ins, such as the Galaxy S22 Ultra, will net an impressive $600. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is valued at $480, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra is priced at $650.

4. Key Freebie: This deal includes six months of Google AI Pro, two months of Adobe Lightroom and six months of Sirius XM. Decent but not spectacular freebies.

The Verdict: We thought the $849.99 was the lowest Samsung would go for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. This $859.99 for the 512GB model is likely the best deal of Black Friday, with Amazon’s price not far behind it. It is better to go for the $440 no trade-in discount and sell your phone on eBay or Swappa. But if you have either of the three phones listed above, those are better to trade in.

Amazon link: https://earlyphonedeals.com/us/deal/samsung-galaxy-s25-ultra-drops-to-lowest-ever-price

Samsung link:https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-s25-ultra/buy/galaxy-s25-ultra-512gb-unlocked-sku-sm-s938uakexaa/

1. Lowest Price, Double Storage: The Galaxy Z Fold 7 price is back down to $1,399.99 at Samsung.com, but this time, it includes an extra 256GB of storage. You now get the 512GB model for the lowest price previously set for the 256GB base model.

2. Massive Discount Option: If you don’t have a phone to trade in, Samsung is offering a straight $600 discount. Combined with the storage upgrade, this is a total value discount of $720. This is cheapest the 512GB option the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been since it launched.

3. Your Trade-In Strategy: Samsung has brought back decent trade-in values for select phones after dropping them two weeks ago, offering $600 for the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 4. But older phones still miss out, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra only valued at $200.

4. The Alternatives: Amazon.com has the second lowest ever price for the 256GB Galaxy Z Fold 7 at $1,599.99. Amazon U.K. is running also running its cheapest Galaxy Z Fold 7 deal yet at £1,549.

Verdict: This is the best price we have seen for the 512GB Galaxy Z Fold 7 since it launched. Your best move is to take the $600 straight discount and sell your old phone separately on Swappa or eBay.

Deal Links:

Samsung: https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-z-fold7/buy/galaxy-z-fold7-512gb-unlocked-sku-sm-f966udbexaa/

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4ojqTNB

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/4olhVzb

We earn a commission through affiliate links, which helps keep this analysis going. But we only include an affiliate link if it is genuinely the best deal. If a better price pops up that we won’t earn a commission from, we’ll direct you to that deal anyway.

So, Google’s Black Friday deals have now gone live in the U.S. and the U.K. One thing stood out to me immediately: the Pixel 9 is very clearly the better deal right now. Let me break down the numbers for you.

Google’s Respectable Pixel 10 Discounts

Google has dropped the prices of the Pixel 10 series in both the U.K. and U.S. All of the below listed phones are the starting prices at the lowest storage option available.

• U.K.

  • Pixel 10: £599, a £200 discount

  • Pixel 10 Pro: £899, a £100 discount

  • Pixel 10 Pro XL: £999, a £200 discount

  • Pixel 10 Pro Fold: £1,749, no discount

• U.S.

  • Pixel 10: $599, a $200 discount

  • Pixel 10 Pro: $749, a $250 discount

  • Pixel 10 Pro XL: $899, a $300 discount

  • Pixel 10 Pro Fold: $1,499, a $300 discount

Amazon’s Even Better Pixel 9 Black Friday Deals

The Pixel 9 has seen even deeper price cuts this Black Friday.

• U.K.

  • Pixel 9: £499, £100 cheaper than the Pixel 10 [ Get Deal ]

  • Pixel 9 Pro: £649, £250 cheaper than the Pixel 10 Pro [ Get Deal ]

  • Pixel 9 Pro XL: £799, £200 cheaper than the Pixel 10 Pro XL [ Get Deal ]

  • Pixel 9 Pro Fold: £1,346, £403 cheaper than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold [ Get Deal ]

• U.S.

  • Pixel 9: $499, $100 cheaper than the Pixel 10 [ Get Deal ]

  • Pixel 9 Pro 256GB: $749, $100 cheaper than Pixel 10 Pro 256GB [ Get Deal ]

  • Pixel 9 Pro XL: $749, $150 cheaper than the Pixel 10 Pro XL [ Get Deal ]

  • Pixel 10 Pro Fold: $1,349, $150 cheaper than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold [ Sold out ]

Across the board, the Pixel 9 series is significantly cheaper on Amazon. On the U.K. Google Store, they’re even cheaper than the prices above—but they’re also, unsurprisingly, sold out.

I can’t in good conscience direct people to a phone that is, in my opinion, a technical iterative update and costs $150 / £250 more. With the exception of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which is a significant upgrade on its predecessor.

Outside of FOMO, you are losing very little if you buy last year’s model. Let me explain…

There’s Not Much Difference Between the Pixel 10 and Pixel 9

I have used both the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro XL. They sit in my desk drawer. They look very similar, spare the Pixel 10 Pro XL being obviously heavier and slightly boxier. But that similarity is borne out in the specifications too, across the series. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences.

Pixel 9 Series Versus Pixel 10 Series: Key Hardware Changes

The most significant hardware change for the standard Pixel 10 is the addition of a 5x optical telephoto lens, which finally brings the base model’s zoom skills on par with the Pro-tier camera systems.

Both new models are powered by the Tensor G5, which Google says makes features like Magic Cue (contextual information popping up during messages or calls) and Camera Coach (real-time photography tips) possible.

For the Pixel 10 Pro, the camera hardware remains virtually identical to the 9 Pro, but the new processor uses computational photography to improve image quality. Colors and dynamic range do look slightly better. The 100x ProRes zoom is technically impressive but I rarely use it, and I barely bothered with it on the Samsung Galaxy S22 and S23 Ultra.

Other minor but welcome upgrades include brighter displays on the base Pixel 10, a slightly larger battery, and faster Qi2 wireless charging support across the lineup. Small beer and unnoticeable to most people.

Here’s the issue: the Pixel 9 series’ hardware is still very capable. It’s not even close to being outdated.

The Pixel 9 also has six years of software support left, which means it will receive critical security updates and Android feature improvements until 2031. This is just one year before the Pixel 10’s software support runs out.

In terms of battery life, the Pixel 10 is marginally better thanks to bigger battery capacities and the more efficient processor. The base Pixel 10 has a 4,970mAh battery (up from 4,700 mAh in the Pixel 9), resulting in about 45 minutes of extra screen time in tests.

The Pixel 10 Pro XL has a modest bump to 5,200 mAh (from 5,100 mAh in the 9 Pro XL), but offers no significant jump in real-world endurance.

When it comes to features, Google sometimes brings its exclusive AI tools available on older phones. For example, the Magic Editor was initially a Pixel 8 exclusive but later rolled out to all Pixels and even non-Pixel phones via Google Photos.

The Verdict: Buy The Pixel 9 Instead This Black Friday

The Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro phones are absolutely the superior purchase this Black Friday. They’re also selling very quickly. Google slashed the price of the Pixel 9 Pro on the U.K. site to £549—a stupidly cheap price for its 2024 flagship phone. These obviously sold out instantly. Amazon is still running the cheapest deal so far in the U.K. and U.S., but I as I edit this story the Pixel 9 Pro Fold sold out, as did the Pixel 9 Pro 128GB. Get your Pixel 9 deals here.

We earn a commission through affiliate links, which helps keep this analysis going. But we only include an affiliate link if it is genuinely the best deal. If a better price pops up that we won’t earn a commission from, we’ll direct you to that deal anyway.

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Signal Boost is your clear, concise, and analytical buying guide. We sometimes get early access to sales before they go live, or we’re quick to review the latest discounts.

We review these deals based on historical pricing trends, and if a discount is genuinely significant, we immediately send it out to you. Signal Boost takes the effort and confusion out of smartphone shopping by doing all of the hard work for you with our exclusive early deal information.

Tech Reporter Analysis Of Smartphone Deals

Signal Boost is run by tech reporter Janhoi McGregor and software engineer Ed Spencer. Ed built and runs our deal site, EarlyPhoneDeals.com, and Janhoi is the reporter who finds the best prices.

Janhoi has been a technology journalist for 12 years, chasing down major crypto scammers, uncovering Big Tobacco’s dodgy marketing practices, and shining a light on the scalpers who hoard stock. That same forensic, competitive instinct is now applied to finding you the best deals.

What We Do

We go far beyond just publishing price drops. Every smartphone deal we flag is subjected to a comprehensive, reporter-grade analysis.

For now, we’re only focused on unlocked deals because they offer genuine freedom and value. Carrier deals are not just complex and opaque; they are deliberately designed to lock you into an expensive, multi-year contract under the guise of a discount. Not all of them, of course, there are good carrier deals: which we will highlight on occasion. But Signal Boost focuses mostly on unlocked deals.

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Remove all of the effort and confusion from buying your smartphone by signing up to Signal Boost. If you want clarity, fast and/or early access to deals, and credible, reporter-level shopping advice before committing to a four-figure purchase, this newsletter is for you.