After many leaks and rumors, the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are now official, and based on the available deals, Google wants users to make the switch from an iPhone, among other devices.
To be exact, the Mountain View company is offering a new trade-in promo that lets customers stand to get up to $610 off its new midrange phones. The total value depends on the model and condition of the device their turning in, of course.
Free Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL?
Over at the Google Store, the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are already up for grabs at $399 and $479, respectively. They're both available unlocked, on Verizon, or on Google Fi and come in Just Black, Purple-ish, and Clearly White. Under Extra Services, buyers can opt for the $89 Preferred Care plan and the trade-in promo.
Just like with any other program such as this, only certain devices are eligible. In this case, handsets from manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, LG, Huawei, Motorola, and Google itself are in the mix.
The interesting part is customers get $610 back with an iPhone XS Max if it meets the criteria: It should have a working screen that doesn't have cracks and 512 GB built-in storage, and it should turn on and be on either T-Mobile or Verizon. On AT&T and "Other," the maximum value is at $600, while on Sprint, it's at $585.
The lowest it can go with the iPhone XS Max is $470, and that's for a fully functional 64 GB model on other carriers besides the major four. That's practically the same cost as the Pixel 3a XL with just a $9 difference. The other options make the Pixel phone free, and Google will even pay buyers to make up for the difference.
The question is, who would want to trade in an iPhone XS Max, which is Apple's current top-of-the-line offering, for a midrange Android smartphone? Maybe those who are really sold on Pixel features, such as Call Screen, Night Sight, and the like, would grab the deal, but that's hard to imagine. That's despite the transition possibly being easier on iOS users, thanks to the new gesture controls with Android Q that are similar to the ones on the iPhone. The feature is still in beta, though.
More Realistic Cases
It's more likely for customers to trade in an old device for the Pixel 3a or Pixel 3a XL. For instance, they can swap in an iPhone 6 in good working condition and get up to $260.
Meanwhile, an iPhone SE is valued at $264, a Pixel 2 at $216, a Pixel 2 XL at $263, a Galaxy S8 at $159, and a Galaxy S8 Plus at $191, to name a couple. In other words, buyers don't need an iPhone XS Max to make the most out of Google's trade-in offer, even though a "free" Pixel 3a does sound nice.
It's also worth mentioning that those who purchase either one of the new midrange Pixel devices before May 18 will get $100 credits that can be used toward any purchase on the Google Store.
