Skip to main content

Google’s Pixel 6 features new Pixel Pass subscription service to rival Apple One

Google is reportedly working on Pixel Pass, a subscription service for the most ardent Google superfans, according to tech YouTuber, Brandon Lee. From the description of the purported Pixel Pass, this is a financing option where Google offers users a fixed price to pay for a Pixel phone and a bundle of Google services all at once.

The concept recalls both Apple One and Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, a service where Apple enthusiasts can purchase a bundle of all Apple services, from Apple News+ and Apple TV to Apple Music. This would do the same type of thing, bundling in YouTube Premium, Google One, Play Pass, Google Fi, and a Pixel phone to boot. There’s also an extended warranty option with Preferred Care or Device Protection for those who want peace of mind. It’s likely to be a U.S. exclusive, especially with the inclusion of a Fi subscription, but that’s not been definitively confirmed.

Google Pixel 6 Stand.
Evan Blass

While phone contracts have faded away in name, Google’s Pixel Pass continues the trend of phone makers and carriers alike offering financing for smartphone purchases, allowing buyers to spread their purchases out over a fixed period. The promise and convenience of regular upgrades (provided a trade-in is approved and completed) is also a lure.

Recommended Videos

The Pixel Pass isn’t the only Google Pixel 6-related leak to come out this week. Lee shared other pricing information from retail sources, including an $850 price point for the Pixel 6 in the U.S. The official color names for the Pixel were also shared, with Google reportedly branding them as Kinda Coral, Sorta Sunny, and Stormy Black for the Pixel 6, The Pixel 6 Pro will come in Sorta Sunny, Cloudy White, and Stormy Black.

An early release from the U.K. retailer Carphone Warehouse all but confirmed key specs of the phone with the exception of pricing. The leaked website has since gone down, but screenshots were captured at the time it remained up.

Google will launch the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro at the online Pixel Fall Launch event on October 19 — just over a week from now. If there are any secrets left to be told, we’ll find out then.

Michael Allison
Former Mobile News Writer
A UK-based tech journalist for Digital Trends, helping keep track and make sense of the fast-paced world of tech with a…
The Google Pixel 9a is missing a crucial life-saving feature
Person holds Pixel 9a in hand while sitting in a car.

Launched earlier this week, the Pixel 9a packs Pixel 9's magic in a condensed, more affordable form. With a lower price, though, the Pixel 9a loses some perks of the more premium Pixel 9 phones, including some defining Gemini AI features.

Despite running the same Tensor G4 chipset as the Pixel 9 and the 9 Pro, the Pixel 9a loses on a life-saving feature: satellite-based SOS functionality. Google confirmed the lack to Android Authority, validating you won't be able to call or text in cases you get stranded without network -- as you would be able to with the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and the 9 Pro Fold phones. Google offers these services on premium Pixel phones in the U.S., Canada, UK, and parts of Europe.
Why Pixel 9a lacks satellite SOS connectivity
The reason behind Google skipping satellite connectivity from the Pixel 9a is an older modem. Unlike the Pixel 9 series, which uses the newer and more advanced Samsung Exynos 5400 modem, the 9a uses the previous generation Exynos 5300. The newer modem is what enables 5G non-terrestrial networking (NTN) that is used to connect with low-orbit communication satellites when cellular network is absent.

Read more
The Google Pixel 9a is here with a startling new look
A promotional image showing someone looking at the Google Pixel 9a.

The Google Pixel 9a is here and it has a brand new look, some new features, a tempting price, and a very tough time ahead of it. The curvy shape of the Google Pixel 8a has gone, replaced by a flat rear panel and flat sides. Not only that, but the iconic Pixel visor-style camera module has disappeared too, and the two cameras have been integrated into the back of the phone. That’s right, there’s no camera bump at all, making it look very unusual in 2025.

Whether you already miss the best design Google has ever come up with on its phones will be down to your personal taste, but if you get the Pixel 9a in the right color, it’ll still make a statement. Along with the ordinary Porcelain and Obsidian (white and black to you and me) models, there are two eye-catching versions: the purple Iris and the red-pink Peony. The Pixel 9a has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, the rear is made from plastic, and the chassis is aluminum.

Read more
Google Pixel 10 leak is a warning shot for Apple to lift its iPhone game
Leaked render of Google Pixel 10.

Google’s Pixel phones have cultivated a solid reputation for their stunning camera chops. In 2025, Google might take things to the next level with the Pixel 10, edging past mainline iPhones in the process. As per a fresh leak, it seems the company’s next baseline flagship will take the zoom capture prowess to newer heights.

The folks over at Android Headlines (in collaboration with @OnLeaks) have shared alleged product renders of the upcoming Pixel 10, which shows a triple-lens camera array at the back. On the Pixel 10, buyers will be greeted by a dedicated telephoto zoom camera.

Read more