Google has started selling refurbished Pixel mobiles directly through its official store in a move that mirrors what Apple has been doing for years and saves customers money on flagship and mid-range phones while reducing e-waste.
The company says each device has been carefully inspected to ensure the housing, screen and battery are in good condition. It’s a welcome move but the catch is that it’s only available in the US for now.
If anything needs replacing, only genuine Google parts are used All mobiles are also updated with the latest version of Android. and handsets are repackaged with a compatible charger, too.
“For the first time ever, this provides more sustainable and affordable choices when it comes to Pixel phones,” said Google.
At the time of writing, refurbished versions of the Pixel 6a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are available. Google says “We’re constantly updating our selection of devices, so check back soon if you don’t see a generation you’re interested in now.”
Whether tablets like the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Watch smartwatches are added to the refurbished store remains to be seen.
As the refurbished Pixel phones are discounted by up to 40% compared to their brand-new counterparts you can save hundreds of dollars. For example, a Pixel 6 costs $339, rather than $599.
Various colours and storage capacities are available and the biggest saving we can see right now is $360 on the Pixel 6 Pro.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication M3 and was translated and adapted from Swedish.
