You may not have known it because this service never arrived in Europe, but Pixel Pass, Google’s mobile leasing service, has died after failing resoundingly in the United States without even reaching two years of service. Google, thus, cuts this service and keeps it in the drawer of failed projects.
Many users will agree that cell phone leasing has been on the rise in recent years. There are many companies that have entered this market, and Google was one of them in 2021. However, the result of Pixel Pass has not gone as expected and, after a prudent time of testing, they have decided to scrap this service for good.
New cell phone every year and premium services
Google tried to make an interesting business through the leasing service it proposed. With the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro available to customers, Pixel Pass allowed customers to enjoy their handset for a year and then exchange it for a new model. In addition, a rich bundle of services was included, including YouTube Premium, Play Pass and other Google-owned paid services.
One of the reasons that caused Pixel Pass to fail was its high price. Pixel 6 leasing cost $45 per month and Pixel 6 Pro leasing cost $55 per month. That, along with a much more attractive competition, and users who did not see enough appeal in Google’s premium service terminals, caused this proposal to hit the rocks. In fact, not even the Pixel 7 line was included in this service, even though they are already close to being unseated by the upcoming launch of the Pixel 8.
Triumphs and failures of Google
Anyone who has been familiar with information about the technology industry for some time will recognize that Google, if there is one thing it cannot be accused of, it is not trying to move forward with new ideas. Although it is one of the most powerful companies in the world, it has also had major failures in its history, or major projects that never saw the light of day.
Google has been able to position itself at the forefront of cell phones, has a browser that dominates the market, and its search engine sustains digital capitalism. But they have also had notable failures, such as the recently defunct Google Stadia service, its former social network, Google +, or the money allocated to Google Glass to discard the project before launching it to the public.