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 Google raised the price of its latest smartphones compared to last year, and the increase may hint at what Apple will do with the iPhone 18 Pro models.
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 Google today announced new products that compete with Apple devices like the iPhone and the Apple Watch. There are new Pixel smartphones with AI capabilities, a new foldable, and new wearable devices.
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 Google today introduced the Pixel Tag, its answer to Apple's AirTag. Pixel Tag is Google's first item tracker, even though Google implemented an item tracking network two years ago that's been used by third-party devices.
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Hands-on: I tried the Pixel 11 and appreciate all of Google's refinements, despite the higher cost of entry.
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Apple is in the process of tweaking its business models to cope with the unyielding memory price and availability crisis. Its response is now emerging across multiple fronts.
Finance or lease
The company's recently-introduced Apple Upgrade scheme in partnership with Klarna is a smart response to the reality that as devices inevitably become more expensive, consumers will shift from outright ownership to flexible lease and financing arrangements. With its partnership, Apple continues to generate revenue while also maximizing the likelihood customers will return the product at EOL, more about which later.
Samsung and Google have introduced similar schemes. "Financing models already dominant in India and Africa are now poised to reshape the US and European markets," said CCS Insight in a presentation exploring the consequences of the memory shortage.
Downgrade
Apple has seen a lot of success with the iPhone 17 this year. That success wasn't entirely because it's such a good smartphone; it also reflects consumers making the decision to purchase lower-specced devices to stay within budget. Apple continues to see
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