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Google’s growing assortment of Pixel 3-branded handsets has already expanded well beyond its Verizon exclusivity in the US but the gadgets will now also be getting some unexpected support on the lesser-known digital wireless carrier Visible. Based on Verizon’s 4G LTE service, the service provider will support all four of the latest Google models that have been purchased elsewhere as well as selling each of the devices on its own site.
That means consumers will be able to bring their own gadget over to the $40 all-in unlimited service but will be able to buy them from the company itself. Each gadget will be available for no-interest financing with no added fees, according to Visible, and the latest gadgets will be available starting in June.
Buying the Pixel 3a outright will set subscribers back $408 or as little as $17 per month. That’s compared to the $480 or $20 per month cost of the larger Pixel 3a XL. No pricing details have been made available regarding the more expensive Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL.
New Pixels
Falling squarely into the mid-range category, the newest additions to Google’s Pixel lineup — launched at Google I/O 2019 — follow closely in the footsteps of their high-end predecessors in back panel design as well as cameras and features. One primary exception to that is the fact that neither display bears a notch, leaving slim side bezels accented by taller top and bottom borders.
The back panel is also built from a cheaper polycarbonate material but each is available in either a black or white color variations. In addition to those colors, a “Purple-ish” color is available for the new handsets too but it isn’t immediately clear which colors will be on offer from Visible.
The biggest difference in terms of the hardware itself will be on the inside, with both powered by a Snapdragon 670 processor coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage compared to the hyper-powerful Snapdragon 855 found in the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. That also means that the Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL won’t support daydream VR functionality.
On a more positive note, both the 5.6-inch fullHD+ OLED Google Pixel 3a and 6-inch Pixel 3a XL include a 3.5mm headphone jack that’s conspicuously absent from their premium counterparts.
Finally, the Pixel 3a will bring a 3,000mAh battery to the table while the Pixel 3a XL will bring a larger 3,700mAh battery to bear.
Deals for switchers
Not only does support from the digital wireless carrier mean that users can get unlimited data, talk, text, and hotspot. Visible is additionally running promotions that could net mobile users who switch a significant sum of money in the form of a “Prepaid Mastercard Virtual Account” — usable anywhere that accepts that company’s debit cards.
Users who jump over to Visible and buy a new device to go with their service will receive either a $100 virtual account balance while those who spend over $400 on a device will receive a $200 virtual account balance. Those who bring their number over with their own device will get a $100 Prepaid Mastercard Virtual Account too.
The codes to retrieve those will be sent out via email within six weeks of activation and the primary caveat seems to be that subscribers will also need to prepay for two months of service to get in on the deal.