Google’s trade-in program could help pay for your Pixel 2 – CNET

With the Google Pixel 2 likely debuting less than two weeks away, you may be ready to retire your current phone in anticipation.

All signs point to Google trying to make the process smoother. The company launched a trade-in program (scroll down on the right-hand side of the page for details) for those who send in their old phone when buying a new Google Pixel (here’s our review of the first Pixel). Even though this comes ahead of the Pixel 2 launch, it’s likely Google will extend this deal to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL (if those turn out to be their final names) when those phones become available for preorder.

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Google is taking phone trade-ins from a handful of manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, LG and Motorola. Here are some phones you can trade in for a new Pixel, along with how much Google will give you for them:

For the full list, head to the Google Store.

It’s common for carriers and phone manufacturers to offer trade-in deals when new phones are released, and Google offers a wide range depending on the phone’s current condition. Whether you get $61 or $363 for an iPhone 7 is a big difference, but keep in mind that a phone in good working order is far more valuable than one with a cracked screen.

Still, if you’re serious about trading in your old phone you may want to check additional options like Gazelle or NextWorth for some perspective. You may be able to get a little bit more — for example, Gazelle will give you up to $390 for an iPhone 7, while NextWorth’s prices top out at around $350). Or if your phone is in good enough condition and you have the patience, you may want to try your luck on eBay, where popular phones typically fetch higher prices.

Google doesn’t currently assign a trade-in value for the original Pixel, but that may change when the Pixel 2 is announced. Google did not respond to a request for comment, but stay tuned to CNET when the Pixel 2 becomes official on Oct. 4.

The Google Pixel 2 is rumored to bring all sorts of updates to 2016’s debut Pixel phone. Among them are a squeezable frameslimmer bezels and of course, Google’s new Android Oreo software. 

But along with these upgrades, the handsets are rumored to get a price bump. Some say that the Pixel 2 could start at $650 (roughly £480 or AU$810) while the larger Pixel 2 XL may start at $850 (£630/AU$1,060). Trading in your phone may help shave off a chunk of the cost.