It’s pretty clear the Google is changing up the way it does things with this year’s introduction of the Pixel and Pixel XL series of phones. Google’s latest phones show a major departure from its Nexus lineup of phones in more ways than one, but the biggest may just be in the form of carrier partnerships throughout the world. In the US we’re looking at Verizon exclusivity for both Pixel phones when it comes to being sold in stores, and in the UK it’s been made official that EE will be the exclusive network of Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL for retail customers. This means that folks who live in the UK and are looking to pick up either the 5-inch Pixel or 5.5-inch Pixel XL will need to head on over to their nearest EE store or hit up EE’s official website for ordering.
EE is touting Google’s choice of their network for a number of reasons, not the least of which is because of EE’s excellent coverage across the country. The UK may not be the biggest place in the world, but the geography of many locales can certainly be challenging for a wireless cell network, and EE sports coverage of 2/3 of the country’s geography and 95% of the actual population of its people. EE also highlights that it’s the only network that can offer CAT 9 LTE connectivity, with peak speeds of up to 400Mbps. EE also supports 4G high definition calls as well as WiFi calling for those spots where the network might not be able to reach quite as well. In addition to these standard network goodies, EE is offering free access to the BT Sport App as well as six months free Apple Music for customers that order the Pixel or Pixel XL, a clear competition from Apple as Google is already offering 3 months free of Google Play Music for Pixel owners.
Available for pre-order right now in EE stores, via their website or a quick phone call to customer support, the Google Pixel and Pixel XL are slated to be made available in both Very Silver and Quite Black colors through the carrier. EE is also offering the Google Daydream View VR headset for pre-order starting October 20th. EE is offering the 5-inch Pixel for free when you sign up for a 24-month 4G EE plan, which costs £50.99 per month and comes with unlimited minutes, texts and 10GB of mobile data for existing customers. This plan increases to £55.99 per month if you opt for the larger 5.5-inch Pixel XL. Customers who pre-order before October 20th will receive a £50 Google Play gift card from EE as well, so get cracking and pre-order if you’re interested!