The Fold gets its first real discount, a $400 cut
Each year, the holiday shopping season becomes a mirror in which technology companies reveal how they value their own creations — and their customers. Google's Black Friday 2023 sale, running through November 27, offers its deepest discounts yet across phones, wearables, and smart home devices, with cuts that exceed last year's offers and extend to nearly every corner of its hardware lineup. The Pixel Fold's first meaningful price reduction since its June debut signals not just a promotional moment, but a broader reckoning with how premium hardware finds its audience over time. In the space between ambition and accessibility, a sale like this quietly reshapes who gets to participate in the ecosystem.
- Google is making its most aggressive hardware push yet, with discounts up to $400 — larger than any previous Black Friday offering — signaling real competitive pressure in the premium device market.
- The Pixel Fold's first-ever price cut to $1,399 breaks a months-long silence on discounting, raising questions about foldable adoption rates and whether the format has found its footing.
- Older models like the Pixel 7a and Pixel Tablet are being quietly cleared out, suggesting Google is actively managing inventory ahead of a new product cycle.
- A coordinated rollout across Google Store, Amazon, and Best Buy for Fitbit products points to a unified retail strategy designed to maximize reach during the holiday window.
- With the sale window stretching nearly two weeks — from November 16 through Cyber Monday — Google is betting that more time means more conversions across its entire ecosystem.
Google's Black Friday 2023 sale launched November 16 and runs through the end of the month, representing the company's most expansive hardware discount event to date. The headline offer is the Pixel Fold — Google's foldable flagship — receiving its first real price cut since its June launch, dropping $400 to $1,399. Alongside it, the Pixel 8 Pro falls to $799 and the Pixel 8 to $549, both representing $50 steeper cuts than Google offered during last year's Black Friday.
Older devices are also part of the clearance push. The Pixel 7a drops to $374 and the Pixel Tablet to $399, moves that suggest Google is making deliberate room for what comes next while still offering genuine value to cost-conscious buyers.
Wearables and smart home gear round out the sale in meaningful ways. The original Pixel Watch lands at $199.99, Pixel Buds Pro at $119.99, and the Nest Hub (second gen) at just $49.99. The Chromecast with Google TV dips to $37.99. Later in the weekend, Google folded its entire Fitbit lineup into the event — the Charge 6 at $99.95, Sense 2 and Versa 4 each discounted by $50, and smaller cuts on the Inspire 3 and Luxe. Notably, these Fitbit prices are mirrored at Amazon and Best Buy, pointing to a coordinated retail strategy rather than a store-exclusive promotion.
The sale closes November 27 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, giving shoppers over a week to weigh their options — an extended window that positions Google to capture early holiday decisions well before the year-end rush.
Google's Black Friday sale went live on November 16, running through the end of the month, and the company is making a serious push on its hardware lineup with discounts that span everything from its flagship phones to fitness trackers and smart home gear.
The marquee offer is the Pixel Fold, Google's ambitious foldable phone, which is getting its first substantial price cut since launch. The 256GB model drops to $1,399, a $400 reduction from its original price. The phone arrived in June after being announced in May, and this marks the first time Google has meaningfully discounted it. For those looking at traditional phones, the Pixel 8 Pro falls to $799 after a $200 cut, while the standard Pixel 8 lands at $549 with $150 off. Both represent steeper discounts than Google offered during last year's Black Friday event—each phone is getting an extra $50 knocked off compared to 2022.
The company is also clearing inventory on older models. The Pixel 7a drops to $374 after a $125 discount, and the Pixel Tablet, which launched earlier this year, is marked down $100 to $399. These prices suggest Google is making room for newer products while still offering genuine savings to budget-conscious shoppers.
Wearables and smart home products round out the sale. The original Pixel Watch is available for $199.99, down $80, while the Pixel Buds Pro fall to $119.99 after an $80 reduction. The more affordable Pixel Buds A-Series drops to $59, a $40 cut. On the smart home side, the Nest Hub (second generation) reaches $49.99 after $50 off, the Nest Wifi Pro slides to $279.99 with $120 off, and the Chromecast with Google TV is $37.99, down $12.
Over the weekend, Google added its full Fitbit lineup to the sale. The newest model, the Charge 6, is $99.95 after a $60 discount, while the Sense 2 and Versa 4 are each $50 off at $199.95 and $149.95 respectively. The Inspire 3 drops $30 to $69.95, and the Luxe is $79.95 after a $20 reduction. These same prices are also available at Amazon and Best Buy, suggesting a coordinated retail push across major platforms.
The sale runs through November 27 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, giving shoppers more than a week to decide. The extended window—starting nearly two weeks before Thanksgiving—positions Google to capture early holiday shopping and gives consumers time to compare prices across its entire hardware ecosystem before the year-end rush.
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why is the Pixel Fold getting its first real discount now, more than six months after launch?
Foldables are still a niche product, and Google needed to move inventory. A $400 cut is substantial enough to attract people who were waiting for the price to drop, without completely undermining the phone's premium positioning.
The Pixel 8 Pro discount is $50 bigger than last year. Does that mean the phone isn't selling as well?
It could mean that, or it could just mean Google is being more aggressive this year to compete with Samsung and Apple during the holiday season. The timing—nearly two weeks before Thanksgiving—suggests they want to capture early shoppers.
Why bundle Fitbit into the sale so late?
Fitbit is still integrating into Google's ecosystem after the acquisition. Adding it over the weekend keeps the sale fresh and gives people a reason to check back. It also signals that Google sees wearables as part of the complete hardware story.
The smart home discounts seem modest compared to the phones.
Smart home products have smaller margins and less price elasticity. People don't impulse-buy a Nest Hub the way they might a discounted phone. But $50 off a Nest Hub is meaningful—it brings the price down to impulse territory for a lot of households.
What's the real story here—is Google winning or struggling?
Google is doing what any hardware maker does during Black Friday: clearing old stock, building momentum for the holidays, and showing customers they're competitive on price. The fact that they're discounting the Fold at all suggests confidence that the product has a future.