Re:Google is not a tech company
by steelframe on Sunday November 19, 2023 @07:11PM
(#38340205)
> Although buying the hardware from the devil doesn't feel like the most comfortable thing
I mean, if you want to get religious about this, okay. But at $374 I doubt Google is making much money from the hardware itself. They're likely counting on the value of getting/keeping you in their ecosystem. By installing a privacy-focused ROM you're beating them at their own game, if that makes you feel any better.
Haven't followed prices for years, but now that you mention it I checked.
Common price for the Pixel 7a is 549 EUR ($599) here, Black Friday 449 EUR.
Considering 24% sales tax, which is included in my quotes but probably not in yours the difference is not that high.
Probably Google charges some extra to cover for the millions of GDPR fines they regularly get here ;)
Although buying the hardware from the devil doesn't feel like the most comfortable thing...