Will Apple sink to the new Google Pixel 3A's level?

In price, that is.

From Bill Maurer’s “Google Takes Its Apple Shot,” posted Tuesday on Seeking Alpha:

What separates this offering from the previous Pixel ones is price and carrier availability. These two smartphones go for $399 and $479, well below the previous models as well as all newer iPhones. Also, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular join for support, as opposed to the previous generations that were Verizon-exclusive. Carrier availability was one of my main arguments against the phones previously, as it reminded me of the failed BlackBerry Priv launch.

I’m curious to see if there will be any major response from Apple when it comes to the iPhone. Do we perhaps see the iPhone get a little cheaper when it is launched later this year, as consumers seemed to push back against higher prices last year? Or, does the company maybe satisfy a small niche of consumers by launching a new version of the SE, a smaller screen device that could come in at a lower price point?

Before all of the Apple supporters come rushing at me, I am not arguing that Google is going to eat Apple’s lunch anytime soon. However, the launch of a cheaper device with more carrier availability is something to watch in the coming quarters. Not only is Google trying to steal market share in terms of unit sales but pushing consumers away from Apple services as much as possible as well. A few million more unit sales will not make a big impact on Apple this year, but this is definitely a stronger shot than Google has taken previously. Where this becomes an issue for Apple is if the Pixel line continues to grow moving forward with Google trying to expand sales into the tens of millions of units per year.

My take: Ballsy move on Google’s part. Reviews are pretty good. See here.