Google error marked Pixel 4 'free' online
What's the story
Often, we see website errors in the form of incorrect product listings or products being revealed before their official launch. It happens all the time, but just recently, Google committed a major blunder on its official store and listed its flagship Pixel 4 as a 'free' product for the general public. Here's what went down.
Error #1
'Made by Google' store lists Pixel devices as 'free'
As spotted by Android Police's Artem Russakovskii, the 'Made by Google' store marked the latest Pixel flagships - Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL - as free products. The erroneous pricing appeared right next to the 'Buy' button on the phones' page. However, the interesting part is, when one actually proceeded to buy the phones, the normal $799+/899+ prices appeared on the next pages.
Error #2
Another error listed Pixel Slate at lower price
Just like the free listing blunder, Google Store also made the mistake of listing the Pixel Slate at a lower price tag. Specifically, the device that comes at a starting price of $499 in the US was listed at $149. Again, in this case, too, proceeding with the purchase showed the correct price on both the configuration and payment pages.
Reason
How did this error occurr?
Google corrected the altered product listings a few hours later but has not commented on how actually the blunder occurred. The company has never listed a product as free, so the best guess at the moment is that someone fiddled with the page without permission. Or, it happened by mistake (which seems unlikely).
Previous blunders
Google has committed site blunders before too
To note, this is not the first time Google has committed a major error on its official Store. Last year, the company had mistakenly revealed the Pixel 3a and the rebranded Nest Hub line weeks before I/O 2019. There was also the case when Nest Hub Max's specifications were revealed in a graphic shared by the company.