Let's do the final calculations.
Paid ₹74,467.49 upfront (still doubtful about the EMI interest though)
- Since there's still doubt, let's add the ₹12000 interest as well, making it ₹86647
- Got the Pixel 8 exchange value - ₹44000, making it ₹42647. Do note that the phone has been used for nearly a year and I bought it for ₹22000
- Got ₹10000 Store Credits, which is real money, and can be used while purchasing future products
- Got 1 year free Google AI Pro membership (₹1950 x 12 = ₹23400)
And I know, the last two things won't be useful for everyone, but I was already paying for the Google AI Pro subscription, and would for sure need the 2TB storage tier, plus the store credits are useful for me, so the last two points apply in my use case.
So, including both, final value:
₹42647 - ₹10000 - ₹23400 = ₹9247
Yes, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, in my case, cost me ₹9247, effectively.
But wait, what if that ₹12000 we talked about initially were not added. Did I get the Pixel 9 Pro XL FOR FREE? Or did I get money for "buying" the phone? 😂