Avenge your Windows phone: Get the discounted Google Pixel 7 and improve it with Microsoft apps

Image of the Google Pixel 7 in Obsidian.
(Image credit: Windows Central)

I still miss my Windows phones. Well, I still have them (they're in a drawer), but they hardly provide great or modern experiences as smartphones. I've long since moved on to Android, but I've never forgotten. A lot of Microsoft apps help. If you're still bitter about the demise of the much-needed third smartphone ecosystem, you might be able to alleviate the pain and get a great new phone at the same time. The Google Pixel 7 is on sale for just $500 at Amazon, and it's prime real estate for all the Microsoft apps we love and use.

Google Pixel 7 (Unlocked):$599.99 now $499.99 at Amazon (128GB)

Google Pixel 7 (Unlocked): was $599.99 now $499.99 at Amazon (128GB)

Google's Pixel 7 is a known quantity — it's a fantastic value even at full price, and it has a brilliant camera. It's also Google's idea of the perfect Android smartphone, but that doesn't mean you can't improve it with a ton of Microsoft apps. Long live Windows phones.

Price check: $499.99 at Best Buy (128GB) | $599.99 at Amazon (256GB)

This is an unlocked Google Pixel 7 that should work with all major cellular carriers. It has 128GB of storage, and is available in three colors (black, white, and a light green). The standard Pixel 7 is already considered an excellent value at its full retail price of $600, so shaving an extra $100 of that is awesome. If you want extra storage,  you can also get the 256GB model of the Pixel 7 for $600, which is still $100 off the full price. For even more savings, you can activate your new Pixel 7 with Best Buy and get an additional $100 taken off the model of your choice.

Why I recommend this deal

Google has built a whole ecosystem it wants you to use, or you could just use Microsoft's apps and services. (Image credit: Google)
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I have a Google Pixel 7 on my desk. It's not my primary phone (that honor goes to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4), but I do use it regularly as my secondary device and work phone. It's loaded with all my work and communication apps, and I frequently use it as a camera. It's a great device, genuinely, and it's an amazing value. Honestly, it makes most flagship smartphones look wildly overpriced, so those mindful of how they spend their money should definitely consider it.

You're getting solid performance with Google's custom Tensor G2 SoC (made in partnership with Samsung), plus a premium glass and metal design with all the works — great haptics, water resistance, (slow) wireless charging, and a great, compact 6.3" display with a smooth 90Hz refresh rate. Everything you need in a great flagship smartphone is there, but the Pixel 7 makes its claim to fame with two features... the cameras, and the software.

Pixels have always been known for having great cameras, and the Pixel 7 is the best it has ever been. You get a class-leading duo of cameras (a standard and wide angle) that excel at still images and do great with video, too. You don't get the enhanced zooming capabilities of the Pixel 7 Pro with its telephoto lens, but that phone is also significantly more expensive. Google has also enhanced a mostly-stock Android experience with a ton of additional software and AI features, like the clever "Now playing" feature that shows what song is playing in the area on the always-on-display, or the powerful Google Assistant with all its capabilities.

You're not here for any of that, though. You're here because you know Google was partially responsible for the death of Windows phones, and you're still upset. That's okay, I am too. So, take your sweet revenge and get a genuinely fantastic new smartphone at the same time, by taking advantage of this Pixel 7 deal. I bought my Pixel 7 during a sale like this, and I don't regret it at all. You can replace the Google-fied Pixel Launcher with Microsoft Launcher, swap out Google Chrome for Microsoft Edge, swipe away Gboard for the SwiftKey keyboard, and ditch Gmail for Outlook. Microsoft has a ton of great mobile apps to completely transform your Pixel 7 into a glorious, ironic monstrosity of Google and Microsoft, and you get the added benefit of possibly making a Google executive toss and turn in their sleep.

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Zachary Boddy
Staff Writer

Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.