The Android phone you should buy your dad is just $349

I don’t want to generalize, but the Google Pixel 9A is a classic dad phone. It’s not difficult. It is durable and expected to receive software updates for the better part of a decade. It’s a steal at its full MSRP of $499, but the Black Friday price of $349 is even better. This is the lowest price we’ve seen the 9A on sale for, matching its Prime Day price. If Dad couldn’t make it in October, he can strike now while the iron is hot again.

Of course, you don’t have to be a dad, a guy, or anyone in particular to appreciate 9A. It lacks some of the fancier features of the flagship Pixel phones (it’s now the only Google phone that doesn’t come with a telephoto lens), but it has a solid processor and a reliable camera.

It runs Google’s simplified Android implementation, so it might appeal to someone who finds Samsung’s software a bit cluttered. And at $349, it’s also a good bet for anyone who wants to pay out of pocket for a phone and avoid financing or carrier deals. That’s a heck of a value proposition for the practical person in your life – dads and the like.