Google’s stock price peaks at its highest point in twelve years following glowing Pixel reviews

The cat’s out of the bag, and so are Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL. With the embargo having lifted earlier this morning, pundits from all over the tech world have shared their opinion on the handset, and, as it turns out, it’s a mostly positive one. You can read our own take here — and maybe understand a little better why this is good news for Google…

Well, for one: of course it is! The reviews have generally been glowing, with some minor annoyances easily outweighed by the device’s stupendous camera, battery life, performance and so on. Let alone the fact that, finally, the long time iPhone-exclusive hardware and software integration is showing its magic on Android‘s side of the spectrum, too.

But said magic didn’t stop there, in fact, and flew directly into Google’s pockets. As per a Bloomberg report, the company’s stock price gained 2.5%, flying to a staggering $826.85 — which followed an even higher $828, the highest price the firm has ever registered since its shares were first traded in the public markets back on August 19, 2004.

Youssef Squali, an analyst at financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, attributed Alphabet’s share gain to the general approval of the Pixel. “Part of it is the Pixel reviews, which have been more positive than I expected,” Squali said. “Partly it’s the Netflix effect. Great earnings. Google is reporting next week. There’s hope for a strong quarter from all internet companies,” he told Bloomberg.

It may not be the massively overblown $1000 figure pictured by some other analysts a couple of weeks ago, but the initial estimate of $804 has nonetheless been beaten. And, regardless of numbers, this is indeed a very positive sign for Google. This was its first truly important plunge in the hardware game (marketing and all), and the highly bullish feedback won’t do anything but help.

As Bloomberg’s own report reminded, Google is in it “for the long run,” so we can expect its hardware efforts to be even more important — and, ostensibly, polished — in the years to come, now that Rick Osterloh’s hardware team has had a proven solid start.