With everyone talking about the Google Pixel 6 – what does it bring, how does it look – I think we’ve forgotten one tiny thing: there is another Pixel phone coming, besides the 6: Pixel 5a, my friends.
Google is still going to churn out thousands of phones from the budget Pixel line. And guess what? This year, Pixel 5a is not only going to surpass all the a’s before it but it will put the Pixel 5 to shame, as well.
Google Pixel 5a: Insane display
For one, it will bring forward an insane display – for a Pixel, that is. It will be substantially bigger than the Pixel 5, which had a 6-inches screen… and even the Pixel 4a 5G. So we’re talking about 6.4-inches of OLED goodness with a 90Hz refresh rate which, for a budget smartphone, I’d say it’s good as you get.
And that’s not the only thing this Pixel will have plenty of.
Google Pixel 6: This is the Google Phone We Deserve
Google Pixel 5a: Bigger battery than Pixel 5
Turns out, the Pixel 5a is going to offer you plenty of juice to keep up with your scrolling or video recording! We’re talking here a 4,650 mAh battery (which is dangerously close to 5,000mAh, the amount you’d normally get from a really buff flagship nowadays).
If you are thinking of upgrading your Pixel 5, then you know this is a good deal considering that device came with a 4,080 mAh battery. Again, Google shows good will by throwing in some extra meat to a phone that would otherwise pass unnoticed.
Google Pixel 5a: An audio surprise
That’s not all. One thing the mobile world can’t agree on is the need for an audio jack anymore. To be honest, almost every audio manufacturer out there made sure to launch at least one wireless headphone model so far, so you might argue we… don’t.
Unless you do swear by a wired headphone model and the absence of an audio jack is an instant turn off. For those relentless souls, Google made an exception and added an audio jack on the Pixel 5a. Again, a jack where the Pixel 5 has none.
We’re not done; there’s still one more way the Pixel 5a is showing Pixel 5 the door. But before I go into that, there’s a couple more things you should know.
The Pixel A mid rangers always showed up before the main act, so before October hit. This year, Pixel 5a won’t make an exception. In fact, rumor is the phone is gonna drop this August, probably during the last week of the month.
Now that would make August the most exciting summer month BY FAR! Somehow, this month checks out three major phone launches. You have Samsung’s foldables this week – the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold 3.
Then, Xiaomi! That company just unveiled the Mi Mix 4. I’ve not decided whether launching the Mi Mix 4 one day before Samsung Unpacked was a smart move… or a miscalculation. Granted, they’re not fighting the same markets, with Mi Mix 4 going live just in China… still the news flood might drown one or the other.
And, since we’re talking about markets, you should know the Pixel 5a won’t make it far, distance-wise. Google is planning to release this phone only in Japan and the U.S. There won’t be a second version either; not an XL or a smaller one.
What you see is what you get.
What you will get, spec wise, is plenty. You’ll have a Pixel 5a running on the best Snapdragon can offer for mid rangers, which is a 765 chip so 5G is in the cards, after all.
Don’t expect miracles in the camera department, though. Google is putting all its camera eggs in one basket: the Pixel 6. That means Pixel 5a will be stuck with the Pixel 5 combo: a dual affair with a 12MP main and a 16MP ultra wide, OIS and an 8MP selfie. If it were any other manufacturer but Google, those numbers would have been a red flag. But we know Google’s biggest strength is camera software and their uncanny ability to give you pro photography tools without pumping up the megapixels.
What it won’t rev up, however, are the memory and storage. Sorry, guys, we won’t have the 8GB of RAM Pixel 5 had, instead having to settle for just 6GB. There won’t be wireless charging present although I suspect that’s not such a downer considering most of us rely on cables still.
You should also be aware of the fact that the design of the Pixel 5a won’t break the mould. You’ll find the fingerprint sensor on the back, the selfie punch hole camera on the front and a Matte Black body to top it off.
Google Pixel 5a: Unbelievable price
What will raise some eyebrows is the… price. This phone will allegedly sell for just $450 – half the price of a flagship nowadays, and loads cheaper than the Pixel 5. Plus, it’s 50 dollars less than the Pixel 4a 5G!
Knowing everything you know right now, what do you think: will Google reign supreme this year with Pixel 5a and Pixel 6 under their belt?
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