Believe it or not, Google has released a single in-house smartphone in the last 11 months, and although the Pixel 4a is without a question one of the best mid-range Android soldiers available right now for cash-strapped buyers, it's safe to say a Snapdragon 730 device is not exactly ideal for most power users.
Fortunately, the search giant is almost certainly preparing to unveil not one but two all-new phones in less than a week. Unfortunately, the Pixel 5 and 4a (5G) are not expected to pack a high-end Snapdragon 865 or 865+ SoC either, settling instead for undoubtedly the world's most popular upper mid-end chipset offering support for the fastest wireless networks out there.
Of course, Samsung, LG, and Motorola have proven of late that Snapdragon 765 devices can be more than reasonably powerful and pretty much irresistibly priced, which Google is also virtually guaranteed to pull off in the not-so-distant future. Sadly, said future might be a little more distant than you probably expected as far as one of the two upcoming 5G-enabled Pixels is concerned.
Who's willing to wait until November... or 2021 for the Pixel 4a 5G?
No one? Absolutely nobody? Not a single soul in the universe? How about never? That doesn't sound very pleasant, but according to the prolific (although not always reliable) Twitter leaker Jon Prosser, the "Clearly White" version of the mid-range Google Pixel 4a (5G) could come out as late as next year... or never.
In fact, Prosser believes it's "more likely" that the company will altogether cancel this particular model, exclusively releasing the 5G-capable Pixel 4a in "Just Black" on November 19. That wouldn't be an especially impressive turnaround time for a handset tipped to both go official and up for pre-order on September 30 either, but hey, at least some early adopters could receive their units ahead of Thanksgiving.
Despite what the name suggests, you should keep in mind that the Pixel 4a 5G is rumored to have more in common with the Pixel 5 5G than the 4G LTE-only 4a. We're talking the aforementioned Snapdragon 765 processor, as well as a dual rear-facing camera system and a large battery capable of keeping up with the energy consumption needs of the added 5G connectivity.
Curiously enough, the Pixel 4a 5G is expected to come with a bigger 6.2-inch screen than the 6-inch Pixel 5 and a slightly smaller 3,800mAh cell. The secondary rear shooter should be a less impressive 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens too, with a downgrade from 8 to 6 gigs of RAM also rumored to play its part in keeping the retail price at the affordable $499 level.
The Pixel 5 5G is coming a lot sooner
Like its bigger and cheaper brother, the 5G-enabled Google Pixel 5 is reportedly set for a pre-order start on the day of its announcement, but instead of keeping you waiting for months on end, this bad boy should begin shipping as early as October 15.
That's... not bad for the difficult times we live in, and even better, the Pixel 5 will apparently be released simultaneously in a grand total of two colors. By the way, that sleek green hue recently leaked in an official-looking promo image could be marketed as "Subtle Sage", according to Prosser, which definitely fits Google's M.O. when it comes to these types of things, following in the footsteps of the "Oh So Orange" Pixel 4, "Purple-ish" Pixel 3a, or "Kinda Blue" Pixel 2.
"Confirmed" to cost an almost surprisingly reasonable (by Google standards, at least) $700 in a 128GB storage variant with a generous 8GB memory count, the Just Black and Subtle Sage Pixel 5 may or may not rock a premium glass back in combination with a metal frame.
Its more than respectable spec sheet also includes a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens aiding a main 12.2MP rear camera, as well as a 4,080mAh battery with fast charging, wireless, and reverse wireless charging support, a 90Hz OLED display sporting a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels, IP68 water and dust resistance, stereo speakers, and a conventional rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.
That's all well and good, but the question on our minds right now is whether or not the Pixel 5 5G can fend off an arguably superior Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G in all but the camera department that's already available at a lower price than $699. What do you guys think?
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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