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Pixel 5 is off to a good start in Europe: is it because of the non-US sub-6 model?

Published: Oct 02, 2020, 5:51 PM

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Pixel 5 is off to a good start in Europe: is it because of the non-US sub-6 model?

The Pixel 5 is enjoying a warm welcome in the European countries it has launched in, early metrics suggest.

The green and black variants currently occupy the second and third spots, respectively, on Amazon UK's best sellers list for unlocked smartphones.

If you are thinking about buying it through the British or French Google Store, you better hurry up, as Pixel 5 Sorta Sage pre-order has already sold out, and your only option is Just Black at the moment.

Both models are listed as out of stock on the company's German website, and the same is the case for Irish buyers.

Of course, this doesn't serve as a definitive proof that sales are robust, and we don't know how many units Google had in stock, to begin with. The company has reportedly set a modest sales target of 1 million units for the Pixel 5, but it will only be able to produce 800,000 units this year because of supply-side issue.

Pixel 5 retail price could have been $599 in the US, were it not for Verizon

Compared to the US, the Pixel 5 is more reasonably priced in rest of the markets, if you count out import duties and VAT.

In the US, we have Google and Verizon's camaraderie to thank for the $699 price tag.

The Pixel 4a (5G), on the other hand, costs $499 despite having the same key specs - the Snapdragon 765G, 128GB of storage, dual camera setup (12.2MP + 16MP), and an 8MP front camera.

The Pixel 5 offers more battery capacity, wireless charging, water resistance, an aluminum shell, a higher refresh rate, and more RAM.

If you want Verizon's Pixel 4a (5G) which supports mmWave 5G, you will have to shell out $100 more, and this also explains why the Pixel 5 costs $699 in the US.

The Pixel 5 is $699 in the US and $799 in Canada. This isn't Google being kind on the exchange rate. It's because US buyers are spending an extra $100 for mmWave 5G and Canadians aren't, simple as that.

Every phone with mmWave costs more, whether you use it or not. pic.twitter.com/V7LXAtP31P
— Daniel Bader (@journeydan) October 1, 2020

The $499 Pixel 4a (5G) is the sub-6 model. The Pixel 5, unfortunately, doesn't come in a sub-6-only version in America, and that's the reason why US consumers have to pay more than the rest of the world for the same phone. So, whether you buy the Verizon-locked version or not, you will still have to pay for mmWave connectivity.

Even though Google is making a big deal out of the fact that it is not selling a $1,000 phone during the pandemic, a $599 retail tag would have made much more sense for the specs we are getting.

The addition of mmWave support is also presumably the reason why the phone will arrive in the US after in launches in other markets.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.