A few hours ago,
Google officially released two 5G smartphones -
Pixel 4a (5G) and
Pixel 5. These devices ships with Android 11 out-of-the-box and Google is promising a 3-year maintenance plan. However, looking at the configuration of these devices, they are mid-range at best. However, Google seems to be very careful with the current market situation. According to reports, Google plans to ship only 800,000 Pixel 5 smartphones this year. This means that potential buyers have to be fast because this device will probably not be on the shelves for long.
In addition, the cumulative shipment of
Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), and Pixel within 5 years is only set at 3 million units. In fact,
Google's own mobile
phones sell several million units each year. For 2019, it was about 7.2 million units. In 2020, it is expected to be only about 4.7 million units. Besides, there is no
Pixel 5 XL this year. Instead, Google wants to promote Pixel 4a
5G, which is cheaper and has the largest screen.
Taking a look at the current market trends,
Google is probably taking the right decision. Not many people will think that the new Pixel
phones are the best device to buy currently. The
Pixel 5 comes with a mid-range chipset and it costs $699. This is the price of many recent flagship smartphones, especially from Chinese manufacturers. In today's smartphone market, Google can not be too optimistic about the sales of Pixel 5. Nevertheless, the company probably has a niche of customers who will buy this device irrespective of what it offers.
The supposed lower-end
Google Pixel 4a seems a bit more attractive. This smartphone comes with the same chip as the
Pixel 5. Both smartphones have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G under the hood. It also comes with a large display and it is offering technically everything that the Pixel 5 is offering. Of course, it is cheaper. This smartphone is $200 cheaper.
However, there are a couple of features that the
Pixel 5 has which are not available on the
Pixel 4a. We have the likes of 90Hz refresh rate, build quality, water resistance (IP68), and wireless charging. If none of these features are a big deal for you, then you may want to buy the Pixel 4a for $499 instead of the Pixel 5 for $699.
Considering the stocking of
Pixel 5, we believe that the
Pixel 4a will not be too available also. If you need any of
Google's latest
phones, visit Google's web store to place your order.