Pixel 5 uses an aluminium rear but still supports wireless charging - see why

Barely 24 hours ago, Google officially released its latest smartphones - Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5. These smartphones use mid-range chips but they offer some flagship features. According to the official specs, the Pixel 5 comes with an aluminum back shell. However, this smartphone still supports wireless charging. How is this possible? How did Google manage to have an aluminum rear phone that supports wireless charging? These are pertinent questions that netizens have been asking since the launch of this device.

We know that the charging signal cannot pass through metal. This is why most phones that are compatible with wireless charging use glass, ceramic, or plastic back cases. Technically, Google Pixel 5 uses an aluminum rear, however, it has a thin layer of "bioresin" material on it. "Bioresin" is a fancy name for an ultra-thin plastic. You will feel it when you hold the device, but the aluminum underneath supports the structure of the Pixel 5.

This also allows Google to create a physical hole in the aluminum chassis of the Pixel 5 to place the wireless charging coil. Google says that you can't feel the coil because the resin is very strong, even if the design is thin.

But why the long process? Why did Google not simply use a glass rear directly on Pixel 5? According to the company, the aluminum frame and bio-resin coating allow the device to maintain a relatively slim profile. This design gives more room for its 4080 mAh battery which is "average" in today's Android smartphone market.

However, GooglePixel 5 users will probably appreciate the aluminum rear. Generally, aluminum mobile phones are much stronger than glass phones because they are not easy to crack. In all, it remains to be seen how this bio-resin can withstand drops.

From October 15th, the Pixel 5 will be available for purchase in the US and UK. This smartphone will cost $699 and £599 in the U.S and the U.K. respectively. However, these smartphones are currently available for pre-order. If you need any of Google's new smartphones, you can pre-order it directly from Google's web store.

Unfortunately, there is no launch date(s) for these devices in other markets. Nevertheless, we expect that the smartphone will be available in other regions. However, it is worthy of note that Google will only produce 800,000 units of the Pixel 5 this year. Thus, its sales this year may not be as widespread as we expect.