Skip to main content

The teasing is over, and Google’s $499 Pixel 4a 5G is here

The Google Pixel 4a 5G is here, after Google recently teased us about it coming soon. What you get is the Pixel 4a we already know and love with a few small alterations, and one big speed-boosting new feature that will ensure the phone stays fresh for the future: 5G connectivity. You’re going to pay more for the phone, it’s $499 instead of $349, but it may save you upgrading next year if 5G becomes the object of your desire.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

5G is delivered with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G processor and its 5G modem, plus the phone has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space. The chip is the same as we’ve seen in the OnePlus Nord and the LG Velvet. Switch on the Pixel 4a 5G and you’re greeted by Android 11, the very latest version of Google’s software, and a big advantage of buying a Pixel phone is that it will be speedily updated with new versions for the next two years as well.

What else? The same brilliant 12.2-megapixel camera from the Pixel 4a is found on the back of the 4a 5G, promising photos that will make your jaw drop, even in low light with Google’s Night Sight mode, plus all the impressive HDR+ enhancements that make your photos pop. What’s more exciting is the addition of a 16MP ultra-wide-angle camera, just like on the new Pixel 5, giving the camera more versatility.

On the front is an 8MP selfie camera, and inside is a 3,800mAh battery, which is a little larger than the one in the 4G Pixel 4a. You’ll get a better look at the photos you take too, as the Pixel 4a 5G’s OLED screen is a little larger at 6.2-inches, compared to the 5.8-inch Pixel 4a. It’s the best way to tell the two phones apart, as the design is otherwise very similar, right down to the fingerprint sensor on the back.

You can join the waiting list for the Pixel 4a 5G through Google’s online store now, where it costs $499 or 499 British pounds, and shipping is expected to start on November 11. Verizon will also sell the Pixel 4a 5G from October 29.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Your next phone could get a huge 5G upgrade, thanks to AI
Qualcomm Snapdragon X80 Modem-RF chip.

It’s that time of year again when Qualcomm ushers in its next generation of 5G modem technology. Announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC ) 2024, this year’s Snapdragon X80 5G Modem-RF system is the successor to last year’s Snapdragon X75, and it builds on the 5G Advanced foundation laid last year with more raw power and new AI features.

While the Snapdragon X75 moved the needle by adding support for the latest 5G Advanced standards, we’re still in that fourth phase of 5G technology, otherwise known as 3GPP Release 18 — and most carrier networks are still catching up. So, with no new standards to embrace, Qualcomm has focused on improving the inside of the Snapdragon X80 to take even fuller advantage of these cutting-edge 5G technologies.
The magic of AI-powered 5G

Read more
This tiny dongle will change 5G connectivity forever
TCL Linkkey IK511 5G Dongle against a blue background.

TCL is having a busy start to 2024. First, it announced a staggering number of new smartphones and two new tablets at CES, and now it’s unveiling something else at MWC 2024 — one of the world’s first 5G dongles that takes advantage of the latest power-efficient 5G standards.

TCL Mobile’s Linkkey IK511 is a pocketable new 5G adapter that’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF system, which debuted last year as the first 5G modem to support the new NR-Light “RedCap” standard.
5G for everyone, everything, everywhere
TCL Linkkey IK511 TCL

Read more
T-Mobile just set another 5G speed record
Cell phone tower shooting off pink beams with a 5G logo next to it.

T-Mobile’s rivals may be nipping at its heels in the 5G race, but the Uncarrier is determined to stay ahead of the game. It not only boasts the fastest and most expansive 5G network in the U.S., but it’s actively working on technologies that will help it reach even greater peak speeds.

Two years ago, T-Mobile used a relatively new technique known as 5G Carrier Aggregation (5G CA) to achieve the kind of 3Gbps download speeds on midband frequencies that had previously been the exclusive domain of extremely high (and extremely short-range) mmWave technologies. Now, it’s chalked up another 5G first by taking advantage of the latest developments to shatter the traditional cap on upload speeds over sub-6GHz frequencies.
T-Mobile's newest 5G record

Read more