Skip to main content

At least one Google Pixel 4a variant will reportedly support 5G

The 5G landscape is finally taking shape as network carriers begin its rollout in a handful of countries — and Google may be gearing up to capitalize on that to sell its forthcoming affordable phone, the Pixel 4a. A new report suggests that at least one variant of Google’s upcoming Pixel 4a range of phones will support 5G networks.

The folks at XDA Developers have managed to unearth three code names inside Android’s publicly available repositories, two of which are most likely Pixel 4a references. Further evidence discovered alongside these findings reveals that a device code-named “Redfin” is being developed on Qualcomm’s latest midrange chipset, the Snapdragon 765. The 756 SoC is Qualcomm’s first affordable processor that comes integrated with a 5G modem.

The other model runs on the successor to what powered last year’s Pixel 3a — the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730. This corroborates earlier leaks and makes sense as well given that Google will want to maintain the Pixel 4a’s starting cost in the same price bracket as the Pixel 3a. The Snapdragon 730 is a common chipset found among several midrange phone makers and is restricted to LTE connections.

We’re still months away from the Google Pixel 4a’s official release and thus it’s best to take these early reports with a pinch of salt. The Pixel 4a’s 5G compatibility is especially surprising considering it could end up shooting the phone’s cost upward of $500 — not far from Google’s flagship Pixel 4’s discounted prices.

In addition, the Pixel 4a’s target consumers are unlikely to jump to expensive 5G plans anytime soon. Google may turn this to its advantage, arguing that the Pixel 4a will be able to last longer thanks to the three years of guaranteed software updates and yes, 5G support.

A few days ago, leaked renders of the Google Pixel 4a offered a first look at its design. The images claimed the Pixel 4a will have a punch-hole display and a square-shaped camera bump on the rear. Unfortunately, it reportedly still houses only a single camera paired with an LED flash. Plus, the Pixel 4a will possibly have a physical fingerprint sensor on the back which kills the possibility of it offering Project Soli gestures.

Editors' Recommendations

Shubham Agarwal
Shubham Agarwal is a freelance technology journalist from Ahmedabad, India. His work has previously appeared in Firstpost…
Have an old Google Pixel? This camera test will make you want a Pixel 7a
The Pixel 7a and Pixel 4a's camera modules.

Three years separate the Google Pixel 4a and the Google Pixel 7a, and the internal specs and camera hardware are very different. But just how much do you notice when putting the two against each other and taking photos?

If you have a Pixel 4a and are thinking the Pixel 7a would be a good upgrade — or are interested to see how Google has advanced its camera and related software over the past three years — this test is for you.
How the cameras differ

Read more
Don’t buy the Pixel Tablet; get this cheaper Android tablet instead
OnePlus Pad with official Stylo pencil stylus on a wooden table.

The market for Android tablets appears to be sinking, but the likes of the Pixel Tablet may have some role in salvaging it. The Pixel Tablet, launched last week -- exactly a year after it was first unveiled -- marks Google's reentry into the tablet segment after almost a decade.

While this development may help bring more manufacturers onto the scene, Google itself feels shy about making big claims about performance and productivity. Instead, the Pixel Tablet is projected as a mere hybrid upgrade to the Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max.

Read more
I’m excited for the Google Pixel Fold, and you should be too
Side view of the Pixel Fold

It’s official: the Google Pixel Fold is coming. After months of rumors and speculation, Google revealed the Pixel Fold on Star Wars Day, of all days. With the tagline “May The Fold Be With You,” Google dropped a tweet that showed off the Pixel Fold in all of its glory. And now, after the official announcement at Google I/O 2023, the Google Pixel Fold is shaping up to be one of the more exciting releases this year.

I’ve always been an iPhone gal, but since I joined Digital Trends, I’ve been checking out Android phones more than ever before. I’ve taken quite a liking to the Pixel lineup of devices, including the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7a, which also just dropped today. But the Google Pixel Fold is the one device I can’t wait to get my hands on, especially when compared to the competing Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 (and the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which is likely coming this year too).
It looks like the perfect compact size

Read more