Skip to main content

You can buy a Pixel 4a now, but Google’s already teasing the Pixel 5

Google is going phone crazy for the remainder of 2020. It has announced the long-awaited Google Pixel 4a and teased a future 5G version of the phone, while also confirming the Pixel 5 will arrive in the fall. Having started off the year by discontinuing the Pixel 3a, this is great news for fans of smartphones that boast awesome cameras.

Pixel 4a Google

The Google Pixel 4a shares a similar look to the Pixel 4, with a square camera module in the top-left corner of the rear panel. The camera will be the big draw for many people, as the Pixel 4a has a single 12.2-megapixel sensor packed with all of Google’s excellent computational photography software, including Night Sight, astrophotography mode, and portrait mode.

Recommended Videos

Around the front is an 8-megapixel hole-punch selfie camera, meaning Google has done away with the large bezels featured on the Pixel 3a. The OLED screen measures 5.8-inches with a 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution, and it has neatly rounded corners that give the phone a modern, slick appearance.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space, along with a 3,140mAh battery that Google promises will last a full day. Made from polycarbonate, the lightweight, 143-gram Pixel 4a has a fingerprint scanner on the back, a colorful power button on the side, and even a headphone jack on the top.

Android 10 will be installed complete with Google Assistant and other software features including Live Caption for real-time captioning for video and audio, and Recorder for transcriptions. Expect the Pixel 4a to be at the top of the list for Android 11 when it’s released later this year, and for major software updates afterwards too.

What the Pixel 4a doesn’t have is 5G, but Google has let us in on a secret about that: It will release a 5G version of the Pixel 4a later this year, along with a 5G Pixel 5 too. We knew a Pixel 5 would be coming, but it’s nice to hear from Google that it will arrive at some point in the fall.

The Pixel 4a will be available from Google’s online store soon for just $349, or 267 British pounds. That makes it cheaper than the $399 Apple iPhone SE 2020, as well as cheaper than the 379 pound OnePlus Nord. When the Pixel 4a 5G arrives, it will cost $499, but there’s no word on how much the Pixel 5 will cost, or the exact release dates of either phone.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
5 phones you should buy instead of the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL sitting upright outside.

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, you could be eyeing the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. And there’s nothing wrong with that — it’s a great phone! It has Google’s Tensor G4 chip inside, along with 16GB RAM, up to 1TB storage, plenty of Google Gemini AI goodies, ample storage, and a fantastic triple lens camera system. Plus, it even comes in a gorgeous pink Rose Quartz color.

But as great as the Pixel 9 Pro XL is, there are also plenty of other excellent alternatives if you want to save some money or get even better features. Here are some phones to consider instead of the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Google Pixel 9 Pro

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the iPhone 16
Someone holding the iPhone 16.

Apple’s iPhone 16 has arrived, and it’s quite an impressive offering this year. Not only does it come in some of the best colors we’ve seen in a while, but it closes the gap between the base and Pro models even more.

That's all to say the iPhone 16 is a fantastic phone, but if you’re thinking about buying it as your next smartphone purchase, you should also consider some of these alternatives.
iPhone 16 Plus

Read more
Google’s Pixel phones may finally catch up with the iPhone
Tensor chip inside Pixel 6a.

“The Tensor inside Pixels is essentially a mirror of Samsung’s Exynos silicon, and so are the problems.” That's a rough summation of Pixel user sentiments over the past few years.

If you’re a Pixel smartphone user and have encountered problems such as overheating and poor battery, as well as subpar performance when compared against the Qualcomm processors built atop the TSMC stack, you get the gist. Things might change next year, though, for good.

Read more