After months of leaking, searching, and geeking, Google’s newest and greatest Pixel phone is finally here.
Not that one. I’m talking about the Pixel 5a — or “Google Pixel 5a with 5G,” if you want to use its quirky, weird full name. (I, ahem, no.)
The Pixel 5a, as we’ll discuss next, made its way into the world via a very modest announcement earlier this week. The phone will start shipping in the US and Japan a week starting today, on August 26th.
Now, I know: It’s not everyone’s Pixel 2021 is it right enthusiastic. That’s the Pixel 6, which is a gorgeous model two with a striking new design, a host of new camera capabilities, and Google’s homegrown processor that could introduce some really interesting new elements into the equation. This Pixel, by comparison, is pretty ho-hum. It’s understated and uninteresting. And as strange as it may sound, that’s all part of what makes it interesting.
With a price tag of $449, the Pixel 5a is a very good value. I’ve been using the device borrower review unit for the last few days, and it’s really solid from a thorough Android experience as you might ask. Almost everything that everyone has once actually asked for in a phone at this price — impressive performance, great screen, better-than-ever battery life and best-in-class camera setup paired with pure Google software and an unmatched guarantee of timely and reliable operation. system update. Plus, it even has a premium-feeling body (ooh, honey), with a sleek metal case, and the rare gem of a headphone jack, to boot.
When you look at the Pixel 5a from an overall experience and value perspective, it’s pretty clear that nothing else in this price range comes close. And there’s not much negative to say about it beyond the fact that it lacks some of the higher-priced items that its flashy flagship tier cousins can offer.
But you don’t need me to tell you all that. Our mossy Internoot is filled with page after page of thoughtful reviews. There’s not much else I can add to the discussion that hasn’t been said.
Instead, what I want to focus on here is the puzzle of the Pixel’s bigger picture and some of the thought-provoking questions the Pixel 5a has about Google’s plans for the future. As we reflect on the latest dizzying changes in what the Pixel brand represents and where it fits into the larger Android ecosystem, these questions will have us reflecting on some key points about what’s coming next and where it’s headed from here.
So put on your contemplation hat, grab your favorite drink, and let’s start thinking.
Pixel Question No. 1: What will next year’s Pixel ‘a’ model look like?
This may seem like a simple question, but it’s a question I always think of whenever I think about Pixel phones nowadays. And the answer is critical to the future of the Pixel program.
Remember: the flagship Pixel may be the most interesting device to glance at and the subject of all our Google geek passions, but in the real world, the Pixel “a” phone is the only one. Very phone search mammals actually buy. Year after year, the signs have consistently shown that the lower priced simpler Pixel “a” options are moving at a pretty good pace while the higher priced Pixel flagships remain largely niche products.
Well, this year, the Pixel 5a follows an awkward season where we see two Pixel phone “a” — apparently a random result caused by the last-minute pandemic. And as a result, this year’s Pixel “a” phone looks and feels like a small leap from final A very similar Pixel 4a 5G this year (gesundheit!).
The upcoming Pixel 6, meanwhile, has a whole new visual language and feels like a reinvention (nothing but) of what the Pixel brand represents. Perhaps most importantly, it also has Google’s own homemade chip (processor, not the tortilla variety) — which will go a long way in distinguishing the phone in terms of its capabilities and capacity for long-term support.
So with a new rearrangement behind it and all the elements of the new Pixel 6 in place, what does Google think is the right fit to do with the Pixel? 6a next summer? Will the phone retain the visual identity and framework of the current Pixel “a”-line, or will it be a downgrade to the Pixel 6’s setup years later? Will we see new mid-tier Google-made processors supporting it and potentially bringing the extended software support window to the mid-tier as well?
One way or another, the Pixel “a” domain is sure to be a place worth watching as the current evolution of the Pixel continues.
And that brings us to our second big Pixel question…
Pixel Question No. 2: How long until we get the Pixel ‘b’ line?
Until this year, the Pixel “a” phone was above the budget level. The original Pixel “a” model, the 2019 Pixel 3a, retailed for $399 at launch. A follow-up to last year’s regular Pixel 4a brought the price down to $349.
Both phones are reasonably priced, with low-end internals and a fun but noticeable plastic construction replacing the glass or aluminum exteriors that high-end phones tend to have. And let’s be honest: That positioning is a big part of their appeal and their relative sales success.
The Pixel 5a, meanwhile, essentially replaces last year’s Pixel 4a 5G, with high-end internals, aluminum frames, and other mid-range price tags to match. Now, $449 maybe not seen like a big jump from $349 or especially $399, but something about veering into that $400 range makes the phone feel significantly less affordable. It’s a matter of interpretation, but I think once you cross that $400 threshold, you move out of budget territory and into middle class territory.
So if the Pixel 5a is more of a midranger — the 2021 equivalent of the 4a 5G offering between last year — will Google round out the place with a firm budget-tier alternative in 2022?
If you ask me, it doesn’t seem like a question if and more questions about When. Google has made no secret of the fact that it wants the Pixel to be an important player in terms of overall market share. And Google’s own past statistics and smartphone market trends in general make it undeniable that the low price tier is where those profits are easiest to make. Just ask OnePlus.
Way back in the day when we first heard rumblings about plans for a mid-range Pixel, I said that it seemed inevitable that such a move was just the tip of the iceberg. Go, go, gadget quote engine:
The question we should be asking isn’t whether a mid-range Pixel phone will actually come to fruition. This is how long the device is available everywhere — and how long it will take for Next new models, either at another price point or with some other kind of form-oriented distinction, to come after.
It’s been three years since then, and we’re now staring at a lineup where we have a high-end, likely-$1,000+ flagship and a mid-way step-down alternative but still a $449 premium.
For now, Google says it “hopes” to continue selling last year’s Pixel 4a as long as it can secure all the necessary parts. But it’s definitely not a long-term solution, and it comes with a warning to potential buyers that the phone is already a full year into its life and thus has less than two years of support remaining.
One clear piece is still missing from this puzzle. And if I’m a gambler, I’d say it’s only a matter of time until we see the lower-end Pixel “b” phones come along to complete the Pixel’s image and fill the last void left.
Things are sure to get interesting here in Google land, and all signs suggest that what we’re seeing now is just the beginning of the story.
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