Ever since Apple announced the iPhone SE 2020, Android fans have been waiting for Google to launch the Pixel 4a, which is expected to be cheaper than the new budget iPhone. But Google has been delaying its upcoming midrange Pixel device.
The Pixel 4a, which will be succeeding the highly capable compact powerhouse Pixel 3a, was originally expected to arrive in May but got pushed to June 1. Google was expected to finally make the device official during the Android 11 Beta launch livestream. Now a new report from a trusted leaker suggests the highly leaked Pixel 4a will get a July release.
Serial leaker and YouTuber Jon Prosser, who has a very good track record when it comes to Apple-related leaks, has tweeted that the Google Pixel 4a will be announced on July 13.
Prosser, who runs the YouTube channel 'Front Page Tech', had previously predicted the release date of the iPhone SE (April 15) and was spot on, which makes the chances of the Pixel 4a launching on July 13 pretty high.
No 5G Variant
The leaker, who usually gives important "spoiler alerts," reiterated that the new budget Pixel will not come with 5G support, and will just come in a 4G variant.
According to Prosser, the Pixel 4a will arrive in two colorways: "Just Black" and "Barely Blue.". The units are ready to ship, but the decision to push the launch to July is based on market analysis owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Pixel 4a has been one of the most anticipated phones of the year in view of the good record its predecessor, the Pixel 3a, especially when it came to camera performance and price.
The Pixel 3a was launched last year for $399, the same price as the iPhone SE 2020, and took some very impressive photos for its price bracket. The USP of Google's Pixel devices is their cameras and vanilla Android experience with regular software updates. The Pixel 4a is expected to rival more expensive phones with Google's well-optimized software experience and exceptional camera performance.
A Pixel That's Also a Looker
The phone has been leaked many times over in live photos as well as some hands-on videos, just like the other Google Pixels in the past. But the leaked images and videos show the Pixel 4a is quite different from the earlier Pixel devices with the full-screen hole punch display upfront making it look way more modern than the Pixel 3a. In contrast, the new iPhone SE has a smallish 4.7-inch display surrounded by unsightly thick bezels which make it look like a phone from a long time ago.
Leaked Specs
The Pixel 4a is expected to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 SoC paired, which is a very capable processor, along with 4 gigs of RAM and offer 64GB and storage. The phone has a 5.81-inch OLED punch hole display with Full HD+ resolution and a 3080mAh battery. There is a single 12MP shooter at the back, which may not sound impressive but it is backed by Google's impressive image processing magic, which makes all the difference.
Pixel 4a Price
Another big leak regarding the Pixel 4a is its amazing price which is rumored to undercut the iPhone SE's $399 price tag with a rumored starting price of $349, a full $50 less than the iPhone. Although the new iPhone SE has been pitted against the Pixel 3a, and Samsung Galaxy A51 in many comparisons because of their similar pricing, the 4a could be the real challenger to the iPhone when it arrives.
What About the XL Model?
When Google launched the Pixel 3a last year, it also introduced a bigger Pixel 3a XL model alongside. It is possible that Google launches the regular 4a first, then the Pixel 4a XL at a later point in time, since we haven't seen the Pixel 4a XL in any leaks so far. Or it could be that Google makes another surprise announcement on July 13 but Prosser does not mention any XL model in his tweet.
Apple too is rumored to launch an iPhone SE Plus variant which will basically be an updated iPhone 8 Plus with an A13 chip. But that will not arrive until later this year or may be in the first half of next year, according to some reports. Google might follow a similar approach with the Pixel 4a XL.
