The season of new smartphone launches has kicked off with the Samsung Unpacked event a few days ago, and now, competitors are rushing to launch their own devices in the market to see who will come out on top. While an industry giant thanks to its search offerings, Google’s phones have not been able to break into the mainstream like Samsung and Apple. However, this year, the company is looking to shake things up with the Pixel 5a- the latest addition to its mid range line of devices.
The Pixel 5a, which was earlier speculated to have been cancelled, was launched today at the price tag of $449, making it cheaper than the Pixel 4a at launch. This competitive pricing could have helped it fare better in markets like India, where the mid range section is dominated by the likes of OnePlus. However, much like its predecessor, the phone will not launch in the second largest Internet market in the world.
Nonetheless, let’s get down into the nitty gritty. The phone will be powered by Snapdragon 765G processor, even though Google has been hinting at a in house processor for the flagship Pixel 6 that is due for a launch sometime later this year. It will come equipped with 6Gigs of RAM and 128GB internal storage, making it the perfect competitor for OnePlus Nord.
However, to cut down on costs, the phone will feature a 60Hz display, which feels a little outdated in 2021. However, if you are willing to sacrifice on that end, the phone’s 6.34-inch 1080P OLED display (compared to 6.2-inches on the Pixel 4a 5G launched last year) should give you a good viewing experience, especially for the price.
The phone will feature a 12.2-megapixel primary sensor and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide secondary sensor on the back, and will support selfies with an an 8-megapixel shooter at the front.
To power all of this, Google has put a a massive 4680mAh battery (which might be somewhat of an overkill) in the Pixel 5a. This huge battery size, coupled with the lack of a higher refresh rate should mean that your Pixel 5a will last the entire day. Nonetheless, to seal the deal, Google is marketing an all-new Extreme Battery Saver mode, adding that the phone might last 48 hours if this mode is turned on.
Last but not least, the phone also has an IP67 rating. This is the only USP that gives the phone a slight edge over the competition, since an official rating is rare in the $500 price bracket.
With competition heating up in the smartphone market at the upper ends, this new offering shows that the mid range sector is also ready for a renaissance.
The Pixel 5a has been made only in select markets, and will go on sale in USA and Japan starting August 26.
