Search engine giant, Google on Tuesday (August 17) released a press statement announcing the launch of the new budget Pixel 5a series phone.
The new Pixel 5a sports a slightly bigger 6.34-inch full HD+ OLED screen compared to the predecessor. But, supports standard 60Hz display refresh rate and features a biometric (Pixel Imprint) sensor on the back.
Also, it comes with a polycarbonate case on the back, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an IP67 rating, meaning the device can sustain underwater for up to 1 metre (around three feet) for close to 30 minutes
Inside, it comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G octa-core processor with Adreno 620 GPU, Titan M security chip, Android 11 OS, 8GB RAM, and 128GB storage.
It has the same photography hardware as we see in the Pixel 4a with 5G. It features a dual-camera module-- main 12.2MP wide sensor (1.4 μm pixel width, Autofocus with dual pixel phase detection, Optical + electronic image stabilization, ƒ/1.7 aperture & 77-degree field of view) backed by 16MP ultra-wide (1.0 μm pixel width, ƒ/2.2 aperture & 107-degree field of view) and LED flash. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 30 Frames Per Second (FPS), 60 FPS, 120 FPS and 240 FPS, and 4K at 30 FPS & 60 FPS. Also, they support Live HDR+, Cinematic Pan, Night Sight on Portrait Mode, new Google Photos editor offers studio-quality light to the portraits of people with Portrait Light.
On the front, They boast an 8MP with 1.12 μm pixel width, ƒ/2.0 aperture, fixed focus, and 83-degree field of view.
Besides the screen size, one other improvement we see in the Pixel 5a with 5G over the 2020 series Pixel 4a with 5G is the battery. The former features 4,680mAh compared to 3,885mAh in the latter. But, it has the same 18W fast charger but lacks the wireless charging feature.
Having gone through the spec-sheet of the Pixel 5a with 5G, there is a very little upgrade (only the screen size and battery capacity) over the predecessor Pixel 4a with 5G. It will be available for $449 in the US and Japan. Consumers can pre-book starting from August 17 and buy off-the-shelf from August 26 onwards.
The new Pixel 5a with 5G comes in one colour-- Mostly Black, with forest green undertones and an olive-colored Power button. Google is also offering new cases in four different colours. Each case color creates unique shades for personalization.
However, there is no official word whether Google has a Pixel 5a with 4G to replace the Pixel 4a launched in emerging markets like India in 2020.
The predecessor was one of the best selling mid-range phones on Google's e-commerce partner Flipkart.
It will be a shame if Google has no plans to bring a Pixel 4a successor in India, the world's second-biggest and also fastest-growing smartphone market.
Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cybersecurity, and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.