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Google Announces Low-Cost 5G Pixel 5a Smartphone, Plans to Nix Chargers in Box Going Forward

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Google today announced the launch of the low-cost 5G Pixel 5a, a follow up to the Pixel 4a that debuted last year. At its $449 price point, the Pixel 5a most closely competes with the $399 iPhone SE, which is $50 cheaper, though it has a similar feature set to Apple's $699 iPhone 12 mini thanks to the inclusion of 5G.

google-pixel-5a.jpg

Apple is rumored to be working on a new version of the iPhone SE that will also include 5G, with the device set to launch in 2022. The updated iPhone SE will be positioned as Apple's cheapest 5G iPhone, and based on the $449 price point of the Pixel 5a, it could be priced similarly to keep it competitive with lower-cost Android devices.

In addition to 5G mmWave and sub-6GHz connectivity, the Pixel 5a brings a bigger 6.3-inch hole punch display that offers more available screen space than the prior Pixel 4a, so it may still have an edge over Apple's upcoming 2022 iPhone SE. The new iPhone SE is rumored to feature a design that's "roughly the same" as the current iPhone SE, which is modeled after the iPhone 8.

Other Pixel 5a features include IP67 water resistance, a dual camera setup with wide and ultra wide lenses, a 4,620mAh battery, 6GB RAM, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chip.

Google is selling the Pixel 5a with an 18W adapter that supports fast charging, but Google is taking a page from Apple's playbook. The Pixel 5a will be the last Pixel phone that will include a charger, according to The Verge. Google says that because most people already have a charging brick, its future phones, including the upcoming Pixel 6, will not ship with one.

Apple stopped providing a 5W charger with iPhone models in 2020 and in most countries, iPhones no longer come with a charger.

Article Link: Google Announces Low-Cost 5G Pixel 5a Smartphone, Plans to Nix Chargers in Box Going Forward
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/08/17/google-5g-low-cost-pixel-5a-smartphone/
Great price for a pretty good device. The Pixel cameras in the 4a/4a 5G and now this, all compete with the best phone cameras out there. If mobile photography is a priority with a reasonable budget in mind, it is really hard to ignore the Pixel 4a/4a5G/5a phones. Google's variant of "Vanilla" android is also the best (IMO). Being that this is MacRumors, don't think many folks here are interested in the slightest. 😉
 
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Would be nice if Apple could also offer an iPhone SE Plus that has the same form factor as the iPhone 6/6s/7/8 had. I still think that design looks pretty good. Not sure if I can get fully used to the rounded corners and the aspect ratio of iPhones since Face ID came around. :)
 
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lpolarityl said:
Great price for a pretty good device. The Pixel cameras in the 4a/4a 5G and now this, all compete with the best phone cameras out there. If mobile photography is a priority with a reasonable budget in mind, it is really hard to ignore the Pixel 4a/4a5G/5a phones. Google's variant of "Vanilla" android is also the best (IMO). Being that this is MacRumors, don't think many folks here are interested in the slightest. 😉
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great price for a slow device. I guess if that is not a concern, then the basic speed has long been surpassed and extra speed buys you nothing?
 
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There are actually quite a few pretty damn great budget Android smartphones out now. I got a Samsung Galaxy A52 from work with a finger print sensor under the screen! Which works very well and I would go as far as saying that the display actually beats my 12 Pro Max depending on the situation. Of course the camera does not compare but there are some nice little things that I would love for Apple to copy. I also love how light it is compared to the iPhone.

as Hannah Montana already said „you can have the best of both worlds“
 
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" the Pixel 5a most closely competes with the $399 iPhone SE, which is $50 cheaper", nah, I would go with the XRfor comparisons which is a bit more, before discounts, but after discounts it is actually probably cheaper for a better phone. Yes it older and doesn't have 5G, but is smokes the pixel everywhere else
 
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Paul_a said:
Seems to have become standard practice for companies to let Apple make unpopular choices, take the heat and hate for it, and when things cool down make the same choice themselves.
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And you left out the part where said companies make fun of Apple, calling Apple out in their keynotes and advertising, for said unpopular choice, before then making that same choice themselves.

Personally, I'm happy Apple got chargers out of the box, given than in many cases (not all, but quite a few*), those chargers never come out of the box, or sit in a drawer or some such. I'd be happier if they made it an easy-to-bundle option, with a discount, basically, "so, you're mid-check-out on your new iPhone, would you like to add a charger for $REDUCED_PRICE, or do have a suitable one already?"

*: (No need for people to counter that to they use the charger from the box every time - I said many, I didn't say you or every - I freely concede that many do use it. Make it available to those that need it at a modest cost.)
 
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MauiPa said:
" the Pixel 5a most closely competes with the $399 iPhone SE, which is $50 cheaper", nah, I would go with the XRfor comparisons which is a bit more, before discounts, but after discounts it is actually probably cheaper for a better phone. Yes it older and doesn't have 5G, but is smokes the pixel everywhere else
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The A12 chip in the XR and A13 chip in the SE makes the pixel a terrible choice.
 
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