Here's everything we know about the Google Pixel 5a 5G so far

Earlier in the day there were rumours doing the rounds about how the Google Pixel 5a might be canceled due to the ongoing chip shortage. However, Google has cleared the air on this and has issued an on-the-record statement to say that the Pixel 5a 5G exists, it will not be canceled and it will be launched later this year. “Pixel 5a 5G is not canceled. It will be available later this year in the US and Japan and announced in line with when last year’s a-series phone was introduced.” – A Google spokesperson said.

Google did acknowledge the global supply chain issues alongside and said that it might lead to limited wider availability, but the “next mid-range” Pixel is going to be released. Besides this, there is also confirmation about the 5G support, though it is not clear if that just means Sub-6 in the US or if there is also going to be mmWave support on the Pixel 5a 5G, we’ll have to wait and find out.

Google announced the Pixel 4a in August last year and the smartphone went on sale soon after. Going by a timeline like that, its successor, the Pixel 5a 5G should also be released around the same time this year, Google has said. So this rules out all chances of any Pixel 5a-related announcement at I/O 2021 next month.

Google might eventually release the Pixel 5a 5G in more countries. Like it happened with the Pixel 4a, the Barely Blue Pixel 4a was announced in November 2020, three months after the Just Black version announced in August 2020. Then, an unlocked Clearly White Pixel 4a 5G was spotted in late January this year after being released in November 2020.

What we know about the Pixel 5a so far

Pixel 5a renders that emerged in February this year show a design that’s almost identical to the Pixel 4a 5G, though the new iteration is expected to be slightly taller, thicker but just a little more narrow. The other difference in the Pixel 5a is expected to be a ridged power button. Besides this, there’s going to be the same hole-punch display on the top left corner of the screen, a dual-lens array on the back, a 6.2-inch display with a thick bezel on the bottom.

It is possible that the Pixel 5a might come with the same main camera stack and run on a Qualcomm processor. The Whitechapel processor might be reserved for the flagship Google has planned for the year. While most of Pixel 5a sounds similar to the Pixel 4a, a cheaper Pixel with a larger screen and 5G support, might just work for Google.