Google teases the new Pixel 4a

Google’s mid-cycle, budget-version of the Pixel 4 has a release date.

On Thursday, the company added a teaser product page to its site, containing a plain, smartphone-shaped image and a series of boxes that cycle through the Google logo colours when you click on them. By arranging the boxes so the colours display in order of blue, red, yellow, blue, green red - something first spotted by the 9to5Google tech blog - the page updates to display a message: 

“The Google Just What You’ve Been Waiting For Phone” as well as the release date August 3rd. 

Below the colourful boxes and cryptic message is another block of obfuscated text. Mostly, it’s the lorem ipsum latin copy-paste, but interspersed throughout are several of the phone’s features, potentially confirming rumours that the new handset with have a low light camera, bokeh, and all-day battery life. 

The release date seems to be likely to go ahead, even though the 4a has been delayed several times so far. According to Jon Prosser, “Earlier this month, I said the launch date was August 3. Though Google has pushed this launch back a few times, they’re too far down the marketing chain to change it this time. Review units have been sent out. Embargo has been set. 100% happening on August 3.” 

Thanks to the previous leaks, we already have a decent idea of the specs and pricing for the Pixel 4a. Designed to be a mid-range competitor to the Apple iPhone SE (the device that ensured Apple was one of the only phone makers in the world to actually report any growth this quarter). Based on the rumours, these are the reported specs: 

Price: $349

Display: 5.8-inch OLED (full HD)

CPU: Snapdragon 730

RAM: 6GB

Storage: 128GB

Rear camera: 12MP

Front camera: 8MP

Connectivity: 4G LTE

Battery: 3,140 mAh

Charging: 18W fast charging

The SE, its main competitor, is a little more expensive but boasts a better camera and a much better chipset. Whether the 4a will be able to feel luxurious enough, while also leveraging the lower price, will be the axis on which its success depends.