Google’s next Pixel phone is a near-certainty and gadget fans may have just been given a sneak peek at it ahead of time. Leaked images, allegedly showing the Pixel 4a, have been circulated online ahead of a rumoured official revealing in May. The original Pixel 4 was launched back in October last year and the Pixel 4a is believed to be a stripped-down, budget version released as a mid-year refresh. Google adopted this approach with the Pixel 3a last May.
There’s not much to go on from these pictures. If accurate, it means the 4a will feature slimmer bezels with a hole-punch camera and a fingerprint sensor on the back. It looks like Google has kept the square camera bump but dropped down to just a single lens from the Pixel 4’s dual-lens. Other rumours suggest this phone will have a 5.7-inch or 5.8-inch display and may even bring back the 3.5mm headphone jack to sit alongside the USB Type-C port at the base. Annoyingly, we can’t see if that’s the case with these snaps.
It’s not certain when the Pixel 4a might arrive, especially in light of the coronavirus outbreak affecting production for numerous companies. Google certainly isn’t tied to a specific launch window now that I/O is cancelled. However, it’s hard to imagine Google waiting long. The Pixel 3a served not only as an entry point for Google’s smartphone line, but as a way to keep the series fresh and in the public spotlight while the main Pixel was still mid-cycle.
Google itself hasn’t commented on these pictures so we need to take them with a hefty pinch of salt. Still, if the Pixel 4a is on the way it’s unlikely we’ll have to wait too long to see it in the flesh.
