INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Google surprised everyone in 2019 by releasing the Pixel 3a and 3a XL, affordable versions of the Pixel 3 and 3 XL that brought some of the
hardware and software of the premium devices, but offered them at a more appealing price tag
We'd expect the same to be the case in 2020, with anticipated Pixel 4a and 4a XL presenting some of the features of the recent Pixel 4 and 4
XL in a more affordable body.There aren't any leaks or rumors about the upcoming Pixel 4a devices just yet, so we've taken this opportunity
to speculate as to what we could see in the device, and list a few features we'd love to see in the future handset.The Pixel 4 and 4 XL were
popular devices, but didn't land with quite the fanfare of the Pixel 3 devices, so the upcoming phones could be Google's opportunity to win
back buyers who were put off by some of the intriguing design decisions
What do we mean by that? Read on to find out.Cut to the chaseWhat is it? An affordable variant of the Pixel 4 smartphoneWhen is it out?
Likely May 2020How much will it cost? Around $399 / £399 / AU$649Google Pixel 4a release date and price(Image credit:
TheIndianSubcontinent)Since we're not even in 2020 yet, and the Pixel 4 devices are still fresh in our mind (and hands), it's still early
days to try and guess a Pixel 4a release date
However we can take a rough estimate. The Pixel 3a became available on May 8, a day after its announcement at Google IO 2019, and we can
expect this pattern to repeat itself
We don't know when Google IO 2020 is yet, but it'll be roughly the same time of the year.In terms of how much you'll pay, the Google Pixel
4a price could actually be lower than the Pixel 3a price, at least at launch
We say that because the Pixel 4 cost less than the Pixel 3 (when directly comparing release prices), and we could see that pattern repeat in
2020.Of course these are both guesses, and when we hear some concrete leaks we'll update this article.What we want to see in the Google
Pixel 4aThe Google Pixel 4 was an innovative flagship feature, but when it comes to adapting this feature to a budget price tag, there are a
few things we'd like it to consider.1
Bring back the fingerprint scanner(Image credit: Future)The Google Pixel 4 has no rear-mounted fingerprint scanner like the Pixel 3, not
does it have an in-screen one like many premium smartphones around
Instead, it relies on facial recognition unlocking for you to access your phone.For some, this is a useful feature to help them get into
their phone quickly and easily; others find this an unsecured and frustrating experience
For the Pixel 4a, we'd like Google to drop this feature, and instead have a physical or screen-mounted fingerprint sensor.It's likely Google
will make this change, as the tech involved in efficient face unlocking adds quite a bit of price to the phone, so if the company wants to
slash the price of the new device, it'd make sense to remove face recognition first.2
Improved battery life(Image credit: Future)A recurring problem with Google Pixel smartphones is that their battery lives always leave a lot
to be desired, and plummet quicker than competing devices
Saying that, the Pixel 3a solved that problem with a bigger battery capacity and a weaker processor, which meant it drained battery
less.Since most normal people need smartphone batteries that'll last them a day, even in a pinch, the more affordable and accessible Pixel
4a needs a battery that'll last it this long, which means a bigger capacity than the 4 as well as tools in place to keep it going longer,
like canny optimizations.3
Drop the 90Hz screen(Image credit: Screen Capture)This is bound to be a pretty controversial suggestion, but if Google is looking for
features to cut to keep the Pixel 4a price down, we'd argue the 90Hz screen is an unnecessary luxury that could be lost without making the
device worse.While some people really love 90Hz screens in phones like the Pixel 4, as it makes the viewing experience a little smoother,
many more people struggle to notice the difference, especially people who aren't huge tech fans who don't know the feature is in place.That
means it's not a vital feature, and when there are aspects of the Pixel 4 that we would like to see in the 4a, we'd say the 90Hz screens are
Keep the telephoto camera(Image credit: Future)The Google Pixel 4 smartphones bumped the number of cameras on Google's devices from one to
two, adding a telephoto snapper for optical zoom.The Pixel 3a devices saw the cameras slightly downgraded from the Pixel 3 line, but that
was purely in terms of software post-processing, and the hardware was exactly the same. A telephoto lens in a camera is really useful, so
you can take better pictures of a subject without dropping the quality dramatically, and we'd love to see it kept in the Pixel 4a
We'd be surprised if this wasn't the case, as the telephoto lens really ties the rear design together
And talking of Pixel 4a design5
Stick with the weird design(Image credit: Future)The Google Pixel 4 smartphones are weird looking devices, there's no getting around that
They're bare on the back except for a pretty sizeable camera bump (no fingerprint sensor, like in previous Pixels), with a glass back but a
rubber frame around the edges
Yep, you read that right, rubber in a smartphone!On the front, there's a notch the likes of which you barely see in modern smartphones, with
a sizeable chin at the bottom of the screen
All in all, the Pixel 4 devices are far from 'conventional' Android phones, for better or worse.Well, we kind of like the design
It's unique, and the Pixel 4 feels distinct in hand when you're using it
We'd like to see the Pixel 4a retain the 'weird' design, especially the rubber frame, as we found it great for protecting the
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