Google has yet to release the Pixel 4a and yet the time of year has become such that it is now about time we begin to see Pixel 5 rumours and leaks occur. We have seen very little so far and today’s leak, coming from tech blog Pigtou, is sketchy at best.
The new leak is based off CAD renders most likely provided to a case manufacturer. The problem with these leaks is that they have to infer what the front looks like on most occasions. We have seen purported CAD renders of the Pixel 5 just over a week ago and these new renders “confirm” the rear of the device.
Both sets of renders show the Pixel 5 as having a very similar square rear camera module as the Pixel 4 located in exactly the same position on the rear of the device. What is inside the module is speculation and rumour at this point — renders cannot show what is inside the module, just that there is a module there. Both renders also have a rear mounted fingerprint sensor in common as well. Once again, it is very strange to see Google using a rear mounted fingerprint sensor on a flagship device given how reliable, fast, and secure in-display fingerprint sensors can be at the moment.
We are assuming that the rear fingerprint sensor is a backup to their new face unlock which was introduced with the Pixel 4. Although it was/is a great idea its implementation left a lot of people under whelmed so a backup unlock method has possibly been implemented.
The button locations in the new renders from overnight fit with other Pixel devices but there is no surprise there — they have been the same all along. The renders have it wrong in our opinion when it comes to the front-facing camera. There is surely no way Google would give up on Motion Sense after only a single generation so we expect a notch of sorts instead of the punch hole display selfie camera featured in the new renders.
If these now two sets of renders are to be believed Google will be using a rear mounted fingerprint sensor on the Pixel 5 and if they do so they will be about the only flagship to do so — even very few mid-range devices use a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor these days so it would be a strange decision. But then Google are well known for making strange hardware choices.
The rest of the device is unknown but we hope that Google have a few tricks up their sleeve because the Pixel 5, in these renders at least, is looking to be a very underwhelming device and certainly not deserving of an ultra-premium tag.
I gotta say currently using a s10+ 5g, but I do miss the clean interface and updates of a pixel… I think I’d happily upgrade even if they do leave out 5g and even chuck in the rumoured lower spec CPU…. But I’m using Microsoft ‘your phone’ screen mirroring so much these days, not sure I could part with that….
I love using the rear finger print reader to pull down notifications from the home screen as well in any app! Such a handy feature. I hope it makes a return on the pixel 5.
Rear mounted finger print reader all day. If this is the pixel 5 I’ll be buying it. Under screen is a gimmick, face unlock is pretty eh. Only thing that would be better is a damn headphone jack
Not surprised about the rear reader given third party app support for face unlock is barely there. I can then unlock without looking at the display.
I want my Fingerprint reader on the side… it means I get the “already scanned by the time I’m looking at it” experience, while also having the “I dont have to pick the phone up to unlock it” experience.
Glass mounted suck. I have the Note10+ I *hate* the under screen reader. It never. ever. gets it right the first, second or third time. It takes up *so much* focus just to unlock the damned thing.
A fingerprint reader would be nice just because many apps such as banking ones still haven’t updated to accept the facial recognition so I’ve had to go back to passwords. Under screen is fancy but truthfully the rear is better ergonomically, in saying that I prefer Sony’s side mounting even more.