The Google Pixel 4a has been delayed by just three months although it seems like at least six. Although Google have signalled that they are about to possibly announce the Pixel 4a in just a few days that doesn’t mean that the Google engineers aren’t already hard at work on its successor.
9to5Google have found a mention of the Pixel 5a in the AOSP source code, the first mention of it anywhere. Google had a hit with the Pixel 3a with many attracted to the high quality camera with a Pixel Experience at an affordable price so it should be no surprise that they will continue with the mid-range Pixel in years to come.
The new mention of the Pixel 5a is alongside that of the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5 all but confirming the existence of those rumoured devices. The notation next to it is the version of Android that it will release with — Android R (11). As you can see the Pixel 4 and 4a release with Android 10 on-board but the Pixel 4a/5 and 5a will release with R which means that the Pixel 5a will release sometime towards the middle of next year — no surprise there.
Of course there is very little to be gleaned from this small mention but it “confirms” that Google will continue to release the flagship version months separate from the mid-range Pixel, something that we weren’t convinced of given the delays this year.
Little is know about the device but expect more of the same from Google’s mid-range that we know about — the Pixel 3a. Mid-range specs at an affordable price with a focus on camera quality. If the Pixel 5a releases with this you can be sure it will continue to be a hit. In the meantime let’s just wait for the Pixel 4a to be announced and released.
