At the same time renders of the Pixel 5 have popped up online, a new report lists many of the specs Google is planning for its upcoming flagship phone. And it pretty much confirms that Google is scaling back some features in the name of making a less expensive Pixel.
The report comes from Android Central, which claims to confirm some details about the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G, both of which are expected to debut at the end of next month. They confirm a lot of what we've heard about Google's Pixel 5 plans, starting with the phone's processor.
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As has been rumored, both the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a will be powered by a Snapdragon 765G system-on-chip, Android Central says. That's a step back for the Pixel, as previous Google flagship devices have used the top-of-the-line chipset from Qualcomm's 8 Series. (This year, that would be the Snapdragon 865, which has powered many of the best Android phones to come out in 2020.)
By going with the Snapdragon 765G, though, Google can still offer decent if not pace-setting performance in the Pixel 5 while also delivering 5G connectivity. The chipset's included 5G modem explains what it's doing inside the Pixel 4a 5G as well. Both phones will feature 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, according to the report.
In terms of screen sizes, the report claims that the Pixel 5 will feature a 6-inch OLED panel, while the Pixel 4a 5G's display will be larger at 6.2 inches. The Pixel 5 is expected to retain the 90Hz refresh rate Google introduced with the Pixel 4 lineup, though its unclear if that's going to appear in the Pixel 4a 5G. Given that the standard Pixel 4a debuting this month uses a 60Hz refresh rate, we'd guess it will not.
You may have noticed no mention of the Pixel 5 XL in that spec rundown. That's because Google appears to be dropping the XL variant from its lineup, as has been previously suggested. Reportedly, the XL models haven't been as popular with Pixel buyers, which helps explain Google's decision.
It's worth noting that even though the Pixel 5 has a larger screen than the 5.81-inch Pixel 4a, the Pixel 5 will have "about the same exact footprint as the 4a," Android Central claims, thanks to smaller bezels. That would seemingly confirm that the Soli chip added to the Pixel 4 to support gesture-based controls is a goner after only one year.
The report has a puzzling claim about the Pixel 5's camera. Google's flagship phone is gaining an ultrawide lens, something the Pixel 4 lacked. But the Pixel 5 will reportedly only feature two rear cameras, meaning the Pixel 4's 16-megapixel telephoto lens is getting scrapped. It seems like an odd choice, but perhaps Google is gambling that its Super Res Zoom technology is advanced enough to make up for the lack of optical zoom on its phone. Leaving out a telephoto lens would also keep costs down, presumably.
Google has already confirmed that the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 are on the way, with the former phone costing $499. There's no word on the Pixel 5's price, though with the specs in this report, you'd expect the phone to cost less than the $799 debut price for the Pixel 4.
Google typically releases its new flagship phone in October, though a recent report claims the Pixel 5 could debut by Sept. 30. It sounds like we'll know soon enough just how accurate these specs are.
