Samsung is finally hosting its first virtual Unpacked event which will debut several new products for 2020. Among these are the Galaxy Tab S7 series, Galaxy Note 20 series, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Watch 3, and Galaxy Z Fold 2. Meanwhile, leaks continue to reveal more about Apple's upcoming iPhone 12, which as detailed by a press release will be delayed. To the surprise of tech pundits and consumers, Google just announced the Pixel 5, Pixel 4a, and, the Pixel 4a 5G.

When the Pixel 4 originally came out in 2019, it failed to make a substantial impact, unlike its predecessors. Despite features such as Astrophotography, a vivid screen with a 90 Hz refresh rate, and Motion Sense hands-free gesture support among others, its shortcomings outweighed the benefits. The most common complaints focused on the large top bezel and the miserable battery performance of both models.

The new Google Phone goes by many names: Dough Saver, Outlet Avoider, Star Catcher. The only thing it doesn't go for is a steep price. Introducing #Pixel4a, from $349 https://t.co/YRv3cq8BD4 pic.twitter.com/isTPvFyMvz

— Made by Google (@madebygoogle) August 3, 2020

Unlike its premium siblings, the Pixel 4a offers great value for those in the market for a new Android smartphone. So far, the only caveats pointed out are the missing Motion Sense, no wireless charging, and no Active Edge functionality. These are hardly dealbreakers for many users, which at $349, makes it an attractive alternative for people who want to give the Pixel lineup a try. According to The Verge, it is just $50 shy of the base-level 2020 iPhone SE from Apple and Pixel 3a.

Introducing #Pixel4a. The helpful Google phone at a helpful price. https://t.co/YHi4LooEAE pic.twitter.com/3cbbjZn2RM

— Made by Google (@madebygoogle) August 3, 2020

With a handful of well-known brands focusing on budget-tier smartphones, Google appears to have a competitive model on its hands. The Pixel 4a sports a 5.81-inch 2340 x 1080 OLED panel with a front-facing 8-megapixel wide-angle lens within a hole-punch cutout on the top-left corner. This gives the device a slim bezel from all sides, which is what Pixel 4 owners reportedly wanted in the first place.

Even though the main imaging assembly looks big, it houses just a single camera, which is a 12.2-megapixel wide-angle sensor with dual pixel PDAF and OIS. The Pixel 4a is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G SoC with a 6 GB RAM and 128 non-expandable internal storage.

Google introduces the Pixel 4a and more
Google has unveiled a new back-to-basics version of its popular Pixel smartphone -- at a more affordable price AFP / Lionel BONAVENTURE

As for the battery, it is a 3,140 mAh unit that supports 18W fast charging technology. It is slated to ship out on Aug 20. Google notes that due to production delays brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the purportedly bigger Pixel 4a 5G might launch alongside the Pixel 5 and Pixel 5 XL sometime this fall.

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