Five things we want to see from the Pixel 4a successor

The Pixel 4a was one of the best phones to hit last year. There’s a good chance Google will bring out an updated model in 2021. We don’t know yet what features it will include, but that doesn’t mean we can’t discuss what we’d like to see from the Google Pixel 5a.

As with all of our wish lists, we’ve tried to make it realistic. This means we won’t find a feature like a microSD slot. There is little chance that Google will change their stance on expandable storage.

Here are five things we’d like to see about the Google Pixel 5a.

Google Buying Guide: Everything you need to know about Google hardware

Don’t make the Pixel 5a more expensive than the Pixel 4a

The best thing about the Pixel 4a is how cheap it is. For $ 349, you can get a phone that is relatively fast, has Google’s top-notch camera software, and doesn’t compromise things like battery life or display quality. We’d love to see Google add some cool new Pixel 5a features and improve existing ones, but we don’t want these to lead to a more expensive phone.

See also: The Best Affordable Phones You Can Buy Right Now

Obviously, this is easier said than done. Google needs to find a way to make the Pixel 5a price point compelling over other budget phones coming out in 2021. This is where the features highlighted below come into play. We believe these are reasonable inclusions that the company could offer without making the next low cost device more expensive.

A more versatile camera

We all know that Google makes some of the best camera software in the business. However, the hardware that supports the company’s photographic experience is gradually showing its age. One lingering problem is that the Pixel 4a’s main camera uses a Sony IMX 363. This is the same sensor that Google has been using on the Pixel 2 since 2017.

The Pixel 4a’s 12MP sensor shows its age.

If you spend enough time with the Pixel 4a, you can easily see the limitations of its camera compared to some phones that you can buy for roughly the same price. While the 12-megapixel sensor can easily outperform devices similarly priced like the Galaxy A51, you’ll notice a loss of detail when cropping images due to the lower resolution sensor.

Even if the Pixel 5a doesn’t include a new sensor, there are other ways that Google could make the phone’s camera more versatile. Given that so many other devices in the Pixel 4a’s price range come with multiple cameras, Google could realistically add an ultra-wide sensor to the Pixel 5a without making the phone more expensive. After all, the Pixel 4a 5G made it.

A 90Hz display

When you factor in the size, resolution, and color accuracy of the Pixel 4a display, it offers almost everything you can expect from a phone at its price point. The only thing missing is a refresh rate greater than 60 Hz. Given that 90 Hz displays have made their way to budget phones like the OnePlus Nord N100, Google could well complement the Pixel 5a without sacrificing the price increase. It’s also a more realistic inclusion than other features like wireless charging or better water resistance that companies usually save for their more expensive models. As an added bonus, the Pixel 5a would feel more responsive without an expensive processor upgrade.

5G

Let’s face it, 5G isn’t a feature most of us care about, and its possible inclusion doesn’t make the Pixel 5a any better than the 4a. However, it is a supplement that feels inevitable at this point. When it comes to mass market devices like the Pixel 4a, you need to keep in mind that carriers, not consumers, are Google’s primary customers. Telecommunications, especially in the US, want to sell their subscribers over 5G. Google will therefore likely find a way to include 5G support. Otherwise, the Pixel 5a would be a non-starter for operators.

connected: The Best 5G Phones You Can Buy Right Now

If the 5G price for the Pixel 5a is the same as the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G, a potential mmWave version can cost more than its sub-6GHz counterpart. It’s not all bad news, however, as a 5G-enabled Pixel 5a could make Google’s roster easier. If the 5a comes with 5G, there is no reason for Google to bring out a separate 5G variant of the 5a as it did with the Pixels 4a and 4a 5G. As such, you wouldn’t have to between saving money and buying a more powerful phone. Given that almost all of Qualcomm’s current processors support 5G, this is a no-brainer.

Give us more colors

Like a true Model T, the Pixel 4a was only available in one color: black. Foregoing the usual playful approach to color was one of the ways Google was able to make the Pixel 4a so affordable. The company eventually released a Barely Blue model, but it was only available for purchase in the US and Japan.

This time around, we’d love to see the different colors of the Google Pixel 5a roll out to give consumers more choice and to make those options available outside of the US.

---

Which feature should be on the way to the Google Pixel 5a? Let us know in the poll below and in the comments section.