Google Pixel 4, despite having an excellent camera system and cool AI tricks like transcription software, couldn't quite fend off Apple and Samsung's flagships, which brought raw power to bear with their iPhone 11 and Samsung Galaxy S20 handsets. However, Google Pixel 5 looks set to tip the balance by creating an affordable 5G powerhouse.
As spotted by Android Authority, a Reddit user received a Google survey regarding phone pricing.
The question read: "If these were your only options, which of these GOogle Pixel smartphones would you buy?"
The two options listed are "Google Pixel Phone" costing $349 and "Premium Google Pixel Phone" priced at $699. Check out the pic of the survey in full below:
It's clear the $349 phone with the 3.5mm headphone jack is the Google Pixel 4a. We've previously heard Google's new budget handset will come in around this price, in direct competition with the iPhone SE. However, we should consider this tentative confirmation the handset will be sporting the 3.5mm headphone jack.
But what of the other "Premium" handset? It's got to be the Google Pixel 5, due out later in the year. The spec lists "best in class" camera, wireless charging and water resistance and, intriguingly, it lists its US price at $699: a whole $100 price cut from the initial price of the Google Pixel 4.
The Google Pixel 5 is said to pack a high, but not top-tier, Qualcomm Snapdragon 765, eschewing the truly high-end 865 model used by rivals such as Samsung with its Galaxy S20 series.
Google has obviously weighed up the risks and the rewards, deciding Pixel fans won't worry too much about the processor: the 765 chipset is more than powerful enough for everyone other than smartphone power users. Instead of chasing after the latest, greatest and most expensive tech, Google is bringing the price of its flagship down slightly to create a more accessible handset.
The Pixel 4a looks set to arrive with a headphone jack
With iPhone revamping the SE and creating a 5.4" base-model iPhone 12, said to be priced at $649, it seems Google has seen a similar shift in user's priorities as Apple, and seeks to capitalise on it.
It was only a matter of times: phones have been getting bigger and more expensive every year, and all it took was a global health crisis to shift people's priorities away from top-level tech and towards great handsets that do the job for less. We might see a shift away from power-user orientated handsets like the S20 series in favour of more upper-mid-tier releases like the Google Pixel 5. If so, Samsung should be worried.
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