Earlier this month, we were the first to discover the “Pixel 4a (5G)” and “Pixel 5” naming conventions, and therefore provided context in recent renders. A device that matches the capabilities of the Pixel 4a (5G) has now been featured on an MVNO website.
This morning, XDA noted that Boom Mobile’s “5G Compatible Phone List” includes two “Google G025E” devices. The MVNO leverages the AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon network in multiple cities in 17 states, while other compatible devices are from Samsung, LG, and Motorola. The page refers to 5G Evolution, 5G and 5G + coverage.
G025J, G025M, and G025N went through the FCC last month, and it’s widely assumed to be the Pixel 4a. This new “E” phone in the G025 family revealed by the MVNO would line up with the Pixel 4a (5G) being very similar to the entry-level mid-range model. The renderings suggest that it will look and be made of the same materials as the widely leaked Pixel 4a.
The key differences are a larger body and screen, as well as the use of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G to support 5G networks. The mockup also suggests the presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack and a second camera.
While the exterior hardware is similar, it is interesting that Google uses the same model / family number since adding 5G radios to a phone often requires significant engineering effort. In the case of 4th to 4th (5G), it’s a lot more work than simply increasing the battery or even adding a second lens.
In addition to a model number for the Pixel 4a (5G), we didn’t learn much more from this MVNO leak. For more information, be sure to check out our explainer who makes sense of Made by Google’s 2020 phone line.
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