The Google Pixel 4a was unveiled earlier this week, and it’s the company’s latest mid-range handset that borrows elements from its flagship sibling, loses a few top-end features and is slightly packaged in a more affordable phone.
In 2019, the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL were the first time Google tried this strategically affordable handset, and it clearly looked fit to do the same again in 2020. Except one thing; we only have the Google Pixel 4a, with no extra large model for those looking for a larger screen.
So why is there no Google Pixel 4a XL? A Google spokesman told TechRadar, “without edges on the display, we can now fit more display into a compact form factor.
“We think 5.8 inches is the perfect size for our Pixel 4a customer. Screen size increased 4.5% [vs the Pixel 3a] while the overall device size decreased 5.8%, with a more polished industrial design. “
So what does that mean?
That you would not expect a Google Pixel 4a XL to debut later next to the already confirmed Pixel 4a 5G which will be introduced later in the year. Rumors originally suggested that there would be a larger variant of the phone, but over time as we got closer to launch, there was more suggestion that we would only get one device.
Maybe Google was experimenting with the idea of a Pixel 4a XL. In the statement above, the company makes loud arguments as to why it did not want to include two different sizes of devices by 2020.
What does not make the statement very clear is that this is the first phone from Google that has a front display.
Even the Pixel 4, which cut on the black bars at the top and bottom of the Pixel phones, had a larger forehead than the Pixel 4a to house the camera forward.
For the Pixel 4a, Google has included a punch-hole camera in the upper left corner of the display. This has allowed the screen to be streamed further upwards on the device, and this gives a larger display without elevating the body of the phone.
What comes next?
Exact shortcuts of the Pixel 3a XL are not made available by Google, but the company had its best year yet Pixel shipments during 2019. That’s despite rumors of narrow Pixel 4 sales.
This is probably because the company expanded into new areas and, of course, new price range with its Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. Did bad sales leads to Google canceling the extra large model of their cheaper device? We will probably never be sure.
Does the lack of Pixel 4a to an XL sibling mean we only see one model of the Google Pixel 5? That’s not clear at the moment either, but if the company does not believe there is a market for a larger Pixel 4a, it may well be that it decides a similar thing for the XL series in the Pixel 5 as well.
