Google has just unveiled their latest Pixel smartphones at their annual developer event early this morning (SG time). The new Pixel 3a and 3a XL smartphones will also be featured in a separate #MadeByGoogle event at Google Singapore’s offices later this morning.
Pricing of the new smartphones have already been revealed. The Pixel 3a and 3a XL are immediately available for ordering from the Google Store at S$659 and S$779 respectively. They are both available in Just Black and Clearly White colours. A third colour available in other markets is not sold in Singapore.
The Pixel 3a and 3a XL are designed to have more mid-range specs compared with last year’s premium Pixel smartphones. This marks Google’s new strategy to run with two tiers of smartphones and two launches per year. Apart from the Pixel 3a and 3a XL announced today, the next premium flagship Pixel smartphones are expected later this year.
With mid-range specs, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL are more affordable than ever. They do have an added bonus though: the 3.5 mm audio jack is back. Perhaps also most importantly, the main camera remains unchanged. The 12.2 MP camera still still take amazing photos, especially with Night Sight, as the Pixel 3 and 3 XL do.
Most technical specifications of both the Pixel 3a and 3a XL are the same.
| Both Pixel 3a and 3a XL | |
| Main Camera | 12.2 MP, OIS, PDAF, dual-LED |
| Front Camera | 8 MP |
| Processor | Snapdragon 670 |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB |
The main differences between the two new smartphones are primarily due to their physical sizes.
| Pixel 3a | Pixel 3a XL | |
| Display Size | 5.6-inch / 18.5:9 ratio | 6-inch / 18:9 ratio |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2220 | 1080 x 2160 |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh | 3,700 mAh |
The Pixel 3a and 3a XL do not support wireless charging.
If you order the Pixel 3a or 3a XL now, Google will include a free Google Home Mini.
I’ll have a hands-on preview posted in a day or two. What this space for updates!