Google Pixel 5a release date could be much, much earlier than we expected
June, not August
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Update:When Jon Prosser initally posted about the future Pixel phone release, we assumed it was theGoogle Pixel 5abased on the timings. Well, in a follow-up tweet, Prosser has confirmed that his source thinks it’s the Pixel 5a.
This extra information adds credence to our speculation and also makes it seem more likelyGoogleIO will happen on or around June 11. We’ll still wait on official confirmation before marking that date in our diaries (or calendar apps), though.
We’ve kept the original story below for posterity, as it was written on March 5 when Prosser first posted the information.
Source has confirmed and followed up:The Pixel device coming on June 11th is the Pixel 5a. https://t.co/vBWFomSjvWMarch 9, 2021
Original story:Google’s next mid-range smartphone, the Pixel 5a, could be coming very soon - we thought we’d see in it August, a year after thePixel 4a, but a new leak pegs it for a June launch instead.
The leaker for this isJon Prosser, a leaker with an admittedly-mixed track record, though one who’s right more often than they aren’t. In a simple tweet, Prosser said ‘New Google phone scheduled for June 11, 2021. Not sure exactly which one it is just yet.’.
It’s not clear where Prosser got their information, but as a prolific leaker they likely have some internal sources in Google. While the actual phone being launched isn’t named, we can assume it’s not thePixel 6as Google waits for its affordable A-series phones to launch before the next iteration of its main line. So we won’t expect to see a Pixel 6 until after the Pixel 5a is out.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens on June 11, but it’s very likely we’ll hear more leaks in the build-up to this date. It’s possible that date lines up with the Google IO conference, which has been in June before but the dates for that aren’t confirmed yet.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Google’s first cheap phone?
Google stuff:New Pixel Buds coming mid-April. New Google phone scheduled for June 11, 2021. Not sure exactly which one it is just yet. 🤔 🧻🧻🧻🧻🧻 pic.twitter.com/vjOzT4M7nxMarch 5, 2021
That earlier-than-expected Pixel 5a launch date might not be the only surprising thing about thePixel 5’s upcoming spin-off.
The Pixel A series usually consists of mid-range phones, which takes some specs from the premium main-series phone they’re named after, but cuts some of the spec in other areas.
However, with the Pixel 5 Google brought its flagship line down into the mid-range, so if the Pixel 5a is actually an affordable version of the Pixel 5, we could see it be an even cheaper smartphone than the Pixel 4a.
That’s just speculation though - there are a lot of unknowns with the Google Pixel 5a right now, and we’ll look for them all to be cleared up on June 11. Unless Prosser is wrong, of course.
Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.
He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.
How to lock apps on a Google Pixel phone
I’m a die-hard Apple fan, but even I’ll admit that the Google Pixel 9 Pro is the best-looking phone of the year
Arcane season 2 finally gave us the huge Caitlyn and Vi moment we’ve been waiting for – and its creators say ‘we couldn’t have done it in season one’
