Pixel 5a 5G Archives - Gizmochina

Google Pixel devices receive first Android 13 update, fixes wireless charging issue & more

Sudhanshu — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 07:25:15 +0000

Last month, Google started rolling out the Android 13 update for all of its eligible Pixel smartphones. The update arrived on devices like Pixel 4, Pixel 4XL, Pixel 5, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and the Pixel A-series devices such as the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5a 5G, and Pixel 6a.

Now, the search giant is pushing out the first update since the introduction of Android 13 on these devices. The update comes with a build number TP1A.220905.004 and is rolling out for the users of Pixel 4 (XL), Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a (5G), Pixel 6, and Pixel 6 Pro. It includes many performance improvements and bug fixes for these devices as mentioned below.

Changelog

Battery & Charging

Fix for issue occasionally causing increased battery drain from certain launcher background activities
Fix for issue preventing wireless charging mode from activating in certain conditions

Biometrics

Additional improvements for fingerprint recognition and response in certain conditions

Bluetooth

Fix for issue occasionally preventing certain Bluetooth devices or accessories from connecting

User Interface

Fix for issue occasionally causing notifications to appear truncated on the lock screen

As usual, the update will roll out in phases and will continue over the next week depending on carrier and device. Google has said that the Pixel 6a will receive the update later this month.

Top stories from last week: New ROG phones, iQOO 8 series, Pixel 5a 5G, Realme Book, OnePlus 9 RT is coming, and more

Habeeb Onawole — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 03:01:04 +0000

Last week we saw no less than six new phones get announced across various markets. However, phone launches were not the only exciting news. Here is a roundup of the top stories from the third week of August:

ROG Phone 5s series – New processor, same shell

ASUS announced new gaming smartphones under its ROG brand. The new ROG Phone 5s and ROG Phone 5s Pro don’t change much from their predecessors announced earlier this year. The main upgrade is the Snapdragon 888+ processor. The RAM has also been bumped up to 18GB.

Motorola Edge 20 series Indian launch

Motorola’s Edge 20 series made its stop in India last week. The Lenovo-owned company announced the Motorola Edge 20 and the Motorola Edge 20 Fusion. The former is one of the lightest and thinnest phones in its class. Both phones have a 108MP primary camera and a high refresh rate display. Motorola India has also confirmed that the Edge 20 Pro will launch later.

Galaxy A52s 5G – yet another phone with only a performance upgrade

Samsung’s Galaxy A-series added two new members last week. While the Galaxy A03s will appeal to those on a constricted budget, the Galaxy A52s 5G is for those with more money to spare but not enough for a flagship. The A52s 5G doesn’t offer much over the Galaxy A52 5G announced back in March but you do get a more powerful processor and new colors to choose from.

iQOO 8 series – a head-turning balance of power and style

The launch of the iQOO 8 series was one of the major highlights of last week. The new smartphones from Vivo’s iQOO come with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 888+ processor, fast wired and wireless charging, Samsung’s brand new E5 display, and a custom version of OriginOS developed for the sub-brand.

These new phones are not just beasts under the hood, but also feature impressive designs. Alongside custom editions that wear the BMW Motorsport colors, the standard model also has a photochromic version that can switch from silver to bright orange!

Google Pixel 5a 5G

Pixel 5A 5G – same but better in some ways

Google announced a new Pixel phone, but while it is not the one we are all looking forward to which is the Pixel 6, the new Pixel 5a 5G has been getting a lot of attention since it launched. The mid-range phone takes over from the Pixel 4a 5G as the flagbearer of the Pixel a line. While some key specs have been carried over from last year’s mode, the Pixel 5a 5G brings a significantly bigger battery, an IP67 rating, and a price tag that is $50 cheaper than that of the Pixel 4a 5G. The Pixel 5a 5G will be exclusive to Japan and the U.S.A. but Google did launch a Pixel for the Indian market in form of the Pixel Buds A.

Realme Book Slim – an impressive first attempt

Realme made its entry into the computer market with the launch of the Realme Book Slim, a premium ultrabook with a competitive price tag. The 14-inch notebook which is powered by Intel’s 11th Gen processor also has a 2K display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, a fingerprint scanner, and a model with a Thunderbolt 4 port.

Redmi 10 – significant upgrades for a budget phone

The Redmi 10 launched last week and it comes with some of the biggest upgrades Redmi’s numbered series has seen. From an upgraded display with a higher refresh rate to a more powerful chipset to a huge upgrade in the camera department, the Redmi 10 is proof that you can get a pretty good phone even when on a tight budget.

OPPO announces new camera technology for smartphones

OPPO pumps millions of dollars into research and development every year. Last week, it showed us some of the results from its labs. The Chinese manufacturer announced a 5-axis OIS sensor and an OPPO RGBW sensor that can capture up to 60% more light.

No charger for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro but faster charging

The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro won’t be coming with chargers included in the box. However, it has been reported that they will have support for a faster charging technology than their predecessor.

OnePlus 9 RT and OxygenOS 12 – coming next quarter

OnePlus won’t be launching a T-version of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro according to a leaker. However, new details surfaced last week revealing that the OnePlus 9R will be the one getting the T-treatment.

The OnePlus 9 RT is coming later this year and it will be the first Oneplus phone to run OxyegnOS 12 out of the box.

Google officially unveils the Pixel 5A 5G with IP67 rating, bigger battery for $449

Jed John Ikoba — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 17:23:42 +0000

US tech giant Google has finally taken the wraps off the Pixel 5A 5G smartphone which has been in the news for several months. The device was apparently first announced in April but that was just to quell rumors that it had been discontinued. Nothing official has been said of the 5G smartphone until now.

The Google Pixel 5A 5G arrives with a few upgrades over the Pixel 4A 5G which it takes over from. Some of the improvements include a slightly bigger screen, a juicier battery, and an IP67 water resistance rating. Despite the improvements, the 5A 5G will retail at $50 less than the Pixel 4A 5G’s starting price. The 5A 5G is priced at $449 and will be on sale in the US and Japan from August 26.

Now a closer look at the specifications. The Pixel 5A sports a massive 6.34-inch OLED screen with FHD+ resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate support. There isn’t support for a 90Hz refresh rate despite rumors of one. The smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset which brings support for sub-6GHz 5G. The processor is paired with 6GB of RAM and there is 128GB of storage onboard.

The back panel houses a dual-camera setup comprising a 12.2-megapixel main shooter and a 16-megapixel ultrawide rear camera. For selfies, there is an 8-megapixel front camera tucked under a punch-hole located at the top left corner of the display. The rear panel also houses a physical fingerprint scanner to unlock the phone.

The Pixel 5A 5G runs on the latest Android 11 and is guaranteed three years of OS upgrades and security patch support. Keeping the lights on is a 4,680mAh battery which Google claims can last up to a full day of typical use and if the Extreme Battery Saver mode is turned on, can go up to two days on a single charge. The 5A supports wired charging only and ships with an 18W charger in the box. Google says it will be the last Pixel phone that will ship with a charger in the box, apparently for environmental conservation reasons just like Apple and Samsung did.

As stated earlier, the Pixel 5A 5G is priced at $449 and will be on sale in the US and Japan from August 26. The phone will be offered in a sole “mostly black” color option but there will be four colorful cases sold separately to tweak things up. It will be sold exclusively on Google Store and through Google Fi.

Google Pixel 5a 5G component images emerge before rumored August 17 launch

Anvinraj Valiyathara — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 02:50:58 +0000

Rumors have it that Google may announce the Google Pixel 5a mid-range phone in this month. A recent report claimed that the search engine giant may announce it on Aug. 26v. AndroidPolice has now reported through a source the Pixel 5a will be unveiled on Aug. 17. The same source has shared the images of the Pixel 5a components that are reportedly being shipped to the phone retail stores before the Aug. 17 launch date.

The new images again hint that the design of the Pixel 5a 5G will be almost identical to the Pixel 4a 5G from last year. The back panel seems to have a rubbery feel instead of the hard plastic that was offered on the predecessor model.

The top edge of the frame appears to feature a cutout for the 3.5mm audio jack. Its right edge has a ribbed power key and a volume rocker. A fingerprint scanner, and a squarish camera module that houses a dual-camera setup, and an LED flash can be seen on the rear shell of the device. One of the images shows that it is equipped with a 4,680mAh battery.

1 of 4

Google Pixel 5a 5G specifications (Rumored)

The Google Pixel 5a 5G will house a 6.4-inch OLED panel that offers a Full HD+ resolution. Early reports had claimed that it will be equipped with the Snapdragon 765G chipset, which fueled the Pixel 4a 5G. However, a recent report claimed that it will be powered by the Snapdragon 750G mobile platform.

The Pixel 5a may come with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of native storage. Its rear camera setup may comprise of a 12.2-megapixel dual-camera system with OIS support and a 16-megapixel ultrawide lens. It could be an IP67 rated dust and water-resistant device. The smartphone may arrive with a price tag of $450 and it may sell only in Mostly Black color. It said that the U.S. and Japan are the only markets that will be treated with the Pixel 5a 5G.

New leak says the Pixel 5a 5G will have Snapdragon 750G processor

Habeeb Onawole — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 22:41:14 +0000

Last year, Google announced two Pixel 4a devices – a 4G version and a 5G version with a 5G suffix in its name. This year, only the latter will be getting a successor and it should arrive as the Pixel 5a 5G.

Pixel 5a render

A report from April said the Pixel 5a 5G will have the same Snapdragon 765G chipset present in the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5 released last year. Now a new leak says that won’t be the case.

According to the Indian blog, Trak, the Pixel 5a 5G will drop the Snapdragon 765G for the Snapdragon 750G. One of the key differences between the two chipsets is that the Snapdragon 750G is built on a slightly larger node (8nm) than the Snapdragon 765G (7nm). Another major difference is the CPU. The Snapdragon 750G has 2x Cortex-A77 cores clocked at 2.2GHz while the Snapdragon 750G has 1x Cortex-A76 core at 2.4GHz and 1x Cortex-A76 core at 2.2GHz. The remaining six cores on both chipsets are Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8GHz.

As you can see, while the Snapdragon 750G has a larger node, its CPUs are more powerful. On the other hand, the Snapdragon 765G has a smaller node size for better efficiency and power consumption but less powerful cores.

The source also mentions that the phone will have 6GB of RAM and drop the slower UFS 2.1 storage of its predecessor for the much faster UFS 3.1 type. So you should see an improvement in speed. You still get 128GB and it is non-expandable. Other features mentioned are a slightly smaller 3840mAh battery with support for 20W fast charging, the same 6.2-inch OLED screen as the Pixel 4a 5G, and dual rear cameras.

Seeing as there is no evidence of the specs, most especially the chipset, we advise our readers to take it with a pinch of salt. The Pixel 5a 5G isn’t expected to arrive until August and there is a possibility we may see more concrete leaks before then.

EXIF data shows Google may have mistakenly shared the Pixel 5a camera sample

Jed John Ikoba — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 03:51:02 +0000

Google on Friday published a blog post that outlined some of the improvements made in the camera system of the Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. While the details might have been interesting, the post also contained a photo output from the unreleased Pixel 5a phone, reflecting a powerful camera.

The EXIF data of one of the pictures within the post revealed some details, including the camera used to capture the shot. The data shows the sample came from the unannounced Pixel 5a and the picture was taken on October 1, 2020, in Taiwan. We can’t say if the sample was shared by mistake or intentionally but the Pixel 5a sample seems to have been taken off the blog post.

However, it surely indicates that we are getting closer to the launch of the smartphone even amidst claims in some quarters that the Pixel 5a 5G model was non-existent or may have been canceled outrightly. Google has since dispelled such rumors, confirming that the Pixel 5a is still in the works.

Earlier rumors indicate the Pixel 5a 5G will run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G chipset and will have a few enhanced features. The device will come with a hole-punch selfie snapper. It will also feature a 6.2-inch Hi-Res FHD+ display and will have a similar refresh rate as that of the Pixel 4a 5G. The Snapdragon 765G chipset has 5G functionality and offers a wide array of excellent features for the Pixel 5a, including a much-improved camera module that produced the sample in question.

RELATED:

(via)

The post EXIF data shows Google may have mistakenly shared the Pixel 5a camera sample appeared first on Gizmochina.

Google Pixel 5a 5G likely to feature the Snapdragon 765G

Anvinraj Valiyathara — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 01:58:12 +0000

A report from last month claimed that Google will be announcing the Pixel 5a 5G on June 11. Rumors surrounding the smartphone have revealed that its appearance will be quite similar to the Google Pixel 4a 5G from last year. A fresh report by 9to5 Google reveals that the Pixel 5a 5G will be driven by the Snapdragon 765G SoC.

The publication claimed that it was able to find references of a handset codenamed as Barbet along with “sm7250” model number in the latest release Android 12 Developer Preview 3. Past reports have revealed that the upcoming Pixel 5a 5G smartphone is codenamed as Barbet and the sm7250 part number belongs to the Snapdragon 765G.

Google has previously used the Snapdragon 765G chip to power the Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. The report has no other information on the specs of the Pixel 5a 5G. It is being said that the Pixel 5a 5G may get limited release as it likely to release only markets like the U.S. and Japan. There is no confirmation on whether there will be a 4G version of the Pixel 5a.

Google Pixel 5a render by Steve Hemmerstoffer

The Pixel 5a is also expected to arrive in India since it was spotted at the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Since 5G networks have not started yet in the country, it is likely that the company that it may receive a 4G version of the device.

The renders of the Pixel 5a 5G that was shared by popular tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer revealed that it has a 6.2-inch FHD+ OLED screen with a punch-hole design. It also revealed that the device is equipped with a square-shaped camera module housing a dual-camera system and an LED flash. The back panel of the phone is also expected to feature a traditional fingerprint scanner.

RELATED:

The post Google Pixel 5a 5G likely to feature the Snapdragon 765G appeared first on Gizmochina.

Google Pixel 5a 5G rumors about discontinuation refuted by Google

Anvinraj Valiyathara — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 05:38:42 +0000

A reliable tipster recently claimed that Google has been canceled the Pixel 5a smartphone due to the chip shortage issue. Soon a report by Android Central appeared stating that the Pixel 5a 5G will get a limited release in the U.S. and Japan, and it will not realize in other regions. Google quickly debunked the rumor about Pixel 5a’s cancellation by saying that it will be launching the Pixel 5a 5G smartphone.

A Google spokesperson speaking to 9to5Google refuted the rumors by saying, “Pixel 5a 5G is not canceled. It will be available later this year in the US and Japan and announced in line with when last year’s a-series phone was introduced.” The official statement not only confirms the arrival of the smartphone but also reveals that it will carry support for 5G connectivity. However, it is unclear whether there will be another model with only 4G LTE support.

Google Pixel 5a render by Steve Hemmerstoffer

It is interesting to see that Google’s spokesperson has specifically mentioned the US and Japan as the only two markets that will be receiving the Pixel 5a 5G. Last year, the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 were made available in limited markets and it seems that the upcoming Pixel 5a 5G could be will available in just two markets.

Past reports have claimed that the Google Pixel 5a could be debuting in June. A recent report claimed that the Pixel 5a could be coming to India since it has been certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Probably, the country could be treated with the 4G edition of the device. Nothing much is known about the specifications of the Pixel 5a. Early renders of the smartphone have revealed that it will look a lot like the Pixel 4a 5G.