After a long wait, the arrival of the Google Pixel 5 is fast approaching. The latest rumors point to an introductory price of USD 629 / EUR 629. If so, it would be one of the cheapest flagship phone launches of the year. Surely Google has an instant classic in the making?
Continue reading: Everything we know about the Google Pixel 5
Cheaper than the OG Google Pixel
At $ 629, the Pixel 5 will be Google's cheapest flagship smartphone to date. It's cheaper than the original Pixel and Pixel $ 649 entry point in a smidgen. Google Pixel prices have gone up over the years, so returning at a lower price seems like a steal. Who doesn't want one of the best camera phones cheaper than ever?
Even if the Pixel 5 comes with a virtually unchanged 12MP main sensor, it will still be one of the best camera phones out there. Rumors also suggest a wide angle over a telephoto lens that could be well received. Not to mention upgrades to the company's world-class machine vision. But that's probably where the sales pitch for the Pixel 5 ends.
Overall, the Pixel 5 doesn't seem to offer state-of-the-art hardware, so the lack of a premium price point isn't surprising. Revolutionary new displays and charging technologies are not exactly Google's MO. However, it's the Snapdragon 765G processor rather than a premium Snapdragon 865 that could undo the phone. Not because the chip is not performing well enough, but because it is associated with cheaper products.
The Google Pixel 5 is possibly one of the more expensive Snapdragon 765G phones.
Even at $ 629, Google certainly won't be the cheapest phone that rocks this class of chipsets. The OnePlus Nord costs € 400 and the Realme X50 5G offers a Snapdragon 765G for just € 350. That is more comparable to the price of the Pixel 4a. Although the sleeker LG Velvet is $ 699, the Nokia 8.3 is $ 599 and the Motorola Edge Plus is $ 535 (although Verizon dares to charge $ 999!). Google won't be alone at the high end of this market segment, but there are plenty of phones out there that are being sold much cheaper.
The Pixel 5 appears to be more expensive than a lot of its competitors and it doesn't exactly mix in with the premium bands here.
The Pixel 4a 5G problem
The Google Pixel 5 alone may have stood out enough to pique fan interest. However, Big G is also planning to release the Google Pixel 4a 5G at the same time for a cheaper price starting at $ 499.
See also: Google Pixel 4a is here - your buying guide
Budget phones have been well received this year. Just take a look at the iPhone SE and OnePlus Nord. So it's not surprising if the Pixel 4a 5G steals the 5's thunder. With 5G capabilities, a similar camera setup, the same processor, and Google's great software, the Pixel 4a 5G has all the basics. "Why pay more for the Pixel 5" is the big question Google has to answer.
The Pixel 4a 5G looks like better value for money.
Google's flagship will no doubt offer a few extra bells and whistles. Wireless charging, a higher refresh rate display, and possibly a revamped Soli radar system seem likely. Whether consumers value these perks for an additional $ 120 is far from certain. I'm starting to think they won't.
Overpriced or just right?
In many ways, the Google Pixel 5 seems like the perfect answer to common complaints about the Pixel 4. A mid-range processor should help with battery issues, and the lower price reverses the worrying trend toward $ 999. At the same time, Google can play to its strengths in the areas of photography and software.
Last year's success with the Pixel 3a may have convinced Google that affordability is the path to a historically illusory hardware success. So this year we don't have a high-performance pixel and increasingly smaller price and hardware differences between the products in Google's smartphone portfolio. The internal competition between Pixel 5 and 4a 5G doesn't help with Google's marketing message either.
At face value, a Google Pixel 5 price of $ 629 may be a bit expensive compared to its competitors. Still, it's a price some would surely pay for one of the best camera packages out there. However, with the Pixel 4a 5G of $ 499, Google could undercut its own flagship. What do you think?
