UPDATE: In a statement to 9to5Google, Google said the following: “Pixel 5a 5G is not cancelled. It will be available later this year in the U.S. and Japan and announced in line with when last year’s a-series phone was introduced.” The updated story continues below.
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Two months after the mid-range Pixel 5a leaked in full, Google has reportedly made the decision to cancel the upcoming smartphone in certain markets due to the ongoing global chip shortage, which has been affecting most major electronics companies.
Google has reportedly canceled the Pixel 5a in most markets
The news of the Pixel 5a’s partial cancelation arrives courtesy of Jon Prosser and follows a decision that was allegedly made as recently as this morning. The statement provided by Google suggests the mid-range smartphone has been axed from all regions, other than the US and Japan.
A Pixel 5a announcement is expected in July or August, ahead of the the Pixel Watch and Pixel 6 debut later in the year. Google plans to continue selling the current-gen Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a 5G throughout 2021 in markets where the newer Pixel 5a 5G isn’t available.
For reference, Google’s Pixel 4a is available in the following markets: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States.
Google’s more expensive Pixel 4a 5G is sold in these countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States.
Is the Pixel 5a 5G really a big upgrade?
Whether this is good or bad news for customers outside of the US and Japan is up for debate. The leaked CAD-based Pixel 5a renders hinted at it simply being an updated version of the Pixel 4a 5G, already an impressive device considering its price, with a better chipset.
The Pixel 4a 5G currently sits on PhoneArena’s list of best budget 5G phones and arguably features some of the best cameras and software support in its price range, if not of any phone.
As a reminder, the Pixel 4a 5G retails at $499 in the US and offers Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G, 128GB of storage, a 6.2-inch punch-hole display, and stereo speakers.
