24 PCWorld JULY 2020NEWS GOOGLE PIXEL 4A PREVIEW
FEATURES
With a slim top bezel and
a rear fingerprint sensor,
the Pixel 4a is all but
certain to skip Google’s
Motion Sense tech
that tracks movements
and maps faces for
secure unlocking. Also,
without the dedicated
core processor, it might
not have the Pixel 4’s
mind-blowing
astrophotography mode
either, and newer camera
features such as Dual Exposure controls and
Live HDR+ might not be making their way to
the 4a either. Google has yet to deliver them to
older phones, due to the features’ reliance on
“low-level capabilities in the hardware.”
The Pixel 4a will likely get the new Google
Assistant, which brings app-level interaction
and faster response times. It also might get
the excellent new Recorder app that
automatically transcribes speech for
searchable audio files. Of course, it will
receive a guaranteed three years of Android
security updates and two years of OS
updates, as well as “feature drops”
throughout the year.PRICE AND RELEASE
A leaked rendering of a billboard reveals that
the Pixel 4a will start at the same $399 priceas the 3a. It’s extremely likely that the Pixel 4a
would have launched at Google I/O in early
May had it gone off as planned, so the 4a
could arrive at any time with little fanfare,
much like Apple’s iPhone SE (go.pcworld.
com/ise2). Google has scheduled an
Android Beta Show (go.pcworld.com/abts)
on June 4 for the unveiling of Android 11. It
could arrive then, though in the
announcement video, Google didn’t tease
any hardware announcements.
And it seems as though it’s not going to
arrive until July. Front Page Tech’s Prosser (go.
pcworld.com/prsr) says the phone has been
delayed until July, a report that was confirmed
by David Ruddock of Android Police (go.
pcworld.com/dvrd). However, all indications
are that the phone is ready to go at any time,
so those plans could still change.The features that made the Pixel 3a so great will likely all be making their way to
the 4a, along with a few new ones.