Alleged Google Pixel 5a spec sheet suggests that it is a rebadged Pixel 4a 5G

Google I/O was host to many exciting announcements that showed off the Mountain View giant's AI and machine learning chops. Since it was a developer-centric conference, the likelihood of Google announcing any consumer hardware, such as the Pixel 5a, was low. One rumour, in particular, questioned the Pixel 5a's very existance. Thankfully, Google debunked it shortly after and asserted that the mid-ranger was due to be launched sometime in H2, 2021. A new leak has now surfaced online, which sheds light on several Pixel 5a specs.

The information comes via Twitter leaker @StuffListings, who claims that the upcoming Pixel smartphone will run a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset coupled with 128GB of storage. Other Pixel 5a specifications include a 6.2-inch FHD+ OLED screen, a 12.2MP primary sensor, a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and an 8MP selfie camera. Google 'accidentally' released some Pixel 5a images earlier, and the EXIF data on them suggested that one of its sensors is 12.2MP. He rounds things off by stating that its battery will support fast charging at 18W and that the Pixel 5a could retail at US$500. It implies that the Pixel 5a is little more than a Pixel 4a 5G with a fresh coat of paint.

There is enough evidence to suggest that the Pixel 5a will be similar to the Pixel 4a 5G. While the leaker has a decent track record for hardware leaks, we should treat this information with some scepticism. Google may have fallen asleep at the wheel last year when it decided the launch the 'flagship' Pixel 5 with nearly identical hardware. It is unlikely that Google will attempt it a second time around. Then again, it would also save Google the trouble of redesigning a phone from the ground up. It could then redirect the extra resources towards the Pixel 6 series' development. They are, after all, tipped to run Google's in-house Whitechapel silicon.

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