With the Pixel 5 and 4a 5G, Google continues to refocus on the mid-range

Steph Deschamps / October 1, 2020

SMARTPHONE The Pixel 5 (630 euros) and the Pixel 4a 5G (499 euros) are available for pre-orders and will be released on October 15

It's not easy to navigate Google's nomenclature. The Mountain View firm unveiled its last two smartphones on Wednesday during a recorded keynote, Covid obliges. The Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G both rely on the new generation of telephone networks, but also on photos and video. All at a relatively affordable price: from 630 euros for the Pixel 5 and 499 euros for the 4a 5G - both already available for pre-orders, to be released on October 15.

After the commercial failure of the Pixel 4, sold at 769 euros, and which suffered from poor battery life, Google continues to refocus on the mid-range. The Pixel 5 doesn't offer Snapdragon's latest chip (but the 765G), with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It abandons the Soli radar chip and gesture control which has, admittedly, never gone beyond the gimmick stage. And the Oled screen adopts a slightly lower resolution (2,340x1,080 pixels). Ordinary people won't care, but those who absolutely want a "flagship" on steroids will have to look elsewhere.

Wide-angle photo sensor and stabilized video

The Pixel 4a 5G is a simple evolution of its predecessor, announced last month. It is therefore compatible with 5G networks, and this time accommodates a wide-angle photo sensor instead of the zoom. And both new Pixels feature cinematic pan video mode, which features optical stabilization and slow motion for spectacular tracking. It remains to be seen in the test whether the video quality finally catches up to that of the iPhone, which had taken a step ahead.

On Wednesday, the Californian giant also unveiled its new connected speaker Nest Audio (99 euros), which succeeds Google Home, and a new Chromecast (69 euros) which allows you to enjoy the Google TV system on an old TV. An effective product line, if not fundamentally surprising.