Here’s everything we know about the Google Pixel 5a 5G, including expected release date

Google’s Pixel 5a is set to succeed the Pixel 4a this year. While the launch is slated for later this year, it’s worth setting our expectations now that we’ve had a taste of what to expect from this year’s affordable Google Pixel smartphone.

Google first launched the Pixel series almost five years ago. Much distant from the erstwhile Nexus series, the first-gen Pixel and Pixel XL were presented as premium products to compete against the iPhone and Samsung’s flagship series. The Pixel series — as the name suggests — is meant to deliver high-quality smartphone photography, which is primarily achieved using machine learning algorithms to enrich images. But without any distinctive feature to offer or a reliable track record of making trendy smartphones, Google has struggled to ensure profitability in the smartphone business.

After the underwhelming response to the Pixel 3 series, Google decided to launch an affordable Pixel that offered the same camera prowess but without many other premium features like an IP rating, wireless charging, glass design, etc. This decision increased Google’s smartphone sales two-fold and affirmed a spot for the A series in Google’s hardware portfolio.

The Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL were succeeded by the Pixel 4a and the Pixel 4a 5G in the following year. In 2021, Google will launch the Pixel 5a 5G (believed to be codenamed barbette), and here’s everything we know about and expect from the smartphone.

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Google Pixel 5a 5G: Expected Release Date

The Google Pixel 3a was unveiled at the Google I/O 2019 developers conference, held in May of that year, and the Pixel 4a was expected to be released around the same time in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, threw a wrench in these plans and led to the cancellation of a physical Google I/O event. The pandemic also delayed the usual launch timeline for the products, and the Pixel 4a was launched in August 2020 instead of May. Later on in October, at an online event, Google also announced the Pixel 4a 5G alongside the more premium Google Pixel 5.

Google Pixel 5a leaked renders, Source: @OnLeaks

Based on the last year’s launch timeline, we expect Google to unveil the Pixel 5a in or around August 2021. This is primarily looking at how Google does not usually rush the launch of its hardware products.

Tipster Jon Prosser claims the Pixel 5a will be launched earlier this year. He predicts the Pixel 5a will be launched on June 11th, 2021, along with the new Pixel Buds.

Although rumors about Google canceling the Pixel 5a due to global chip shortage circulated on the internet briefly, Google overruled them and confirmed that the Pixel 5a 5G is indeed coming later this year. The company also confirmed the schedule of this launch would be “in line with when last year’s a-series phone was introduced.” Whether that means Google will launch it in August i.e. a year after the Pixel 4a’s launch or in October 2021, which marks the anniversary of the Pixel 4a 5G’s launch.

Google also specified that the phone would only launch in the U.S. and in Japan.

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Variants

For the first generation of affordable Pixel devices, Google launched the Pixel 3a in two different sizes. Despite their different dimensions, the Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL had the same specifications — save for the display size. The company drifted from its usual course of two differently-sized devices with the Pixel 4a, which had one 4G variant and another 5G variant. Apart from running on different internal chipsets, the vanilla Pixel 4a and the Pixel 4a 5G had different rear camera configurations — despite identical camera bumps.

The standard Pixel 4a featured just one camera, i.e., a 12MP camera that Google has used since the Pixel 2 series. The Pixel 4a 5G, on the other hand, featured a dual rear camera setup including a standard 12MP camera — same as the other Pixel devices — and a 16MP ultrawide-angle camera, just like the Pixel 5.

Notably, even though the Pixel 4a got two devices under its banner, the Pixel 5 had a single variant. With 5G becoming more mainstream in 2021, it makes sense for Google to skip a 4G-only variant. Google has confirmed that the Pixel 5a 5G will launch later this year but will be limited to the U.S. and Japan.

However, it is worth noting that Google has been working on its own custom silicon, which is expected to power the Pixel 6 later this year. A report by 9to5Google highlights that there will be two devices running on this custom silicon, codenamed “Raven” and “Oriole.” While one of them is intended to be the Pixel 6, the other one could either be a Chromebook (or tablet running Chrome OS) or a superior variant of the Pixel 5a. Notably, the Pixel 5a we know since last year is codenamed barbette, i.e., neither of the two devices reported to be powered by Google’s own mobile SoC. This only leaves room for speculation of another device, but we cannot ascertain its specifics at the moment.

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Design

We discussed above the changes seen over the history of the affordable Pixel lineup. According to a recent leak by the seasoned leaker, OnLeaks, aka Steve Hemmerstoffer, the Pixel 5a is set to use the same camera as the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5. In fact, there are no visible changes made to the design as Google appears to recycle the same design for the Pixel 5a.

OnLeaks notes the Pixel 5a is 2.3mm longer, 0.8mm narrower, and 0.6mm thicker than the Pixel 4a 5G. The alleged dimensions of the Pixel 5a are 156.2 x 73.2 x 8.8mm (9.4mm thick, including the camera bump). The increase in length appears to be because of the chin that appears slightly larger in the leaked renders than the previous devices.

Google Pixel 5a leaked renders, Source: @OnLeaks

Despite these minute changes in the dimensions, the Pixel 5a will inherit a 6.2-inch OLED display from the Pixel 4a 5G. The display is expected to have a Full HD+ resolution and a hole punch cutout towards the top-left corner, much like the Pixel 4a 5G. While the leaker makes no mention of it, we hope the Google Pixel 5a’s display to have a 90Hz refresh rate, which would be an upgrade over the 60Hz display on the Pixel 4a and the Pixel 4a 5G. As with the earlier devices, this is a flat display with no curves around the display.

Despite using an OLED display, Google seems eager to stick to a capacitive fingerprint scanner on the phone’s back instead of moving to under-display fingerprint technology. The volume rockers and the color-accented power button appear unchanged too.

Thankfully, the Pixel 5a is suggested to retain the 3.5mm headphone jack, even almost three years after Google removed it from its flagship Pixel devices. The stereo speakers setup remains intact too.

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Camera

As we mentioned above, the Pixel 5a has been suggested to feature a dual rear camera setup — a first for the affordable Pixel range. This will include a 12MP primary camera and a 16MP ultrawide angle camera. These cameras are likely to remain unchanged from what we have seen on the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5.

Google Pixel 5a leaked renders, Source: @OnLeaks

Still, we can expect generational upgrades in terms of image processing alongside probably some exclusive features. Exactly like the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5, the two camera sensors on the Pixel 5a are placed on a horizontal line along the center of the square camera bump. As per the leaked renders, another sensor lies below these cameras, and it could either be a PDAF sensor or a flicker sensor.

The selfie camera is once again nestled inside the hole punch cutout in the display. While the leak did not reveal this camera’s resolution, Google has traditionally used 8MP cameras, and that has served well. We can expect the same to be carried over to the Pixel 5a.

A recent report by 9to5Google adds that the hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera on the Pixel 5a will be smaller. It says the radius of this camera cutout will be 55 pixels, as opposed to the circle of radius 65 pixels on previous Pixel devices bearing a hole-punch cutout.

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Google Pixel 5a 5G: Expected Price

The Pixel 3a was launched at $399 in the US while being more expensive in certain markets like India. For that stunning camera, the Pixel 3a was not at all a bad investment but had a lackluster performance. Google made the Pixel 4a more accessible and attractive by reducing the price to $349. Meanwhile, the Pixel 4a 5G was priced at $499, accounting for its more powerful Snapdragon 765G chipset with 5G capabilities.

While there are no particulars about the price of Pixel 5a 5G just yet, we wouldn’t be surprised if it is also priced between $450 and $550.

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We will keep updating this article with more details as we learn about them over the next several months until the official Pixel 5a launch. 

Featured image: Google Pixel 5a leaked renders, source: Voice @OnLeaks

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Harmony is no more – Logitech will no longer make its popular universal remotes

Logitech has discontinued its Harmony line of universal remotes almost two decades after the first Harmony remote went on sale. The peripherals manufacturer shared the news in a recent post on its support website and revealed that it will stop making the universal remotes immediately. Interested buyers will still find the remotes at retailers till stocks last, and Logitech has promised that it will provide support and service for the remotes till people keep using them.

In the post, a representative from Logitech wrote, “We expect no impact to our customers by this announcement. We plan to support our Harmony community and new Harmony customers, which includes access to our software and apps to set up and manage your remotes. We also plan to continue to update the platform and add devices to our Harmony database. Customer and warranty support will continue to be offered.”

An FAQ section attached to the post further reveals that Logitech will continue to maintain the Harmony database and software, the company will honor the warranty agreement for both existing and new buyers, and it won’t offer refunds for new buyers as it plans to provide service and support “as long as customers are using” their remotes.

All Amazon listings for Logitech’s Harmony remotes now feature a “[Disconitnued by Manufacturer]” tag. However, you can still get your hands on a replacement unit for your existing remote if you plan to continue using it for the foreseeable future. Best Buy still has quite a few options available on sale, including the Harmony 665, the Harmony Elite remote control and smart hub combo, and the Harmony Companion remote control and smart hub combo. While these models are also available for purchase on Amazon, they’re priced much higher due to limited stocks. Amazon has some renewed and used models on sale, though. You can consider those if you don’t feel like paying full price for a discontinued product.

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Google starts rolling out “Heads Up” in Digital Wellbeing to stop distracted walking

In November last year, XDA’s Mishaal Rahman spotted an upcoming feature, called Heads Up, in a teardown of the Digital Wellbeing app. At the time, we’d learned that the feature would alert users to keep their heads up while walking to avoid any accidents. The feature has now started rolling out to Google Pixel users with the latest Digital Wellbeing update.

Jay Prakash Kamat on Twitter first spotted the new feature on his Pixel 4a and shared the following screenshots:

Images: @jay_kamat

As you can see, the feature hasn’t changed much since we first spotted it in the teardown last year. The setup screen shows the same description: “Watch your step with Heads Up…If you’re walking while using your phone, get a reminder to focus on what’s around you. Use with caution. Heads Up doesn’t replace paying attention.” Tapping on the ‘Next’ button at the bottom of this screen begins the setup process, after which the feature shows a pushes a reminder every time you use your phone while walking.

You can find the new Heads Up feature within the Reduce Interruptions section of the Digital Wellbeing app settings. Once it’s enabled, you can find a couple of additional settings within the same section. There’s a new toggle to disable the reminders, permission controls for Physical activity and Location, and a feedback option.

At the moment, the new Heads Up feature seems to be rolling out only on Google’s Pixel devices with the latest Digital Wellbeing update. In case you haven’t received it yet, you can update to the latest release by following the Play Store link below. Currently, we have no information from Google regarding a broader rollout. However, we expect the company to release the feature on more Android devices in the near future. We’ll let you know as soon as that happens.

Digital Wellbeing (Free, Google Play) →

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Samsung’s Galaxy S21 FE looks like the Galaxy S21, but may cost a lot less

Samsung last year added a new member to the Galaxy S family in the form of the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition). The Galaxy S20 FE turned out to be a big hit as it offered some of the best features of the standard Galaxy S20 at a much cheaper price tag. Samsung is all set to repeat this winning formula once again with the Galaxy S21 series as its base for the Galaxy S21 FE. Last month, a leaked product roadmap revealed Samsung’s plans to launch a successor to the Galaxy S20 FE. Now, a fresh leak has shed more light on what we can expect from the Galaxy S21 FE and what it will look like.

Renowned leaker OnLeaks has released an early look of the Galaxy S21 FE, revealing its overall design among other things. As expected, the Galaxy S21 FE will look like a carbon copy of the standard Galaxy S21. However, there are some changes to the material, display size, and dimensions. For one, the Galaxy S21 FE will feature what Samsung refers to as a “Glastic” rear panel instead of a glass panel.

This frosted Glastic panel, also used on the Galaxy S20 FE, has an appearance of glass, but it’s actually just your regular plastic panel. Moving on, the Galaxy S21 FE is said to feature a bigger 6.4-inch display as compared to the 6.2-inch panel of the standard model, and this, in turn, will make the device 4mm taller and 3.3mm wider. We are also told the phone will feature a metal frame and a slightly different rear camera design that seems to protrudes directly from the rear panel.

On the front, the phone features a single hole-punch Infinity-O display with a selfie-camera module. Details about SoC, camera sensors, battery, RAM, and so on remain a mystery at this point. However, if the previous model is any indication, the Galaxy S21 FE will very likely feature the same SoC and many of the premium features of the Galaxy S21 series. The pricing will also be on the cheaper side as compared to the vanilla Galaxy S21. But how much cheaper the device will be and what compromises Samsung will make to achieve the lower price tag remains to be seen.

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Looking for a simple reminder app? Check out Remind Me on Android

Reminders and To-Do apps are a dime-a-dozen on the Google Play Store. To Do List, Todoist, Google Tasks, Any.do, Microsoft To Do: The list goes on. While all of these apps are great in their own right, many of them are guilty of packing way too many features that you probably don’t need. If all you want is a basic reminder app that gets the job done, you might want to check out this app called Remind Me.

Remind Me is a very simple and straightforward app from XDA Member pineappleftw that lets you set reminders as notifications. All you have to do is give your reminder a title, add a description if you want, and hit the Remind Me button. The app will push out a notification of your reminder right away in the notification shade. The idea here is that whenever you pick up your phone or check notifications (which many of us do way too frequently), you’ll always see your reminder right there.

Reminders can also be persistent so they don’t accidentally get cleared from the notification shade, can be scheduled for future dates and time, and can have varying degrees of priority, including Low, Medium, and High.

The Remind Me app may come across as rather barebones, but that’s exactly what it’s all about. It keeps things simple and sticks to its main goal which is reminding you of things in a simple and effective way. The app also has a Quick Settings tile that you can tap to add new reminders on the fly without having to open the app.

Here are some of the main features of the app:

• Dark Mode
• Custom Quick Settings Tile for Quick Access
• Custom Text Selection Actions (able to remind through the same copy/paste menu on Chrome browser)
• Persistence/Sticky Notification persist through reboot
• Schedule repeating reminders
• View your past notifications (past reminder that u have used)
• Save important notifications so that it can be reused
• Able to set notification to be sticky to prevent accidental swipes
• Able to set notification by priorities

Remind Me is available on the Google Play Store for free, and you can download it from the link below. Visit the XDA Forum Thread to give feedback to the developer or ask questions.

Remind Me - Notification Reminder (Free, Google Play) →

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Customize the ROG Phone 2/3’s performance in any app with Armoury Crate Unleashed

Update 1 (04/11/2021 @ 02:56 PM ET): The Armoury Crate Unleased mod has been ported to the ASUS ROG Phone II. Click here for more information. The article, as published on March 21, 2021, is preserved below.

Magisk Modules are a simple way to apply system-level mods to your device without having to get your hands dirty and make changes to system files manually. From an end user’s perspective, all you have to do is download a module, enable it through the Magisk app, and then reboot your device for the changes to go into effect. While most modules focus on adding one feature or changing one thing on your device, there are some that target a specific device or firmware. “Armoury Crate – Unleashed” from XDA Recognized Developer Freak07 falls into that latter category, as it introduces a plethora of tweaks and mods for the Armoury Crate app on the ASUS ROG Phone 3.

ASUS ROG Phone 3 Forums

For those not familiar with Armoury Crate, ASUS describes it as “the hub of all information and controls your gaming needs from your phone.” For every game you add to Armoury Crate’s Game Library, you can customize the performance mode that activates when the game is launched. Surprisingly, you can get truly granular in terms of tuning system variables, as users are allowed to access and modify virtually every CPU parameter exposed by the kernel. We go into much more detail in our ROG Phone 3 review in case you’re interested.

Armoury Crate’s Hardcore Tuning section

While it is possible to add regular applications under Armoury Crate as well, there’s no guarantee that the tuning modules will do what you want them to do. This is due to the fact that the inclusion of an app under Armoury Crate makes it necessary to perform a double swipe to trigger a back gesture, which effectively collides with the home gesture. As a consequence, you can’t trigger the home gesture without performing the action twice — something which isn’t convenient during day-to-day usage. This is exactly where the Armoury Crate Unleashed Magisk module comes in.

The module modifies various portions of the ROG Phone 3’s firmware on-the-fly and allows you to add non-gaming apps to Armoury Crate without worrying about conflicts with navigation gestures. You can add system apps such as Google Maps as well, although you need to systemless-ly remove the factory-installed copy first and reinstall the app from the Google Play Store before attempting to do so. The mod also extends the possible settings in Armoury Crate by leveraging a bunch of SoC-specific kernel tweaks.

Here’s a breakdown of the features offered by this Magisk Module:

• Remove the necessity for double swipe back gesture once an app is added to Armoury Crate
• Remove the necessity for double home gesture once an app is added to Armoury Crate
• Remove Game Genie trigger from the left side of the screen once an app is added to Armoury Crate (it can still be accessed via the notification in the notification drawer)
• Extend cpuset capabilities from Armoury Crate
• Bring the ability to set up to 10 taps per seconds for AirTriggers (since v4)

It is worth mentioning that abruptly restricting CPU frequencies for a specific app leads to nothing but stutters, so try to find the right balance while tuning the parameters. Moreover, some games tend to flag a high number of rapid consecutive touches in AirTriggers straight away as cheating. Keeping that in mind, if you have a ROG Phone 3 and you wish to experience the true power of it, you can now do that by downloading the Armoury Crate Unleashed Magisk module from the link below. The module is currently at v4, having only been tested on software version 17.0823.2012.131 for the ROG Phone 3.

Download Armoury Crate Unleashed Magisk module for the ROG Phone 3

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Update 1: ROG Phone II Support

Freak07, the developer of the Armoury Crate Unleashed mod, has ported his work to the ROG Phone II.

ASUS ROG Phone II Forums

The initial release requires a ROG Phone II running the stock ASUS firmware version WW-17.0240.2103.75. You will, of course, still need to have root access with Magisk.

Download Armoury Crate Unleashed Magisk Module for the ROG Phone II

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Are you satisfied by OEMs promising 3 years of Android updates?

Smartphones are getting more powerful, and the performance gap between a flagship and a mid-ranger is getting shorter. With fewer hardware features to stake their claims, OEMs are now turning their attention towards software updates. The latest trend in this area is to promise a certain number of Android generational upgrades and use it as an argument against the competition. Samsung and HMD Global are two brands that have recently promised three Android version upgrades to their mid-range phones, and we think more companies should follow suit. What do you think about it?

Samsung unveiled its Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 last month. The Galaxy A series has been among Samsung’s best-selling smartphones in the last few years, and the Galaxy A51 topped the charts as the most-sold Android phone of 2020. Naturally, the Galaxy A52 is likely to fill those shoes — and its new upgrades have positioned it well in that regard, as we learned in our Galaxy A52 review.

But along with the new hardware improvements, Samsung has also guaranteed three years of incremental Android version updates for the Galaxy A52 and the Galaxy A72. Given Samsung’s recent commitment to prompt software updates, we see that panning out very well.

Simultaneously, HMD Global recently announced three generations of Android updates for its new mid-range devices — the Nokia X10 and the Nokia X20. Nokia’s mid-rangers may trail far behind the Galaxy A series, but 5G connectivity along with this promise of extended updates, including monthly security updates for the next three years, will definitely help the brand’s sales proposition.

Meanwhile, some other smartphones, notably the Google Pixel lineup, guarantee three software version updates. While this may not be as enticing as Apple’s five years’ worth of iOS updates for iPhones and iPad, it is still a rare sight when it comes to Android phones.

Would you be satisfied by your phone’s manufacturer delivering three Android updates, or do you want this duration to extend further? Share your thoughts in the comments below. 

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