It's Nexus time all over again for Google as one might say the new handset that the company just introduced has many elements of Nexus written all over it. The Pixel 3A is officially out and it all looks like that this early, Google was right to play a game it can actually win.
Recently, the internet search giant has admitted the last Pixel effort was not performing as expected. The company has realized it has to change tact, and it did by reintroducing a long-archived playbook. The Pixel 3A is proof that Google is ready to duke it out in the mid-range arena and steal the thunder off of known players like Huawei and other Chinese device makers.
Google, in fact, is gearing to revisit its tussle with Apple and Samsung but not in the flagship territory. The Pixel 3A showcases that its maker has certainly gotten back its groove.
In reacting to the 3A intro, Engadget declared: "Google shows Apple and Samsung how lite flagships are done."
The publication was right as there is so much to love about the Pixel 3A. It was evident that foremost of Google's intention is to keep the sticker price appealing but with as little tradeoffs as possible. On this, it appeared that Google found success.
Sure the Pixel 3A specs will not blow away the competition but according to The Verge, focusing on the technical is like missing out the meat of the story.
"Hard specs won't ever tell the whole story," the tech site reported.
Under the hood of the Pixel 3A is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 670, which is a far cry from the Snapdragon 845 that powers the Pixel 3 series. But Google has clearly stated that while the 3A lacks the muscle and speed of a flagship CPU, the SD 670 has been optimized to deliver near-flagship performance.
Already, the company is directing attention on how sturdily the Pixel 3A has been constructed, assembled and finalized at the same level of its older siblings. Likewise, the device will sport the same camera system that users and critics alike have concluded is the best shooter in town.
In addition, the handset will hit the market running on the latest Android 9 version and since the OS belong to the pure breed, it will get immediately updated the moment a new version comes out. The Pixel 3A now rocks Android Pie but Android Q will soon touch down and the handset is certainly lined up to the get the OS bump first.
The best part, however, is the Pixel 3A price tag that Google set at $400, which for many will be hard to resist when compared to the competition, like to the regular Pixel 3, priced $799, or the Pixel 3 XL that retails starting at $899. All the Pixel 3 models pack the same experience but the 3A seems more tempting now considering the promise of saving up to $500.
