One of the biggest and highly-anticipated announcements coming from Google’s developer conference, Google I/O 2019, is that the Pixel 3a and 3a XL has finally gone official. Yeah, Google CEO Sundar Pichai took center stage today during the keynote to take the veil off this mid-range Pixel smartphone, which we had been hearing about and waiting for many months now.
Though Google’s intention behind launching a mid-range Pixel was to capture markets like India, the company has completely missed the mark on the pricing front. The Pixel 3a has been priced at a hefty Rs. 39,999 whereas its bigger sibling will retail at Rs. 44,999 for the 4GB and 64GB variant.
In line with the leaks, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL tout a familiar Pixel-style two-tone design for the back panel but it’s now a polycarbonate unibody build in comparison to the glass build of the flagship Pixel 3. There’s a single rear camera and a fingerprint sensor on the back.
You also get the usual clicky buttons on the edge, USB Type-C port, stereo speakers, and surprise-surprise, a 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s the Active Edge feature on board as well, allowing you to squeeze the Pixel 3a to activate the Google Assistant.
Pixel 3a and 3a XL: Cameras
As for the camera department, which is the highlight of the Pixel 3a lineup, Google today confirmed that it porting its flagship cameras to this mid-range device. You get the same 12.2MP (f/1.8) Sony IMX363 sensor on the rear, paired with an 8MP (f/2.0) selfie sensor.
That’s about everything you need to know about Google’s mid-range Pixel 3a lineup. We certainly like the smartphone after having it used for a couple-odd days, but the Indian pricing has soured the whole package which could’ve been a great recommendation for photo-centric smartphone users.
