Google explains why it brought back the headphone jack for the Pixel 3a

Google joined the no headphone jack club when it launched the Pixel 2 devices. The reasoning behind it was they wanted to establish a “mechanical design path for the future.” According to Google’s Mario Queiroz, “We want the display to go closer and closer to the edge. Our team said, ‘if we’re going to make the shift, let’s make it sooner, rather than later.’ Last year may have been too early. Now there are more phones on the market.” And when the Pixel 3 came out, we got those almost all-screen devices.

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Pre-orders are now up for the Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL

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Google is making some changes in its smartphone hardware business. Unlike the past few devices it launched where the focus was on the premium market, Google is bringing back its mid-range line with the launch of the Pixel 3a and 3a XL.

Unlike its past devices, too, these are available for pre-order now through the Google Store in 12 other countries outside of the US—Canada included. So, if you want to get Google’s newest smartphones, you can do so now. The Pixel 3a is priced at $549 CAD, while the Pixel 3a XL goes for $649. In the coming weeks, these will be available for pre-order through carriers like Rogers, Bell, Telus, Fido, Virgin Mobile, and Koodo. They will also be available through Best Buy, Costco, T-Booth Wireless, Wireless Wave, Walmart, and WoW Mobile.

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Google Pixel 3a XL shows up at Best Buy in the US ahead of official release

Well, this killed any remaining mystery surrounding the more affordable Google Pixel devices—specifically the Pixel 3a XL. The phone was spotted at a Best Buy store in Springfield, Ohio. The phones were kept under glass but it showed the two previously leaked colours, “Purple-ish” and “Just Black.” The phone was being rumoured for a launch at Google’s I/O event on May 7^th. This seems to confirm that the phone will make an appearance then. The rumoured specs of are 5.6-inch for the Pixel 3a and 6-inch for the Pixel 3a XL. The phones will reportedly run on a Snapdragon 670 and 710 processors, respectively, with 4GB of RAM and the same Pixel Visual Core that runs on the cameras of the current Pixel 3 phones. The prices are said to be US$399 for the Pixel 3a and $479 for the Pixel 3a XL. While this seems legitimate, the launch hasn’t happened yet, so as usual, it’s best to take this information with a grain of salt.

Source: Android Police

‘Something big’ is coming to the Google Pixel universe

Dovetailing with the first day of the Google I/O conference, the company will be holding an event on May 7th that will introduce “something big” into the Google Pixel universe. The associated video clip shows a promo for Avengers: Endgame-themed augmented reality stickers, but as Engadget points out, there should be more than that.  

Rumour has it that Google might launch Pixel 3a phones. The rumoured Pixel 3a reportedly has a 5.6-inch display with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 12-megapixel rear camera with the same Pixel Visual Core found in the high-end Pixel 3. There’s also supposedly a Pixel 3a XL that would push the screen to a 6-inch display and runs on a Snapdragon 710 processor. The goal supposedly for these new phones is to bring the essentials of the Pixel back down to a more affordable price.