The Google Pixel 5 is the next-gen Pixel phone that many users are waiting for. Up until now, quite a bit of Pixel 5 information surfaced, including the pricing and release date, and we’ll try to share those in this article. Google is taking a slightly different approach to the Pixel 5 this time around, it seems. The company not only plans to include a mid-range SoC inside this phone, but we may get a single variant of the phone.
The Google Pixel 4a got launched recently, and the Pixel 5 will take some of its design cues from that phone. The same actually goes for the Pixel 4a 5G which is expected to launch in the near future as well. By the looks of it, the Pixel 5 will be the more powerful devices, while the Pixel 4a 5G may get released instead of the Pixel 5 XL. Yes, you read that right, the Pixel 5 XL may not launch at all.
Do note that everything we’re talking about here is just speculation at this point. If any of the info got officially confirmed, we will make sure to note it. Otherwise, take all this information with a grain of salt, as it’s possible that these rumors and leaks are inaccurate. That being said, let’s kick off this Google Pixel 5 preview.
This article will be regularly updated with new information on the Google Pixel 5 (this is a preview article) — both official teasers and credible leaks, rumors, and insider claims — as it becomes available in the run-up to the release of the upcoming Android smartphone. The last update was made on September 25.
Metal + ?! build, thin bezels & rear-facing fingerprint scanner
The Google Pixel 5 will be quite similar to the Pixel 4a in terms of the design, it seems. The phone’s CAD-based renders surfaced, along with an image that shows the phone next to the Pixel 4a 5G. Based on these images, the Google Pixel 5 will be made out of… well, we don’t know. We do know that it won’t be made entirely out of plastic. It’s quite possible it will be a metal frame + glass or plastic on the back, but we’ll see.
The device will include a capacitive fingerprint scanner on the back, along with Google’s branding. The company’s branding will be barely visible, so it won’t bother many people. Unlike the Pixel 4a, the Google Pixel 5 will include two cameras inside its rear camera module. On top of that, an LED flash will be included inside as well. That camera module will protrude on the back.
On the front, you’ll notice a single display camera cutout. That hole will be included in the top-left corner of the display, the same as on the Pixel 4a. The phone’s bottom bezel will be slightly thicker than the rest of its bezels, it seems. The power / lock button will be placed on the right-hand side, along with the volume up and down buttons.
If you take a look at the real-life image provided below this paragraph, you’ll be able to see the Pixel 5 next to the Pixel 4a 5G. As you can see, the Pixel 5 will be the smaller device. That is to be expected considering its specs suggest its display will be considerably smaller. More on that in the next section. Before we get to it, though, it’s worth noting that the Pixel 4a 5G will offer a similar design to the Pixel 4a and Pixel 5. It will also pack in two cameras on the back, it seems.
Following the image above, several other images popped up. These are also real-life images, and they’re showing off the Google Pixel 5 only. You can see both the phone’s front and back sides in the images provided down below. You will notice really thin bezels, familiar design, and everything we talked about earlier in this paragraph. This does seem to be the final design of the phone.
The Google Pixel 5 will ship in Black and Green color variants. The green model will be called the ‘Subtle Sage’, while the black will probably ship with a well-known ‘Just Black’ name. The second one Google used before, but ‘Subtle Sage‘ is brand new. Those seem to be the only two variants the phone will ship in. Having said that, you can check out the ‘Subtle Sage’ Google Pixel 5 in the gallery below… along with the black variant of the device.
From a flagship SoC, to a mid-range one
When it comes to specs, the Google Pixel 5 may not be what you expect. This handset, unlike its predecessor, will ship with a mid-range processor. The Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL shipped with the Snapdragon 855 SoC, which was a flagship processor at the time. The Pixel 5, on the other hand, will include the Snapdragon 765G, if rumors and leaks are to be believed. That is the same chip that the OnePlus Nord is rocking, and it’s one of Qualcomm’s best mid-range chips.
This also means that the Pixel 5 will support 5G, as the ‘G’ variant of the Snapdragon 765 comes with a 5G modem. The Google Pixel 5 will include a rather large battery, despite what previous rumors suggested. The phone is expected to sport a 4,080mAh battery on the inside. Considering its display measure 6 inches, that’s not a bad battery size at all. The complaint we heard the most about the Pixel 4 was its battery life (2,800mAh battery was included), so… Google is trying to fix that with the next-gen model, it seems.
The phone will include fast charging as well, 18W wireless charging. It is also expected to ship with wireless charging support, and reverse charging support. The phone will likely include 8GB of RAM on the inside, while a 90Hz display is also expected. Some people expected a 120Hz panel on the phone, but that probably won’t happen. That will be an OLED display, though.
The Pixel 4a 5G will likely include a 6.2-inch display (60Hz, OLED), by the way. Android 11 will come pre-installed on this handset, with Google’s Pixel experience UI. The Pixel 5 will almost certainly be officially rated for water and dust resistance, unlike the Pixel 4a. The device is expected to measure 144.7 x 70.4 x 8.1mm (8.5mm with a camera bump). We’ll talk more about the camera in the next section.
An ultra-wide camera is finally coming
The Google Pixel 5 will include two cameras on the back, it seems. So, the number of cameras did not change compared to the Pixel 4, but a telephoto camera will no longer be a part of the picture. That will probably make a lot of people happy, as Google is finally planning to include an ultrawide camera. In addition to that secondary, ultrawide camera, the company will also utilize a 12.2-megapixel unit (f/1.7 aperture, 1.4um pixel size, dual-phasae autofocus, OIS, EIS), probably the same one used on the Pixel 4 and 4a.
When it comes to the ultra-wide camera, the phone is tipped to include a 16-megapixel unit (f/2.2 aperture, 1.0um pixel size, 107-degree FoV). This will be immensely useful when taking pictures of landscapes, and when you need a wider field of view in general. Google’s camera software magic will, of course, work with that ultrawide camera, the same as it does with the main sensor the company is using.
In terms of the front-facing camera, rumors are claiming we’ll get an 8-megapixel unit. That could be the same camera that Google is using on the Pixel 4a. We may be wrong on that, but chances are it is the same. There you have it, that’s all the camera info that we have at the moment, though nothing has been confirmed just yet.
Pixel 5 Release Date
First and foremost, it is worth noting that the phone did get certified by the FCC already. Google has officially confirmed the launch date for the Google Pixel 5. The phone will become official on September 30, the same day as the Google Pixel 4a 5G. Google did not specifically said that the two phones are arriving during that date, but it’s implied.
The company is allegedly planning to launch the Google Pixel 5 in both black and green color variants on that release date. The Google Pixel 4 5G, on the other hand, will arrive in a black color option on September 30, and a white variant will drop in October. Both devices are expected to launch in the US first, but they’ll ship to a number of additional regions.
In terms of pricing, well, it will cost less than today’s flagships, which is to be expected. The phone’s price tag will be $699 in the US, a little bit more than the original Google Pixel. It is expected to cost CAD799.99 in Canada, and €629 in Europe. Both the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4 5G are expected to launch in the following countries, at least on the September 30 release date: Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the US.