Google Pixel 5 May Not be a Flagship Phone Rivaling the iPhone

Google has launched a slew of Pixel phones over the past few years but none of them have done well in the market.

The next Google Pixel phone might not be a high-end device as per latest reports. It has been revealed that Google could look to push down the price barrier and won’t be competing with the likes of Apple and Samsung anymore.

Instead, Google will rely on mid-range processors that are power-efficient, which can be sold at lower prices. According to 9to5Google report, the Google camera app has more or less confirmed this development, which points out the Pixel 5 will indeed be a mid-range phone, which means it won’t be packed with Snapdragon 865 processor this year.

These details have been discovered in the pre-released version of the Google Camera app. The report says two Pixel devices codenamed bramble and redfin will be Google’s flagship phones for 2020.

While there is no way to confirm these as of now, Google’s inclination to opt for a mid-range processor (with support for 5G of course), could change the fortunes for the company in the hardware space. After all, the previous Pixel iterations have failed to deliver in the market, falling way behind Apple and Samsung in terms of the sales numbers.

This situation did change a bit after the introduction of Pixel 3a series to the line up, which sold for around Rs 40,000 in the Indian market last year. Many expect Pixel 4a to make its debut in the coming months, which is likely to get postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Having a mid-range Pixel 5 might not appeal to most of you out there but for Google it’s all about running a business, and if the company can deliver flagship-like experience through its software, camera prowess and tweak the hardware to offer longer battery life.

Also, one cannot forget that unlike the Snapdragon 865, Google using the 765G offers better power efficiency, and more importantly the 5G modem is integrated into the chipset. But yes, the performance might not be flagship standard but that’s unlikely to be sole consideration for buyers of high-end phones.

And let’s not forget, maybe Google doesn’t want to sell phones for over $1000 (Rs 74,000 approx) which has become the norm for flagship products these days.