Google Pixel 5a Secures Launch Date as Company Files for FCC

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 11 July 2021, 11:07 am

Google Pixel 5a's FCC filing has finally appeared, which means its launch date is already confirmed. When an upcoming smartphone makes it through FCC certification, its release date is just around the corner.

Google Pixel 5a FCC Filing

In 2020, there were claims that Google may have canceled the production of the Pixel 5a due to the global chip shortage problem.

However, Google quickly dispelled the rumors and stated that Pixel 5a 5G is not canceled.

The FCC listing aligns with Google's statement that the smartphone may be announced at the same time when Pixel 4a 5G was revealed last year, according to Slash Gear.

Pixel 4a 5G was announced in August 2020, and the Pixel 5a could be launched around August this year, according to Bloomberg.

Also Read: Pixel 5 vs. Pixel 4A 5G Advanced Review: Camera, Processor and More! Which One is Better?

Three Variants

The reports over time have claimed Barbet is the code name of the smartphone, and its model number is G4S1M. This was also revealed in the analysis of the Android 12 beta in the past, according to Pocket Lint.

However, the FCC document that was first discovered by @cstark27, shows that the model numbers G1F8F, G4S1M, and GR0M2 are all connected to the Pixel 5a 5G phone.

Due to confidentiality, the likes of FCC revealing specifications of unannounced phones is highly unlikely, but the shared snippets show that the wireless frequency bands of the listed phone models suggest that the G1F8F will be a CDMA model that is expected to be released in North America.

However, it does not support the mmWave 5G network, even though the Pixel 4a 5G came with mmWave support in a different model.

The two variants, G4S1M and GR0M2, are predicted to be launched internationally. These two variants have CDMA networks disabled by software.

The Pixel 5a 5G is also predicted to follow an identical design language to the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5. But it could be a bit taller, thicker, and narrower than the previous models.

The Pixel 5a 5G could be 2.3mm longer, 0.8mm narrower, and it could likely have a thicker form factor than the previous models to appeal to the younger consumers.

Other than the exterior variation, the Pixel 5a 5G will look the same as its predecessor. The smartphone is likely to arrive with the same 6.2-inch Full HD+ display, and an OLED panel is also possible, but not much has been revealed about it. If the display remains unchanged, it will have 2340 x 1080 pixels resolution at 413ppi.

The Pixel 5a 5G is also likely to get a 90Hz screen refresh rate. This will be an upgrade from 60Hz on the Pixel 4a 5G, and it will be the same as that of the Pixel 5.

If Google chooses to stick with 60Hz, it will be a massive disappointment, and it could be a deal-breaker for consumers.

Other than that, the Pixel 5a 5G will arrive in a polycarbonate body and not upgrade to the brushed aluminum feel of the Pixel 5.

The smartphone will also support a 3.5mm headphone jack, a staple for Google's a-series devices, and a built-in fingerprint sensor.