Google’s next smartphone, the Pixel 4a, will be official as of Monday, but there are already hints surfacing about a Pixel 5a model, which will likely launch in 2021. 9to5Google recently discovered evidence of the device within updated code in the Android Open Source Project. This could indicate that Google already has a Pixel 5a model in development, even if it is quite a ways from release.
The details reference the Pixel 5a among other unreleased devices, including the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 5. The Pixel 4a is listed under the current Android 10 software (or Android Q), while the Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, and Pixel 5a are listed under the “R” line. The R represents Android 11, which recent reports reveal is being referred to internally as Red Velvet Cake, reprising Google’s popular tasty treat tradition.
There has been an increasing word of what Google has in store for its late-year launch, which may include a 5G budget model alongside its 2020 flagship, which would introduce the upcoming Android 11 software. With such a timeline, the Pixel 5a will likely be a mid-year budget model for 2021, similar to the Pixel 4a this year. It will likely also run Android 11 as Google’s 2021 Android S likely wouldn’t yet be official.
Currently, there are no further details on the Pixel 5a, in terms of other hardware and specs, however, reports have singled out the Pixel 4a 5G as “bramble” and the Pixel 5 as “redfin.” Both devices are already rumored to run the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chip to enable 5G connectivity.