This delayed release date for the Google Pixel 4a could be pushed back even further if a new set of rumors is true. And with that, Google loses its grip on the mid-range market in favor of the already released iPhone SE 2020. What a difference a year makes. Google warned all mid-range smartphones when it introduced the Google Pixel 3a in May 2019: the phone has inherited the best parts of its flagship Google Pixel 3 at almost half the price. And, for almost a year, it reigned supreme as the best cheap phone alternative to pricier smartphones, thanks to the fact that it was also taking flagship photos. Also, as a Google Pixel phone, it was one of the first to update to Android 10. But now, with the Pixel 4a expected to launch as late as mid-2020, a value-driven competitor has taken its place as the best mid-range phone for consumers who have long preferred phone brands. The iPhone SE 2020 is the most affordable smartphone Apple has released since the iPhone 8 hit the market in 2017, and while the SE has been in development for years, the new iPhone SE isn't. It couldn't have been released in a better way. moment. Of course, iOS veterans were hoping for an affordable Apple phone to replace their iPhone 7, iPhone 6S, and even their original iPhone SE phone (which came out in 2016). But given all the belt-tightening after the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on jobs and paychecks, affordability is probably even more attractive to consumers than ever. So when the iPhone SE 2020 finally came out in April, several years after the first rumors that it might launch, we expected a big showdown between Google and Apple's mid-range phones. With the best iPhone chipset on the market, an A13 Bionic processor, which is also found in the iPhone 11, we were preparing to see how the iPhone SE would stack up against the Google Pixel 4a. But every month without the Pixel 4a strengthens the position of the iPhone SE 2020 in the mid-range market. Simply by being available, Apple appeals to consumers who need an affordable phone now. Of course, I'm aware of the OS split, and those hoping for an affordable phone that's lined up to run the next Android 11 update probably won't turn to the 2020 iPhone SE (who is running iOS 13.5 now and will eventually get the update). of iOS 14). But delaying the Pixel 4a may not only lead to a drop in market share compared to other phones: Pushing it later in 2020 could lead to cannibalizing sales of Google's other big phone slated for 2020: the Google Pixel 5).
Collateral damage
The Google Pixel 3a was one of our favorite phones of 2019, but when the Google Pixel 4 launched with an even higher price tag than its flagship predecessor, we wondered if the call for a new high-end phone would collapse with a much larger Pixel. affordable in the market. It's a little hard to gauge how much the Pixel 3 was able to cut sales of the Pixel 4. In February, Google noted that the Pixel 3a was selling well in Q2019 4, but didn't say anything about the Pixel. 9 sales, as reported by the Android Authority. But here's an informal survey of Android fans: Among 5to2020Mac readers running Pixel devices in Q22 4, fewer than 2019% were using Pixel 40 phones, compared to a similar Q3 14,6 survey that found that just under 3% of readers used the latest Pixel 3 to navigate their site. Of course, many factors could have played into the disparity, but one important factor was present in this year's reading: 4% of readers used a Pixel 2020a series phone. In other words, Google isn't saying anything about the mid-range Pixel 4a cutting sales of the Pixel 2020, but we could see it playing out with the company's phones in 5. And if the Pixel 4a launch is made to wait later in 5, it could be closer to the Pixel 2019 version, making an even more direct comparison between the two phones. In the same set of rumors about the Pixel 4a suggesting it would be delayed, via a tweet from Jon Prosser, it was revealed that the launch of the Google Pixel 5 could also be postponed. Since its predecessor launched at the end of October 12, Google may have to release its new flagship in November or even December to give the cheaper Pixel 4a time to seed the market. By then, of course, the Pixel 2020 is up against the new iPhone XNUMX models. This closes the loop: a latest Pixel XNUMXa losing its share of the mid-range pie in favor of the XNUMX iPhone SE then a Google flagship that it shares space with the main series of Apple phones. Google's phone delays could give Apple a lot of ground this year.- Google Pixel 5: everything we've heard about Google's (potentially delayed) flagship