Pixel 4a: You’ll have to wait a while to actually buy Google’s new cheap phone in the UK
Finally, the day has come: the Google Pixel 4a is a real thing and has been officially announced.
However, if you’re eager to pick up Google’s new £349 Pixel 4a then you might be in for a wait if you live in the UK. Even though Google has announced the phone – and you can read our full Pixel 4a review – it won’t be available for pre-order until September 10, and you won’t have it in your hands until October 1. That’s a full two months after the announcement. In the States it’ll be available online starting August 20.
When we first heard this could be a possibility, we shrugged it off. But it really does seem like there are supply chain issues holding back the Pixel 4a. Or maybe Google didn’t want to release a phone during a global pandemic, but couldn’t keep it under wraps any longer.
The road to release for the Pixel 4a has been long. We originally expected to see it at Google I/O and then other rumours pointed to release dates in June and July. Now it seems we know all about it, but can’t buy it.
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Even though the Pixel 4a was announced first, you’ll be able to buy both the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and iPhone 12 before the Pixel 4a hits shelves. That’s even with the iPhone 12 likely not getting its official announcement until some time in September.
When the Pixel 4a does arrive it’ll boast a 12MP camera just like the Pixel 4, 128GB storage, 6GB RAM and a Snapdragon 730 chipset. It also packs a 5.8-inch OLED panel, a physical fingerprint sensor on the back and a headphone port.
Pre-orders will start on September 10, with the Pixel 4a costing £349 through the Google Store. It’ll come in a single black hue and the 128GB size will be the only storage option. There is also no XL version available.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.