With the launch of the Pixel 4a in August, Google teased the two other phones that would make up its 2020 lineup. The Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G) are now here, though Google is also calling that latter device by a slightly different name.
Many already consider the non-flagship phone that Google announced on Wednesday to be quite odd. The inclusion of 5G necessitates the need for a different chipset than the regular 4a (765 vs 730), while the company also decided to add a dual-camera array that features a wide-angle lens.
Despite those two key hardware improvements — in addition to the larger screen and battery, it’s still a device in 4a line. Specs aside, Google in August teased it as the Pixel 4a (5G) — pronounced straight through. That’s what it was unveiled as at Launch Night In — though without the parentheses, but the Google Store throws that naming into question.
No less than three places on the Google Store homepage refer to the phone as the “Pixel 4a with 5G” — cover image, main product carousel, and a dedicated card.
That’s also the brand on the product listing in the top-right corner. However, reading through the page you start seeing “Pixel 4a (5G),” while accessories for the device also use that name. The Google Store’s top navigation also uses the parenthesis version.
Looking at the launch blog post from Google, it’s consistently the “Pixel 4a (5G)” again, but a comparison chart included at the bottom refers to it as “with 5G.”
The extra “with” is a bit clunky and serves to elongate the device name. Given the teaser, Google looks to have settled on “Pixel 4a (5G)” early on only to introduce the other version later in the process.
This is a minor discrepancy in the grand scheme, but it does add unnecessary confusion to an already odd piece of hardware and strategy.
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