The Pixel 4a should be The Google phone that the Pixel 4 was meant to be.

These are certainly unprecented times for the country. Businesses are closings, events are cancelled, and people are out of work. In the tech world, this means that many of the Spring/Summer staples such as Build, WWDC, and I/O are off the calendar. Companies rely on these big events to announce new products and major changes, and for Google, I/O means the announcement of some Chrome OS devices, Android previews, and more importantly, Google's mid-range Pixel line. Thanks to some new pictures, and a flurry of leaks, that last one may be coming sooner rather than later.

TechDroider (a Facebook community) recently leaked pictures of what appears to be Pixel 4a packaging which means the device cannot be far from launching. The device was planned to be launched in early May at I/O, but it appears that Google is leaning more towards an early release as opposed to late release with the I/O cancellation. For Google and Android fans alike, this should be a moment of celebration. With the lukewarm reception of the Pixel 4 and the success of the Pixel 3a, this is likely to be the phone that Android users will be sure to want.

Due to multiple leaks, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect with the Pixel 4a. The device will sport a 5.8 inch, 2340x1080 OLED screen with a standard 60Hz refresh rate. The screen size splits the gap between last year's 5.6 inch 3a and 6.0 inch 3a XL due to nearly confirmed rumors that there will be no XL variation this year, Additionally, it will come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 730 paired with 6GB of RAM and the integrated Adreno 618. It will also come with Google's Titan M security chip and a 3.5mm headphone jack while forgoing the Pixel Neural Core seen on the flagship Pixels. A 3080 mAh battery, 12.2 MP rear-shooter, and front hole-punch camera round up the main specs of the device; reports suggest that storage options include 64GB and 128GB variations with a $399 starting price.

Google has marketed the "a" series as an upper mid-ranger with a mid-range price and a lack of flagship features. This year, the Pixel 4a will again lack wireless charging as well as the Neural Core and facial sensors seen on the Pixel 4, but much like 3 and 3a, the 4a will be the more popular phone for several reasons.

Pixel 4a Render

Firstly, let's not forget Google's best years in terms of hardware. The Nexus line by Google was the best of the best at one time. Those phones offered low-cost, top-of-the-line hardware with an unmatched Google experience with a vanilla Android build. When Google discontinued the Nexus line to focus on the high-end with the Pixel line, Android enthusiasts across the globe mourned. Sure, there were others offering low-cost devices, but the experience was always compromised due to bad skins, poor camera quality, or missing features. However, the Pixel 3a brought us back to a better time. Yes, it may not have featured all high-end parts, but the experience never felt like a compromise was made. The "a" line offers a high-end experience with mid-range parts (mostly).

In terms of compromise, that is something the "a" line avoids while staying a mid-range phone. Competing against the likes of Motorola and Samsung's own "A series" phones, the Pixel "a" phones shine. The 3a maintained a high-end feel utilizing Google's excellent computational photography, a long-lasting battery, and a mid-range processor that never slowed under strain. This was all accomplished while keeping the price firmly in the mid-range arena. The 4a looks to maintain that same excellence using the Snapdragon 730 coupled with 6GB of RAM; this will all be packaged in with Google's custom software and excellent machine-learning chops. The best part of the whole deal: the hole-punch screen coupled with smaller bezels will also make the 4a feel like it is no longer an ugly cousin.

Speaking of ugly cousins: the 4a likely has the 4 to thank for its soon-to-be booming popularity. With a notch-less screen and a plethora of new sensors, Google had hoped the 4 was going to be the phone that finally gave them mainstream appeal. However, most saw the Soli sensor as a gimmick and the face detection launched with some serious security flaws. Because of these sensors, Google was also faced with launching a phone with a huge forehead, and largely unsymmetrical bezels. Mixing these design flaws with a massive battery-life dilemma left the Pixel 4 and 4XL as 2019's biggest flops (other than the foldable phones).

People are now looking to the 4a to be Google's savior, and with a great list of specs, a low price-tag, a low bar to clear, and a large group of people ready for a worthy 3a successor, the 4a might have the easily launch in phone history. Could the 4a have serious issues at launch? Of course. But right now, all signs point to the Pixel 4a being the phone that really gives Google a chance at not only gaining marketshare, but being a real player in the mobile hardware market.