Google unveils first 5G phones

Google has announced that its first 5G-enabled phones, the Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5, will be available this autumn and retail at under $500.

Google, a unit of Alphabet, said that it would also cut the starting price for its smartphone line-up with a non-5G version of the 4a priced at $349, in a move that is intended to help the company broaden its appeal among more budget-conscious customers.

These smartphones reflect moves made by Apple that look to address consumers who have been hit by the coronavirus-led economic downturn.

Google’s lower-priced devices have been top sellers, but are not major profit drivers for the company, while the company’s higher-priced devices have gained little in the way of market share in the face of stiff competition from industry leaders such as Samsung and Apple.

Samsung is expected to unveil new flagship smartphones, including the Galaxy Note and a foldable phone, as well as expand sales of mid-tier models, later this month. The move is seen as aiming to fend off competition from China’s Huawei, which became the biggest smartphone seller in the second quarter.