Pixel 3A review: The cheap phone Google always needed
id=”cnetReview” section=”rvwBody” data-component=”indepthReview”> Google is trying its hand at something new. Its signature phone, the Pixel, is jumping into the midrange market with the Pixel 3A and 3A XL. At $399 and $479 (£399 and £469 in the UK, and AU$649 and AU$799 in Australia), the handsets are essentially reworked Pixel 3 ($813 at Walmart) phones. They have the same rear camera and overall look, but there are a few hardware downgrades that contribute to the lower price.
Why did Google go the budget route? For starters, its flagship phones, the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, aren’t selling very well despite their exceptional cameras and critical acclaim. This could be because the phones are exclusive only to Verizon (though they work on other US carriers), plus the fact that people in general aren’t buying phones as much as they used to. There’s also been reported issues with the Pixel 3’s performance, though we at CNET haven’t experienced them personally.
But perhaps the biggest factor are the phones’ prices: $649 for the 3 and $769 for the 3 XL. The Pixel 3 and 3 XL aren’t as expensive as their iPhone XS ($999 at Amazon) and Galaxy S10 competitors, but they’re pricey enough that Ruth Porat, the chief financial officer of Google’s parent company Alphabet, 스위피게임 [read the full info here] acknowledged sales have been low because of “pressures in the premium smartphone market.”
With a lower price, the Pixel 3A has a better chance of attracting a new set of customers and ultimately increasing sales. And while it doesn’t have as many features as the other “budget” options of its competitors, such as the iPhone XR ($566 at Amazon) and the Galaxy S10E, the Pixel 3A is still at least $250 cheaper. If you want the latest software from Google and the ability to take fantastic photos — all at under $400 — then the Pixel 3A is the phone to get.