Is Google teasing new Pixel phones for May 7?
New Pixel phones might be just around the corner.
Weeks ahead of its annual I/O developer conference, Google's put up a teaser on its store website insisting "on May 7, something big is coming to the Pixel universe."
The teaser section is accompanied by a video for a commercial of Avengers: Endgame, wherein the Google Assistant and Pixel 3's various camera features such as Top Shot and Playmoji augmented reality avatars are used.
The teaser reveals absolutely nothing about what to expect on May 7, but Android Police strongly believes Google might announce two new phones — the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL — on May 7.
The two new Pixel phones have been rumored for quite a while and have been extensively leaked.
A previous report suggests the Pixel 3a and 3a XL will be cheaper versions of the Pixel 3 and 3XL. What the "a" stands for is anyone's guess, though.
Per the rumors, the new phones will reportedly cost a "couple of hundred dollars cheaper" than the Pixel 3s.
To cut costs, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL will reportedly look and feel like less premium devices. Instead of OLED displays, they'll reportedly come with LCD screens. Instead of the glass design, the phones will be made of plastic. And instead of using Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 chip, the phones might be powered by midrange Snapdragon 670 chip. The Pixel 3a's might also come with a feature the Pixel 3's don't have: a headphone jack.
Despite receiving high marks in reviews (ours included), Google's Pixel phones have struggled to make much of a dent in the global smartphone market. Google's reported to have only sold 3.9 million Pixel phones in all of 2017.
In a highly saturated market dominated by Apple, Samsung, and Huawei, and a new breed of Chinese phone makers such as OnePlus and Oppo, it's not surprising Google hasn't found much success with its Pixels.
Cheaper Pixels, however, could help Google in emerging markets. For these regions, iPhones and Galaxies and Pixel 3's are simply too expensive. More affordable Pixels — even if it means less performance — could be a hit for these more budget-conscious markets.
All will be clear in a few weeks at Google I/O. Mashable will be reporting live from I/O starting on May 7. Stay tuned.
Raymond Wong is Mashable's Senior Tech Correspondent. He reviews gadgets and tech toys and analyzes the tech industry. Raymond's also a bit of a camera geek, gamer, and fine chocolate lover. Before arriving at Mashable, he was the Deputy Editor of NBC Universal's tech publication DVICE. His writing has appeared on G4TV, BGR, Yahoo and Ubergizmo, to name a few. You can follow Raymond on Twitter @raywongy or Instagram @sourlemons.
