The Pixel 3a(XL) will bring the Pixel to more people at a more affordable price. But my initial thoughts about this device may be swaying the more and more I think about it. Let me walk you through my initial thoughts, and what led me to have a slight change of heart.
Nothing was surprising to many of us in the community about the Pixel 3a, as we have seen all the leaks that flooded the web the past few months. The only thing we were waiting for was the price. So when Google decided to price the phone at $399 for the 3a and $479 for the 3aXL, I felt like Google missed out on a golden opportunity. My thought process was that it should have been price even cheaper to compete with phones like the Motorola G7, that can be had for $200. But I soon remembered that the purpose of this device is not to be a budget phone, but to be a mid level phone. A phone that echoed my sentiment of bringing a device with a nexus price tag that customers can purchase.
Google already has a entry level device in the Android One phones. Phones like the Motorola One that can be purchased for around the sub $300 price level. With the current Pixel 3a being priced at $399, it really is the sweet spot for this mid level phone that is powered by the same software and camera that is on their flagship Pixel phones. And the look of the phone is magnificent in that it shares so much of the footprint of their big brothers, so that a person rocking it do not have to feel like they are not part of the pack. Something that many other manufacturers with their flagship do not do. You can clearly see the difference between the flagship phones like the iPhone X(s) and Galaxy S10(+) versus the cheaper version like the iPhone Xr and Galaxy S10e.
My hope is that now there is a phone that is priced at the spot where the masses are more likely to adopt, especially given the rising popularity of the Pixel phones as of late, this will open the door for Google to step out with their flagship Pixels. I have been very critical at the fact that their flagship phones lacked the proper hardware specs to really be able to compete with the iPhone and Galaxy phones they are said to be targeting. Despite their slip up with the Galaxy Fold, Samsung showed the market why they are still the gold standard for phones with the Galaxy S10. And we know Apple will be bringing a powerhouse phone to the market and new design language with the iPhone 11. So Google will need to bring it this Fall, especially given we know Samsung is going to be looking to show out with the Note 10 for GP to make up for the Galaxy Fold slip up.
