The Pixel 5a is one of the most hotly anticipated phones of the year in the budget phone realm, making the rumor that it was canceled fairly disheartening.
However, in an official statement to Engadget, Google has clarified that the Pixel 5a is still coming. It's simply not coming quite as soon as earlier rumors had suggested and it will see a much more limited release than previous A-series Pixels.
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Rumors had pegged the release date for the Pixel 5a as June 11, this would be closer to the May release of the Pixel 3a and 3a XL and in keeping with the originally planned release date for the Pixel 4a. However, Google's statement indicates that it will be "announced in line with when last year's a-series phone was introduced," which would be August.
This isn't terribly shocking as from everything that we know about the Pixel 5a so far. It's incredibly similar to the Pixel 4a 5G, making it an awkward fit to have in the market alongside that phone for long.
The surprising news is that the Pixel 5a will see a much more limited release than previous models with availability only in the U.S. and Japan. The rumors of its cancelation were based on supply chain leaks of component shortages, indicating that this is out of Google's hands. That certainly seems more likely than a conscious decision to limit its release by Google considering the popularity of the lower-priced Pixels.
So if you've been holding out for the Pixel 5a, you're just going to have to wait a bit longer. You could always consider the Pixel 4a 5G or Pixel 5, they are often discounted now and with that April update performance boost, they are better than ever.
