Google announces the Pixel 3a and 3a XL, coming to more carriers at $399

At Google's I/O 2019 developer conference today, the company announced a couple of mid-range devices, the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. The devices are exactly what was previously rumored.

Rich Woods former Senior Editor for North America Neowin @TheRichWoods · May 7, 2019 14:34 EDT · Hot! with 33 comments

There aren't many secrets left around Google's mid-range Pixel 3a series of handsets, but the company formally announced it today, including a standard Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL.

Google spotted the trend in smartphones where flagship prices are getting higher and higher, and it aimed to optimize its software and AI to bring a premium experience at a lower price point. That means that it has features like Night Sight, and portrait mode in both the front and rear cameras.

They provide the full Pixel experience, including the previously shown off AR in Google Maps. When you're traveling, you'll see direction overlays on top of the real world.

Google also says that you'll get up to 30 hours of battery life, and it comes with an 18W fast charger. The chipset included is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, and it has 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. That all powers an OLED display, which is 5.6 inches diagonally on the 3a, and six inches on the 3a XL.

What's particularly interesting is that the phone is no longer limited to Verizon and customers who are willing to buy it unlocked. You can now purchase these devices from T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular, and the Pixel 3a starts at $399, while the 3a XL starts at $479.99.