Pixel 4a launch thrown into chaos, Pixel 5 delayed

By Ewdison Then/

Much of the world's plans and schedules were thrown into disarray though some have had it worse than others. Some events have been canceled outright while others have decided to move it to the Internet instead. Still others, like IFA, are looking into pushing through with a normal in-person event. Production and shipping schedules have also been affected but it seems that Google has also had it worse than its peers, with both Pixel 4a and Pixel 5 slipping weeks even months behind schedule.

The very first mid-range Pixel, the Pixel 3a, launched around May last year. Although that doesn't necessarily make a pattern, it was expected that Google would have the same timeline more or less for the Pixel 4a. We're now halfway through June with no Pixel 4a in sight and the latest word on the rumor mill doesn't inspire much confidence either.

Jon Prosser, who is quickly gaining prominence as a major source of mobile industry leaks, drops the bad news that Google won't be announcing the Pixel 4a until July 13. The worse news, however, is that the availability of the mid-range Pixel won't even begin until October 22. Adding insult to injury, he claims that this schedule is only for the "Just Black" color as the "Barely Blue" option has been scrapped.

Unsurprisingly, that launch schedule will affect Google's plans further down the road, specifically with the launch of the slightly higher-end Pixel 5. Prosser has no word on when that will actually take place but he does mention it will be pushed back as well. For reference, Google usually launches its Pixel phones in October.

There's no word yet on why Google's plans seem to have gone out the window other than the probable effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the already uncertain reception of Google's Pixel phones, such a significant delay could be extremely bad for its sales, especially when other Android phones, not to mention the new iPhone SE, have already been making rounds in the market long before these phones even land.

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