Google’s decision to ruin the Pixel 5 might have a good explanation – BGR

• The Google Pixel 5, which is slated to launch this fall, will not have the same high-end processor as the Galaxy S20 and other flagship Android products, according to rumors.
• The Pixel 5 will not be the only new Android phone to abandon the Snapdragon 865 for a cheaper alternative from Qualcomm.
• A new report assumes that the price and features of the Snapdragon 865 could make it unattractive to some smartphone providers, including Google.
• Visit the BGR home page for more stories.

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Google Pixel phones are supposed to be iPhone equivalents for the Android universe; premium handsets that are always the first to run the latest Android software. Google clarified this a few years ago by replacing the Nexus range with the Pixel family. However, Google dramatically changed its policy last year with the release of the Pixel 3a – a mid-range device that looked nothing like the Pixel 3 in terms of flagship features.

The same will happen in the coming months when the Pixel 4a provides a less impressive set of specifications than those of the Pixel 4 which was launched in October. But, more worryingly, the Pixel 5 could be the first Pixel series not to sport the same type of hardware as the other best Android flagship products of the year. But thanks to a new report, we could at least find out why this is the case.

Several leaks claimed that the Pixel 5 phones would not have the same Snapdragon 865 processor that powers the Galaxy S20 as well as many other flagship Android 2020 products. Instead, the Pixel 5 and Pixel 5 XL phones will have a new Snapdragon chip which is in the high end of the mid-range spectrum – the Snapdragon 765G – which was announced alongside the Snapdragon 865 last winter.

Why is Google downgrading its flagship smartphone? This may have to do with the price of the Snapdragon 865, Ars Technica supports, because the Pixel 5 will not be the only phone to opt for the 765G this year.

The same chip also powers the new Nokia 8.3 5G, a phone that was just announced last week. HMD Global has always used cheaper processors in its flagship products, and we didn’t expect any changes this year. But a whole new report from Korea says the LG G9 ThinQ will also use the 765G. It would be a first for the LG G series. Like Google’s Pixel phones, LG G handsets have always presented the latest high-end Snapdragon in recent years.

These companies could bypass Qualcomm’s best mobile processor this year due to Qualcomm’s design decisions for the 5G processor. The 865 does not come with an integrated modem. Instead, it requires a separate, mandatory chip – the X55 modem – which handles both 4G and 5G connectivity. Via Ars:

Qualcomm requires that the 865 be supplied with the X55 modem, making 5G a requirement for any Snapdragon 865 phone. The additional chip takes up more space in the phone, it costs more and requires a more complicated motherboard design.

Additionally, the phones will need RF modules to support mmWave connectivity, which would take up more space inside the handset. Besides the price, the Snapdragon 865 would also force phone manufacturers to increase the size of the phones, as well as the power requirements. “The cost of the 865 is not fair the cost of the chip package itself – these are also the bigger, more energy-hungry phones, ” Ars valorize.

Comparatively, the 765G has the built-in 5G modem and therefore needs less space inside the phone. But the chip will also be slower than the 865. It is unlikely that one of the companies choosing the 765G rather than the 865 will explain its reasoning. Dots Ars The brands are valid, but all the speculation is based on what we know about the new Snapdragon 5G chips, as well as the latest versions of the phone, combined with the latest rumors.

But Google opting for a lower level chip for the new Pixel series is certainly not something we can ignore. No matter how Google tries to sell it, a Pixel 5 powered by 765G will still be a mid-range phone for many people, even if Google perfectly aligns the software with the hardware and ultimately offers a flawless Pixel experience. But history has taught us that new Pixel phones are never perfect and that Google usually has to fix a number of bugs and errors after launch, including issues that can affect their speed.

Image source: Zach Epstein, BGR