Google admitted that Pixel 3 did not do so well in terms of sales, though it has confirmed new hardware is coming on May 7 at the I/O 2019 keynote. The Pixel 3a phones are likely to launch. (Image source: Evan Blass/Twitter)The Google Pixel 3 series has not fared well with sales being lower than the Pixel 2 phones, according to the company. Google admitted about poor Pixel 3 sales during its quarterly results even as it confirmed new hardware is launching on May 7 during the I/O keynote. The Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are expected to make an appearance during Google’s developer conference.
Coming to the performance of Pixel 3 phones, Google’s CFO Ruth Porat said on the earning’s call that ‘hardware results reflect lower year-on-year sales of Pixel’ and that it is due to the ‘recent pressures in the premium smartphone market.’
According to 9to5Google, which quoted the Google CFO as saying “With respect to hardware results, while the first quarter results reflect pressures in the premium smartphone industry, we are pleased with the ongoing momentum for Assistant-enabled home devices, particularly the Home Hub and Mini devices and look forward to our May 7th announcement at I/O from the hardware team.”
As the report points out, Google’s results do not separately highlight the amount of revenue from sales for hardware product. Instead this is clubbed under the ‘Others’ category. With the first quarter of 2019, Google’s revenue in this category stood at $5.4 billion, which is higher than the $4.3 billion reported back in same quarter last year.
Still Google is not giving up on the Pixel phones just get, considering it is gearing up to launch the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL during its May I/O event. A teaser is also live on Flipkart for these new Pixel devices.
Based on several leaks, it looks like the Pixel 3a phones will have a similar design language as their more premium counterparts, though the body is likely to be made of plastic. While Pixel 3a is expected to have a smaller 5.6-inch display, the bigger Pixel 3a will sport a 6-inch plus display. The phones are expect to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 and 710 processor respectively with 4GB RAM.
Read more: Google I/O 2019: Android Q, Pixel 3a, 3a XL, and everything else to expect
The highlight will be the camera, which will have most of the features of the main Pixel 3 phones, including the Night mode, and single-rear sensor with software support for features like Portrait, etc. While the Pixel 3 camera has gotten rave reviews, the phones have not managed to sell, which will raise questions on whether the Pixel 3a will be able to do better in terms volume.
Of course, it will depend on the price of the Pixel 3a device, though leaks indicate they could start at $400-$500 range, which is not exactly affordable. With players like OnePlus offering high-end specifications and a high end Qualcomm 800-series processor in a similar price mark, Pixel 3a will have a tough time standing out in the mid-premium segment, if the company goes with a higher price.
