Report: Google said to be working on 5G Pixel, could be unveiled next week

We already know almost all there is to know about the Google Pixel 4 phones, but it seems like Google is working on another handset.

Sources told the Nikkei Asian Review that Google is test-manufacturing a 5G Pixel phone, adding that the phone is unsurprisingly packing a Snapdragon 855 processor (presumably with an X50 5G modem).

“The two (Pixel 4) smartphones are already going into mass production and will be ready to ship after Google’s unveiling next week,” a source was quoted as saying. “Google is also working on a version with 5G technology, which is in test production.”

The Nikkei Asian Review reports that Google could announce the purported 5G Pixel phone at its Pixel 4 event next week. But its sources say the search giant could eventually choose to launch its devices in the spring (which would be March to May 2020), along with a new budget Pixel device.

Google’s Pixel 3a series — its first mid-range Pixel family — launched back at Google I/O in May, so this could be a likely venue for new budget phones and a 5G Pixel.

It would be a big surprise in our books if Google is indeed planning to unveil a 5G Pixel next week. After all, the Pixel 4 devices have been leaked to death in the last few months, but we haven’t heard anything about a 5G version until now.

We’ve also seen numerous manufacturers offer bigger batteries in their 5G models, owing to concerns about increased power consumption. So here’s hoping Google does the same if it’s working on a 5G variant.

Either way, a 5G Pixel would be a big deal, as it means Google would be part of the first wave of manufacturers offering next-generation connectivity. This is particularly noteworthy in the US, where Samsung and LG are two of the only brands readily offering a 5G phone.