Google Pixel 4a could be cheaper than the iPhone SE and Pixel 3a - and offer more

Google Pixel 3a
The Pixel 3a (above) was a cheap phone but the Pixel 4a could be even cheaper (Image credit: Future)

The Google Pixel 4a is expected to land soon as an affordable alternative to the Google Pixel 4, but it could be even more affordable than we were expecting, with the latest rumors suggesting it will cost just $349 (roughly £285 / AU$540).

That claim was was reported by Stephen Hall (managing editor of 9to5Google) in a tweet, and he added that his source suggests that price is for a 128GB model. 

Given that we've elsewhere seen evidence that there could be a 64GB Pixel 4a, it's possible that the starting price will be even lower.

But even if the Pixel 4a price starts at $349, that's still lower than we expected, given that the Google Pixel 3a started at $399 for 64GB of storage, and a couple of previous rumors had put the Pixel 4a at that price as well. 

A lower price would make some sense though, as the Google Pixel 4 was cheaper at launch in some regions than the Google Pixel 3.

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Undercutting the iPhone SE

If Google does price the Pixel 4a at the rumored level then it would also be a stronger rival to the iPhone SE, which is likely to be one of the phone’s biggest competitors.

The new iPhone SE starts at $399 / £419 / AU$749 for 64GB of storage – so in other words, if this rumor is right then the Google Pixel 4a costs less and gives you more storage.

We would of course take all of this with a pinch of salt, since it is just a rumor for now, and is at odds with an earlier one, but a $349 Pixel 4a is an exciting prospect.

We should know the official price fairly soon, as the Google Pixel 4a release date is rumored to be June 5.

James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.