For a mid-range smartphone, the Pixel 3a performed decently, though there was clear room for improvement. With the Pixel 4a, Google is looking to further improve the performance of its mid-range Pixel by switching to a faster storage chip.
The Pixel 3a used the slower eMMC 5.1 NAND that affected its performance when the phone was pushed hard. It was also an odd choice by Google to use the slower eMMC 5.1 NAND on the Pixel 3a since almost all mid-range smartphones launched in 2019 made use of the faster UFS 2.1 storage chip.
Thankfully, Google will seemingly be switching to a faster UFS 2.1 storage chip on the Pixel 4a. This should help in improving the overall responsiveness and UI/UX performance of the device when it is under heavy load. The faster read/write speeds of the storage chip will be most notable while installing apps and opening heavy games and apps. The faster random read/write speeds will also help in improving the fluidity of the device.
The leak comes courtesy of a Pixel 4a prototype unit that YouTuber TecnoLike Plus managed to get his hands on. It is unlikely that Google will switch to slower eMMC 5.1 NAND on the retail units of the Pixel 4a especially now that it is very close to its official release.
The Pixel 4a has leaked extensively over the last couple of weeks. A prototype unit of the device has already been leaked in a video detailing its specs which will include a 5.81-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, Snapdragon 730 chip, 6GB RAM, a 12MP primary shooter, and a 3,080mAh battery. Leaked marketing materials of the device points to it having a starting price tag of $399.
Source: XDA