Every fall. Google wants to attract attention with its latest Pixel phones, but every fall the same thing happens: no matter how good the Pixel is - and recent models have certainly impressed - it's trying to steal some of the thunder that Samsung and Apple enjoy with their other flagship phones. They can't differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack.

With the Pixel 5, which is expected to debut at an online event this Wednesday (September 30), Google seems to be taking a different approach, at least according to rumors about the upcoming phone. phones like the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Note 20 may not even try to win the specs showdown, instead of competing with the Pixel 5 in terms of features.

Consider this: every major Android smartphone introduced this year uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 system-on-chip, if not the Snapdragon 865 Plus. Snapdragon 765G chipset, according to reports. The Galaxy S20 lineup and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra set the standard for displays with 120Hz refresh rates; the Pixel 5 will likely maintain the 90Hz introduced with the Pixel 4. Google will also reportedly settle for only two cameras, replacing the Pixel 4's telephoto lens with an ultra-wide-angle camera this time around, while other handset makers have more lenses on the back of their devices. It's like bringing a knife to a gunfight.

Of course, there's a better side to all of the premium specs that the Pixel 5 is rumored to not carry. Most Pixel 5 rumors have the phone priced at about $699. This is $100 less than the starting price of the Pixel 4 and, more importantly, $300 less than what you would pay to get a Galaxy S20 or Galaxy Note 20.

Will this discounted price really be enough to attract the attention - and sales - that Google's phones demand from the search giant? Truong Nguyen, a senior principal analyst at Gartner, said, "There's no doubt that the lower-priced handsets will make them more accessible to a wider audience. On the other hand, they will lack the extensive cutting-edge features that flagship products tend to have."

Complicating things for Google is that other handset makers have recently noticed that the cost of their phones is slowly rising and are starting to do something about it. Last year, Apple launched the iPhone 11 for $699, and the upcoming iPhone 12 mini could be launched for the same price, offering many of the same features planned for the more expensive iPhone 12 model.

Samsung also took action a little over a week before the Pixel 5 is expected to debut. Last week, the phone maker unveiled the Galaxy S20 FE, which runs on the same Snapdragon 865 system-on-chip as other S20 models and has a 6.5-inch screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. In other words, it delivers better specs than what one would expect from the Pixel 5 at the same price Google is expected to charge.

"Samsung's Galaxy S20FE may present a real challenge," says Avi Greengart, principal analyst at Techsponential. 'It offers an attractive combination of flagship processor performance, multiple cameras, and a 120 Hz display for $699.'

Greengart also notes that Samsung has now promised three years of Android updates. And while the Pixel phones will still get Android updates soon, this change removes one of the ways the Pixel stood out from some other flagships. Greengart added, "This is good for Android and good for Google as a whole, but it makes the Pixel line a tougher sell."

If not price, Google needs to find a way to make the Pixel 5, which is coming this week, stand out. The smartphone scene is likely to get even more crowded as the iPhone 12 launch is increasingly likely to be in October.

"Google needs to grab attention with the Pixel 5," says Greengart.

"The tech media has been leaking for months, and most consumers will be looking at Samsung's new Galaxy S20FE and Apple's iPhone 12 this fall.

For Google, the answer may lie outside of the Pixel 5's spec sheet and price. Gartner's Nguyen said, "The market needs to get out of the hardware features race. 'The industry has recognized this for years. This is reflected in the lengthening of replacement cycles and the increasingly common complaints about the "lack of innovation."

"The industry has been aware of this for years.

Fortunately for Google, it can play to its strengths in other areas. For example, its expertise in search has helped it build the knowledge graph that makes Google Assistant one of the better virtual assistants for phones. Similarly, Gwen points to the work Google has done with AI-powered applications involving text, images, voice, and video.

"What I expect from the handsets," says Nguyen, "is that they will leverage these services and applications to make the launch of new handsets more attractive.

There is also something that has elevated past Pixels, namely the camera's photo capabilities, which Greengart described as "Google's calling card replacement on the Pixel," although the Pixel 5's main camera is rumored to use the same 12.2MP sensor as before, Even if the hardware doesn't change much from past models, the company could introduce new imaging capabilities that could push its device to the forefront of the best camera phones.

After all, it seems unlikely that the Pixel 5 will dethrone Apple or Samsung from the top smartphone class. But depending on what Google emphasizes, the Pixel 5 may finally deliver the splash that Google has been waiting for since the original Pixel was introduced in 2016. We'll have an idea of how likely that is this coming Wednesday.