The latest ad for the Google Pixel 5a was released Friday, and instead of focusing on the larger screen or improved hardware, Google has decided to home in its focus on the headphone jack—or “the circle” as the advertisement refers to it. The ad, which runs for around two minutes, spends a long time building up a narrative about how important and perfect the circle is. It then transitions to talk about how the headphone jack on the Pixel 5a with 5G is expertly designed to deliver a satisfying click, even going so far as to showcase a space station docking to underline that importance. It’s an interesting ad, which seems to be a bit of a jab at Apple and other smartphone manufacturers who have foregone the headphone jack in recent years. Of course, the ad is also a bit of a jab at Google itself, as the Pixel 5a with 5G is the only phone in its 2021 lineup to include the perfectly important circle. Neither the Pixel 6 nor Pixel 6 Pro offer a headphone jack, which could explain why Google focuses so heavily on it for the Pixel 5a’s advertisement. No matter the reasoning, Google wants you to know that the headphone jack is still important. And, if you’re one of those people who love the satisfying click of plugging your headphones into your phone, then the Pixel 5a with 5G can deliver.
