New renders of the Google Pixel 8a clearly show four new colors and gently curved edges show that Google could be playing it safe with its latest design.
Tipster Arsène Lupin posted pictures said to be of the upcoming budget phone in four colors – Obsidian (black), Porcelain (white), Bay (blue), and Mint (green) – on X. The leaker gives no information about where these images are from however, they do look like they could be official Google imagery.
In the post, the Pixel 8a is shown from several angles, and – assuming they’re the real deal – they leave nothing to the imagination, giving us a clear idea of what to expect from Google's next entry-level phone which is expected to be announced at Google I/O 2024, taking place on May 14.
Google Pixel 8a (yep that's a phone alright) pic.twitter.com/dwdywlg6ZnApril 17, 2024
If this is indeed the Pixel 8a, it unsurprisingly appears to follow the same design as the Pixel 8 retaining the camera visor bar on the top of the phone and the softer curved corners and pastel colors. While it's hard to tell from these pictures, it may also be sporting a matte back like the Pixel 8 Pro.
If these images are genuine, Google has dropped the sharper rectangular design of last year’s Pixel 7a for a more curved look in line with the Pixel 8 line-up while sticking with the minimal design the best Pixel phones are known for.
However, going by the renders, the displays on the Pixel 8a phones have thicker bezels than the Pixel 8 and a larger chin at the bottom, which is disappointing when phones like the Nothing Phone 2a have shown that it’s possible to feature smaller, symmetrical bezels even on a budget handset.
Rumored specs
We have a good idea of what hardware the Pixel 8a will use, as Google tends to follow a set pattern for its more affordable a-series, with the phones combining some elements of the mainline series with more modest hardware.
The display of the Pixel 8a is likely to be a 6.1-inch screen while its resolution is reportedly the same as the screens on both the Pixel 7a and Pixel 8 at 1080 x 2400. However, a previous leak has suggested that it could feature a 120Hz display, a notable upgrade from the Pixel 7a's 90Hz refresh rate.
Like previous a-series Pixels, the Pixel 8a is expected to use the same chip as its stablemates – in this case the Tensor G3 chip we’ve already seen in the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. Google silicon may not be the most powerful, but it will support Google’s latest AI-centric tech and should ensure the phone offers comparable performance to its siblings.
The memory and storage on the Pixel 8a are likely to be the same 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 storage found in the Pixel 7a and Pixel 8. The camera setup is believed to be a 64MP primary camera with a 13MP secondary camera, which would also be the same as the Pixel 7a.
On the software side, it is expected to use Android 14 and while it could receive the same seven years of software updates as the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, it might only receive three years, like the Pixel 7a.
Another notable software feature that could make its way to the Pixel 8a is the ability to mirror the screen via USB-C, which was previously seen in a Pixel 8 beta update and if released would also be likely to come to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
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