We already know that the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are being announced at the company’s October event, but that hasn’t stopped the cheaper Pixel 8a from being leaked in all its glory!
Thanks to @yabhishekhd on X (Twitter), we’ve got a clear look at the new budget A-series device coming from Google next year, and there are some dramatic changes we have to talk about.
A-Town down
Firstly, before we go any further, take note phone makers. This is how to do a blue colorway. Similar to the Sea finish of the Pixel 7a, but with a gorgeous vividity that extends to the camera bar too. It’s gorgeous!
Elsewhere, those curves on the chassis are far more aggressive than anything we’ve seen from any past Pixel — further separating it from the flagship slabs and giving it a personality all of its own. But the larger bezels seem to remain from last year’s model too, even though I wished they could have narrowed them slightly.
As for what will be powering the Pixel 8a, we’re looking at a slightly nerfed version of the Tensor G3 chipset based on the leaked Geekbench results, alongside 8GB of RAM. Make no mistake, bezel warts and all, this is starting to add up to be a mighty tasty new budget blower.
Outlook
Does this clear look at the phone mean we may see it at the same October event? Of course not. Google would be daft to not give its flagship devices room to breathe before the cheaper phone steals all of its sales potential.
That means based on current trends, we’re looking at a Spring 2024 launch window for the Pixel 8a (my bet would be an announcement at Google I/O 2024). Not only that, but the company is working hard to further differentiate the devices in terms of aesthetic and specs.
