Google Pixel 8a: All rumors and speculations so far

The Pixel 8a is very likely the next smartphone we’ll see from Google. It’ll be the successor to the Pixel 7a in Google’s midrange A series. And looking at the early rumors coupled with the assumption that Google will accord the Pixel 8a the same attention the Pixel 8 got, we could be gearing up for a pretty special budget phone in 2024.

As I pen this, there isn’t anything official or confirmed about the Google Pixel 8a release date, specs, features, or even the price. But we do have some early rumors, leaks and speculations to pore over, and to be honest, some of them will leave you drooling over what Google has in store for the next device in the A series. But be ready for some one-off disappointments as well.

Without further ado, here are all Google Pixel 8a rumors and speculations so far.

There’s still no confirmed release date for the Pixel 8a. But based on history, you can expect the phone to launch at the Google I/O event on May 14, 2024. How did I arrive at this? Well, easy-peasy.

See, apart from the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5a that came out around the August-September period primarily because Google canceled the I/O event in 2020 and held an online version in 2021 for well-known reasons, other Pixel A devices, including the most recent Pixel 6a and Pixel 7a, were unveiled at Google’s I/O in May.

Leaked FCC filings also suggest the Google Pixel 8a is nearing launch. The FCC approval process is mandatory for all phones sold in the US, so this is a strong hint that an official announcement might be imminent. With Google I/O happening in May, this event could be the Pixel 8a’s big reveal.

As for the pricing and availability, I’ll leave the table below comparing all Pixel A pricing for you to have a guess, as well as all markets that previous A devices were officially sold.

The A devices are known to borrow many design cues from their pricier siblings, so it wouldn’t be out of this world to assume the Pixel 8a design will have plenty in common with the Pixel 8. In fact, our first look at the Pixel 8a was in September when Indian tech blogger Abhishek Yadav posted several images on X revealing the close resemblance with the Pixel 8 even before the latter’s official launch.

The big display bezels were particularly an eyesore, but this was quickly offset by the amazing Bay blue colorway akin to the Pixel 8 Pro. Overall, the leaked Pixel 8a is very similar to the Pixel 8 in terms of size and shape, but with remarkably curved corners.

Fast-forward to last month, and we got the first 3D renders from renowned leaker OnLeaks to corroborate these images. The renders resemble the leaked model but with Bay blue nowhere in sight, instead replaced by a pink finish. The dual-lens camera module keeps its place on the rear, but the phone is said to be a little smaller, slimmer and less wider in terms of dimensions, which are reported to be 152.1 x 72.6 x 8.9mm compared to the Pixel 7a’s 152.4 x 72.9 x 9.0mm. You’d be forgiven to think it’s an old iPhone model when looking at these renders from the front, but they perfectly align with what I’d expect from a value-focused version of the Pixel 8.

While it’s still early to say what kind of camera sensor Google will use, the company often tends to use the same group of sensors in multiple Pixel generations. But considering the changes with the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro’s main sensor, we might see some improvements to the Pixel 8a camera hardware compared to the 7a. But until then, tame your hardware expectations, because we know this has never been Google’s forte.

These images, both the Pixel 8a spotted in the wild and the 3D renders, showcase what appears to be a blend of the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro and the usual sacrifices that we’ve grown accustomed to with the A series. Below is an image comparing the design of the rumored Pixel 8a, Pixel 8 and Pixel 7a, at least according to the renders.

Images claiming to be of the Google Pixel 8a retail box appeared online, originating from a private Facebook group in Vietnam. Since we can’t access the group directly, someone shared them on X. See the images below

The box design suggests the Pixel 8a keeps the familiar horizontal camera bar from the Pixel 6 lineup. Interestingly, it also shows curvier edges compared to the Pixel 7a, which aligns with leaked phone mockups we saw earlier.

In a roadmap published late last year by Android Authority, the Google Pixel 8a was rumored to be codenamed ‘akita’. And indeed, in a recent Geekbench listing, an Android 14-powered device codenamed ‘akita’ appeared with an underclocked Tensor G3 chipset (compared to the Pixel 8) mated to the Mali-G715 GPU and 8GB of RAM. From the most recent benchmarks taken in August, the Pixel 8a’s single-core managed a score of 1,218 and a multi-core score of 3,175.

This isn’t unusual by all means. Google Pixel 6a and 7a’s overall performance isn’t as good despite sharing the same Tensor chipsets with their premium siblings. Granted, it won’t be a surprise to see an underclocked Tensor G3 inside the Pixel 8a, but like much of this article, this is still a rumor that should be taken with a grain of salt.

In terms of software, you can also expect the Pixel 8a to get up to 7 years of OS updates thanks to the Tensor G3. But similar to the Pixel 8, it’s possible the 8a might miss out on some software features such as Video Boost and Zoom Enhance that we’ve seen Google restrict to the Pro model.

While Google will likely stick with the same 6.1-inch flat screen size and resolution, there’s talk of a 120Hz refresh rate, up from the current 90Hz. It will also boast 1,400 nits of peak HDR brightness.

The more powerful Tensor G3 chipset used in the premium Pixel 8 will also be on show, but it may not be as fast/powerful due to customization. Like its older siblings, the Pixel 8a is also expected to support offline tracking, a feature that lets you find the phone’s location even when it’s turned off.

The Pixel 8a brings a new battery information feature, similar to iPhones. This page will track your charging cycles and reveal the battery’s manufacturing date, offering valuable insights into your phone’s battery health.

Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro have started getting massively discounted and even subsequently running out of stock. But given the Pixel 8a is expected to ship with some of the best features seen on the Pixel 8, it might just be the best budget device to look out for in 2024 and equally worth the wait.