Google Pixel 8a Leaks and Rumors: Everything You Need to Know

Saying Google’s Pixel A-series is one of the most popular smartphone segments in the industry would be an understatement. Google has consistently put out “a” series of devices that have almost always hit the right spot for many people looking for upper mid-range devices. And with the same formula (or we hope so), Google’s all set to launch the Pixel 8a next year. While we don’t have the exact Pixel 8a release date, here are all the expected specifications and what to expect from the device.

Note: This article was last updated on March 13, 2024, at 1:30 PM IST to clearly highlight the leaks and speculations. More details about the leaked specs and pricing were added.

When will Pixel 8a be Released?

There’s currently no official date for the Pixel 8a’s launch. However, Google might unveil it in May 2024 at the Google I/O developer conference since its predecessor, the Pixel 7a, was also launched in the same month last year.

Pixel 8a Potential Design Leaks

A few images were also leaked by Abhishek Yadav, a prominent leaker on X, where the Pixel 8a was exposed in its full glory in the wild, even before the launch of the Pixel 8 series. Then came the high-quality images of Pixel 8a leaked after the Pixel 8 series launch, courtesy of OnLeaks.

The first set of leaked images match the renders and could be legit. The leak suggests the dimensions of the Pixel 8a could be 152.1 x 72.6 x 8.9mm, a marginal decrease in height and thickness from Pixel 7a’s dimensions of 152.4 x 72.9 x 9.0mm. It looks a touch smaller than the Pixel 8 due to its overly curvy aesthetics, which make it pretty cute.

Like previous A series devices, the camera visor protrudes less on the Pixel 8a and is similar to the Pixel 7a and Pixel 8 series. However, unlike the Pixel 8 series, the bezels around the screen are thick, and we mean quite thick! The front camera hole punch is at the center and both the power and volume buttons are on the right, in typical Google fashion.

Overall, if it were not for the visor, the Pixel 8a would look like a scaled-up version of the Pixel 4a (?) Perhaps with a teeny tiny bit more curved edges.

Pixel 8a Expected Display Specifications

Not much is known about the display of the Pixel 8a but considering it’s a mid-range device, a Full HD+ panel with a peak brightness of around 1000-1200 nits under direct sunlight is to be expected.

What’s also quite plausible is the refresh rate of the display to be capped at 90Hz because Google would still want to keep the Pixel 8a below the Pixel 8, both in terms of price and specs so it doesn’t end up outselling the latter.

As for the screen size, it should be 6 inches diagonally. Again, the bezels too are quite huge, probably larger than the 7a from the images, but it’s too soon to speak about the same. Guess this too is not the year of symmetrical bezels in mid-range devices.

Pixel 8a Exact Processor Confirmed

The Pixel 8a, like the flagship models in the Pixel 8 series, will also be powered by a Tensor chipset, specifically Tensor G3. It’s been the norm since the release of Pixel 6a that the a-series device of the year will be powered by the same Tensor SoC used in the flagship Pixel series of the same year.

The Google Tensor G3 isn’t that great. Throttling issues still exist, and so do the underwhelming performance numbers and heating issues, and we don’t see the Pixel 8a performance being any different. Performance is usually not the key feature people consider when buying Pixels, which brings us to the most important thing Pixels are known for.

Pixel 8a Expected Camera Setup

Not much is known about Pixel 8a’s camera specifications but since Google doesn’t like playing around with the camera hardware much, we think the Pixel 8a will boast the same 64 MP sensor as the Pixel 7a.

If they do opt for the 64 MP sensor, it will be a Sony IMX787 sensor. The secondary camera will probably be an ultra-wide angle with a larger FoV. The front camera will probably be the same as Pixel 7a too, i.e., a 13 MP sensor.

We suggest you take what we said with a grain of salt as there’s no concrete information yet about the camera specifications. Although considering how heavily the Pixels rely on Google’s heavy post-processing, the hardware shouldn’t matter.

Pixel 8a Rumored Battery Info

We expect the Google Pixel 8a to boast the same battery as the 7a. For those unaware, the Pixel 7a is powered by a 4385 mAh cell that charges at 18W. A battery capacity of upwards of 4,000 mAh is generally pretty good but what we do want Google to increase in 8a is the charging speed.

Considering how lightning-fast the charging speeds are on mid-range devices from Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi, Realme, and OnePlus, PIxel 7a’s current 18W is abysmally slow. The Pixel 8’s charging speed was bumped to true 23W speeds, which is still a considerable jump, considering previous Pixels charged 3W slower than the marketed charging speed values. Hence, Google should consider bumping Pixel 8a’s charging speed to at least 23W.

The retail packaging was leaked a few weeks ago and it suggests the charging speeds will be bumped to 27W, which is far better than what we had hoped for. The 8a has the potential to be a mid-range battery king if Google could increase the battery capacity to 4,600 mAh, although that’s highly unlikely given the phone’s small form factor.

Pixel 8a Potential Color Variants

From the leaked images, the Pixel 8a is expected to arrive in two colors — Bay and Porcelain. Google might end up calling them different names but you get the gist.

Pixel 8a Pricing Speculation

Overall, if our predictions come true, we expect Google to price it the same as the Pixel 7a’s healthy price of $499. With the display capped at 90Hz, a plastic back, and dated hardware, the $499 price seems like a fair deal. However, recent details from German resellers reveal that the Pixel 8a might get a price hike of $50, which would bump the starting price to $550. The leaks also reveal the presence of a 256GB variant.