6 min readBengaluruMar 20, 2024 08:18 AM IST
First published on: Mar 17, 2024 at 02:00 PM IST
Google recently announced that its annual developer conference (Google I/O) will take place on May 14. At this event, the search giant is likely to make some major announcements, including the official showcase of the upcoming Android 15 OS. Given its past track record, Google might also launch a budget smartphone — Pixel 8a, internally known as Akita.
The Google Pixel 8a will be a successor to last year’s Pixel 7a. This time, the Pixel 8a is likely to include the new Tensor chip along with an improved design, and it is also expected to offer several generative AI capabilities currently available on the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro. With almost two months left for the Pixel 8a launch event, here is everything you need to know about Google’s upcoming budget and compact flagship.
Might look a lot like the Pixel 8
In terms of design, the upcoming Pixel 8a might mimic the Pixel 8’s industrial design, featuring a metal frame, glass back, and a candy bar-style form factor. Compared to the Pixel 7a, which had a rectangular finish, the Pixel 8a will have a more curved outlook, which means the Pixel 8a should feel more comfortable to hold onto. Additionally, the phone seems to have gained a bit of weight, which is an indication of a bigger battery, possibly with wireless charging support, which could be capped at just 5W.
A leaked picture of the retail box of Pixel 8a by Android Police indicates that the phone will have a matte frame and back panel, and just like its predecessor, the device is likely to offer an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance.
An earlier leak of the actual product image by 9to5Google indicates that the Pixel 8a has a pill-shaped dual-camera island at the rear, reminiscent of the Pixel 8. The metal camera bar at the back of the island also protrudes from the device, similar to the Pixel 8, while the dual-camera unit within the island sits flush with the bar.
The leaked blue variant of the Pixel 8a has a matching metal frame and a glass back panel. At the front, the display has slightly thicker bezels, similar to the Pixel 7a, unlike the Pixel 8, which has more uniform and thinner bezels. We also expect the Pixel 8a to be available in three to four colour options.
Smaller 90Hz display
The Google Pixel 8a has a smaller 6.1-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, making it slightly smaller than the Pixel 8’s 6.2-inch screen. The specifications of the display of the Pixel 8a are likely to remain similar to the Pixel 7a, and it is likely to carry the new “Actua” branding that Google introduced for its smartphone displays with the Pixel 8 series. However, the upcoming Google phone is said to offer a slightly higher brightness level, possibly with better screen protection. An in-display fingerprint sensor has been a stable feature on Pixel A-series smartphones for a while, and we expect to see the same on the Pixel 8a as well.
Hardware identical to Pixel 8
The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. (Image: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)
The technical specifications of the Pixel 8a are likely to remain similar to the Pixel 8, and the upcoming smartphone is most likely to be powered by the Tensor G3 with 8 GB RAM. For the first time, Google is expected to introduce the 256 GB storage variant for its A-series smartphone along with the regular 128 GB model. Like the earlier model, the Pixel 8a is likely to offer one physical SIM slot and is most likely to support eSIM.
Pixel smartphones are known for their computational-photography-powered cameras, and the 8a is expected to offer best-in-class features. As per the leaks, the Pixel 8a will have a 64 MP primary sensor along with a 13 MP ultra-wide-angle lens. The camera hardware on the Pixel 8a is likely to remain exactly identical to the Pixel 7a. With the new chip (Tensor G3) with an improved image signal processor (ISP), the phone should be able to take better pictures and video than its predecessor.
Stock Android and best of Google AI features
The Google Pixel 8a will easily be one of the best smartphones to experience clean Android and several AI features, which include capabilities like Circle to Search, Magic Editor, Audio Magic Eraser, Best Take, and AI-powered Google Assistant. However, if you want to use Gemini AI nano-powered AI capabilities, they might not come to the Pixel 8a, and you might have to get the more expensive Pixel 8 Pro, the only phone that can natively run Google’s latest Gemini nano large language model (LLM) natively on the phone.
Pixel 8a will ship with Android 14 OS, and it will be eligible for Android 15 beta, which will also be unveiled at Google I/O 2024. It will also be one of the first smartphones in the world to receive the stable version of Android 15 in the second half of 2024. Right now, it’s not clear if Google will offer the same level of software support (up to 7 years of major Android OS upgrades) to the Pixel 8a, just like the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro (review).
Pixel 8a: Price and launch date
Google Pixel 8a will be announced on May 14, and the device is likely to be available exclusively on Flipkart in India. The Pixel 7a was launched for Rs 43,999 back in 2023, and we expect the Pixel 8a to cost no more than Rs 45,999. Google also recently started manufacturing its Pixel smartphones in India, and this means, there is a possibility that the Pixel 8a might actually cost less than the Pixel 7a.
Pixel 8a might look very similar to the Pixel 8 (Express Photo) 
The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. (Image: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)
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