Google may have already unveiled its latest flagship Pixel devices, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, but many eyes are on the cheaper model that is expected to follow: the Google Pixel 7a.
Here’s everything we know so far about the model that could be the benchmark for mid-range Android phones in 2023.
When will the Google Pixel 7a be released?
We don’t have an official release date for the Google Pixel 7a at the time of writing, but the company typically releases its A-series of Pixels in the summer. Here’s how the previous models lined up:
There are a few outliers, such as the Pixel 4a 5G which debuted in October, but this particular model was unusual in that it marked the jump to 5G rather than a next generation of the product. The 5a 5G was also unique as it only launched in the US and Japan, unlike its siblings which received global releases.
We’d say it’s a safe bet that the Pixel 7a will be announced in the summer of 2023, although a report from GSM Arena revealed that Amazon is already allowing people to sign up for launch alerts on the telephone, which might suggest an earlier arrival than we expected. There’s also been a report from Nikkei Asia of Google ordering 4 million units of a new A-series device that could launch in early 2023. Only time will tell.
How much will the Google Pixel 7a cost?
Again, we have no official word on what the Pixel 7a will cost when it arrives, but we can look at the models that came before it to give us a clue. Here are the launch prices for the Pixel a series:
- Google Pixel 6a: $449 / £399
- Google Pixel 5a 5G: $449
- Google Pixel 4a 5G: $499/£499
- Google Pixel 4a: $349/£349
- Google Pixel 3a: $399 / £399
As you can see, the price has fluctuated slightly over the past few years, but it averages around the $449 / £399 mark we saw with the Pixel 6a. Current inflation and currency fluctuations in global currencies mean it’s hard to be sure Google will offer the same deal with the Pixel 7a, but we’re hoping it will.
What about the specs and design of the Google Pixel 7a?
With the Pixel 7a’s launch date still several months away, there are few strong rumors about what new features it will include.
The best information we have comes from the generally reliable OnLeaks, which shared renders with SmartPrix that reveal the likely design, along with a few specific specs.
Unsurprisingly, the phone looks a lot like a cross between the previous Pixel 6a and the newer Pixel 7 series. It takes the same metal camera bar design as the 7 phones, but combines it with the chunky bezel and chunky chin on the front that make it a cheaper device.
OnLeaks claims the phone will measure 152.4 x 72.9 x 9.0mm, which is split larger than the 6a in all dimensions, but not enough to be noticeable (this phone measured 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9mm).
Like other recent Pixel phones, including the 6a, there’s no sign of a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone would also launch in two colors – white and dark gray – although Google no doubt has its own quirky names for the finishes.
Aside from the design, what about the specs?
It is assumed that the Google Tensor 2 SoC will arrive on the Pixel 7a, as it is normal for each generation to have the same chipset and for the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro to have Tensor 2 on board.
Beyond that, the details are a bit murky, as reporters and leakers have attempted to piece together details based on leaked Google codenames.
9to5Google has tracked five devices that appear in Android code and has almost certainly determined what they are. Two were the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro, two others would be the still-unreleased Pixel tablet and Google’s first foldable. This leaves one missing, codenamed “Lynx”.
The site thinks it could be the Pixel 7a, which would make sense – but suggests the phone is getting some serious upgrades. Indeed, the ‘Lynx’ name has also been linked to specs such as a triple rear camera, wireless charging and a ceramic body. In fact, some had even speculated that rather than a mid-range, Lynx could be a super premium Pixel 7 Ultra.
Leak Kuba Wojciechowski did his own research, and the pieces are starting to fit together. On the one hand, he thinks some of those reported Lynx features will be found in the 7a, including wireless charging – although that’s apparently limited to slow 5W speeds.
Lynx had previously been tipped to include a triple camera consisting of a 50Mp 1-inch Samsung GN1 as the primary shooter, joined by a 64Mp 1-inch Sony IMX787 and a 13Mp Sony IMX712. Wojciechowski now thinks the GN1 has been discontinued, leaving the phone with the combo of an IMX787 and IMX712, a more affordable pair of sensors, and a match for the dual camera seen in OnLeaks renders. It will also feature a 13Mp selfie camera, again using the IMX712.
Wojciechowski adds another tidbit: that the 7a will have a Samsung-made 90Hz refresh rate display, which would be a welcome upgrade from the 60Hz seen on the Pixel 6a, fixing one of the biggest flaws of this phone.
If you can’t wait for the Pixel 7a to launch, check out our roundup of the best Pixel 7 and 7 Pro deals and the best Pixel 6a deals to see if you can grab a bargain.
