Smartphones & Tablets | September 26, 2023
In just a few weeks, the Pixel 8 is set to be unveiled, but the truth is, we already know practically everything there is to know about Google’s new phone. Whether you love them or hate them, leaks are part of the information cycle in the tech industry. No matter how many measures companies take, there’s always a leak, whether in the form of rumors or, in the worst cases, in the form of photographs.
Throughout the history of the industry, there have been some truly glaring cases, such as a new phone being leaked right when the previous version is being presented. What has appeared today on the social network X (formerly Twitter) almost falls into that category: it’s a leak of a model that won’t be released this year and that we probably won’t see until at least next May.
We’re talking about the new Pixel 8a, a model that no one had talked about until now, simply because it’s too early. The Pixel 8, on which it’s based, hasn’t even hit the market yet, and obviously, that’s where all the attention is focused.
The supposed leak comes from the X account of Abhishek Yadav, where he has posted photos of what would be Google’s next phone. The image quality isn’t very good, making it difficult to discern details. Additionally, it’s evident that the photos have been edited, in part to remove any potential identifying data, such as stickers with codes on the back of the device. If they are real, this would indicate that it’s a Google prototype created for internal testing, so the design may not be final, and the final version could have changes.
It’s important to remember this because one of the most obvious changes to the Pixel 8a at first glance is in the design. Specifically, the new rounded appearance of the phone, which could elicit many complaints from users but also draw a lot of attention. The rounded design makes sense as it fits with other elements like the camera array and the phone’s edges, but it would still be surprising if Google were to go with this idea.
There isn’t much else visible at first glance, apart from a front photo of the screen displaying borders that may be thicker than usual. However, this would be understandable since this will be the cheapest phone in the range. According to the leak, the processor will be the same Tensor G3 used in the rest of the Pixel 8 lineup, with performance improvements.
