Smartphones & Tablets | February 5, 2024
It seems like yesterday when Google announced the new Pixel 8 series, and now it’s time to talk about the upcoming devices. While the first leak of the Pixel 9 Pro has made headlines due to design changes, for many consumers, the leak related to the Pixel 8a, which has also surfaced today, will likely be more interesting.
As in past generations, Google will wait a few months to complete the Pixel 8 lineup with the more budget-friendly model, offering users an experience very similar to the more expensive models. Perhaps that’s the main reason the ‘a’ models are not unveiled simultaneously with the standard and Pro models.
The story will repeat with the Pixel 8a, which will closely resemble the standard Pixel 8, although that doesn’t mean it won’t bring some innovations. Now, photos of the box in which the phone will come have been leaked on the internet, confirming many details that will change (and those that won’t change as much).
The most striking aspect of this Pixel 8a will be its design, featuring curved corners that will give the device a more rounded appearance. It’s unclear whether this device is previewing the design that future Pixels will adopt, or if Google has opted for a solution to differentiate the standard and ‘a’ models, which are currently nearly identical. While this might not be a concern for users, it matters for Google, which naturally prefers that the more expensive model stands out from the cheaper one.
The rest of the design will maintain the lines of the Pixel series, with two cameras housed in the recognizable strip on the rear. In this regard, not many changes are expected compared to its predecessor, the Pixel 7a. Where there could be changes is in the sensors used in the cameras, with a 12.2 MP configuration for the main camera and 12 MP for the wide-angle, along with a 10.5 MP front camera. If confirmed, it would be a resolution loss compared to the Pixel 7a, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a downgrade; Google has demonstrated that other aspects of the cameras, such as aperture, sensor size, and especially algorithms, are more crucial.
What the leaked photo doesn’t show, of course, is the processor. According to the latest leaks, the Pixel 8a will use the same Tensor G3 as the Pixel 8, but as expected, with lower frequencies; it’s unclear if this would affect the AI functions that current models can utilize. However, it has been confirmed that we will see an improvement in fast charging, which will be 27W, the same as in the standard Pixel 8.
