The Google Pixel 7a is a mid-range success, and one that Google will undoubtedly want to replicate in 2024 with the release of its successor, the Google Pixel 8a.
While we’re still a few months away from the potential release of Google’s 2024 mid-ranger, there are plenty of leaks and rumours swirling around that give us a pretty good idea of what to expect. That includes a smattering of real-world images of both the phone and its packaging, along with high-res renders that reveal a notable change to the Pixel 8a’s design.
With that said, here’s everything there is to know about the Google Pixel 8a right now.
When will the Google Pixel 8a be released?
Google hasn’t confirmed when exactly we’ll see the Pixel 8a surface, but we can take a look at previous Pixel A-series launches to make it easier to predict with a degree of accuracy.
With that in mind, Google has shifted the A-series launch significantly over the past few generations. The Pixel 5a made its first appearance in summer on 26 August 2021, but that was shifted forward by a month with the Pixel 6a, which was released on 28 July 2022. That happened once again with 2023’s Pixel 7a, making an appearance almost two months earlier on 10 May 2023.
Moving the Pixel a series away from the flagship Pixel launch – which tends to take place in October – makes sense for Google, leading us to believe that it has settled into a new mid-year May refresh for its Pixel a series.
That leads us to believe the Pixel 8a will make an appearance at Google I/O sometime in May, with a release following soon after in May or June 2024, but we’ll update this section if we hear differently.
How much will the Google Pixel 8a cost?
The whole point of the Pixel a-line is to offer a budget-friendly alternative to the flagship Pixel, which this year consists of the £699 Google Pixel 8 and £999 Pixel 8 Pro.
That said, Google has traditionally gone with a £400-500 price tag for its mid-range Pixel alternative, with the Pixel 7a coming in at a rather budget-friendly £449 – though that is an increase of £50 compared to the Google Pixel 6a.
Will we see a similar increase once again with the Google Pixel 8a? We’re not so sure as the Pixel 8a will then begin to stray into more premium territory, pricing out those who no doubt appreciate the Pixel a’s blend of hardware and affordability, but it’s not totally out of the question.
In fact, a leak from a German retailer suggests that the Pixel 8a could cost an increased €570 in the region, up from the €509 Pixel 7a. That could translate to an increase in the UK and US too, possibly around the £500/$550 mark, but we’ll have to wait and see for now.
Latest Google Pixel 8a rumours
You might think that, being at least a few months from launch, we’re light on Pixel 8a rumours and leaks – but you’d be wrong.
An updated design
The first Google Pixel 8a leak was a real-world photo of the device, and it appeared before the company had even announced the Pixel 8 series in October 2023.
The images are your usual leaked affair, with one showing the display and three others showing the rear and sides in various angles, complete with a bunch of blurred-out ID stickers, but they reveal some interesting design changes compared to the current Pixel 7a and even the Pixel 8.
The model resembles a Pixel, complete with a similar size and shape to the Pixel 8 and the inclusion of its divisive camera bar, but its corners look way more curved than anything we’ve seen from Google until this point. The display bezels also look chunkier than those of the Pixel 8, but that’s nothing new for the mid-ranger.
While a leak that early should be taken with a huge pinch of salt, newer renders from OnLeaks and SmartPrix showcase a very similar-looking Pixel 8a. While the colour is different from the blue hue of the original leak, pretty much everything else lines up, from the chunky bezels to the rounded corners of the new mid-ranger.
OnLeaks has a near-impeccable track record with his renders. He recently revealed the OnePlus 12 and Xiaomi 14 Pro well ahead of launch, lending some credence to the redesign of the Pixel 8a.
A separate leak claims that it’ll be available in Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay and Mint, similar hues to the rest of the Pixel 8 line-up that also match with some leaked wallpapers for Google’s next mid-ranger.
Even the alleged packaging for the Pixel 8a has appeared in real-world photos, seemingly confirming not only the curvier design but the rumoured Obsidian finish.
What’s more interesting than the packaging itself is the image of the Pixel 8a on the box; the eagle-eyed among you might notice that the shine on the side of the phone closely resembles the shine of the Pixel 8 Pro and its matte finish, rather than the much more noticeable shine of the glossy-finish Pixel 8.
Could this mean we’re about to see a matte-finish Pixel 8a? Considering we praised the finish on the Pixel 8 Pro, it’d certainly make sense.
Google Tensor G3 chipset
Elsewhere, while we’ve not had confirmation, it’s all but confirmed that the Pixel 8a will use the same Tensor G3 chipset as the Pixel 8 line – a trend with the mid-ranger over the past few years that makes it truly stand out at its price point.
