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Google Pixel 7a: news, release date and price rumors, and more

But, not in the way we anticipated a few years ago, Google’s Pixel series of smartphones has had a significant impact on the Android smartphone market. Although the flagship Pixel smartphones are excellent, the affordable segment is where the Pixel really shines. The Google Pixel 7a will represent the inexpensive Pixel’s second iteration in 2023.

The 2022 Pixel 6a remains one of the best smartphone deals, offering an excellent camera and software experience at a knockout price. The Pixel 7a will have some fairly big shoes to fill in that regard. Prior to it, the Pixel 5a was a standout as well, notably in terms of battery life. What will Google do with the Pixel 7a next? The most recent rumor’s and news that you need to be aware of are compiled here.

Google Pixel 7a: design

Pixel A-series phones frequently draw design ideas from the flagship Pixel that was released before them, and it appears that the Pixel 7a will be no exception. On November 29, OnLeaks and SmartPrix released Pixel 7a renders. If the renders are correct, the Pixel 7a will resemble the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro that came before it.

This appears to be the case, which is supported by stolen pictures of a Pixel 7a testing unit that were posted on Twitter on January 3.

Phone Compares and Zing News have also posted some high-resolution pictures of the Pixel 7a that show the low-cost smartphone in much more clear detail. The smartphone resembles the base Pixel 7 model impressively, as shown in earlier hands-on shots and renderings, with one significant exception: the bezel around the display of the device appears to be far thicker than that of the Pixel 7. It’s unclear which bezel will be used in the final design because it appears to be much thicker in the hands-on photographs than in the leaked drawings.

One Twitter leaker who shared further hands-on images of the 7a claims that while the phone’s screen is made of glass, the rear is plastic. While that may be upsetting for those who prefer metal and glass in their smartphones, it is not entirely unexpected given that Pixel A versions frequently use less expensive components in order to sell for less money. For instance, the Pixel 6a also featured a plastic back, so it’s to be anticipated.

The selfie camera is carved out in the centre of the Pixel 7a’s display. Google’s recognisable camera bar wraps around the back, dividing the rear design into two different sections. The Pixel 7a appears to be white in renders while appearing black in actual photographs. Google might also add a third “fun” hue, although we have no idea what that colour would be.

The Google Pixel 7a contains a USB-C charging port and a fingerprint sensor built into the display as additional design features. The 3.5mm headphone port was rumored to be making a comeback at first, but these renders indicate that it is still absent from the Pixel 7a.

Google Pixel 7a: specs

The specifications are equally crucial to the design. What can we thus anticipate on that front? The most important conclusion is that the Google Tensor G2 processor, which has been confirmed by numerous leaks, will very probably be present in the Pixel 7a. It just makes sense for Google to transfer the G2 chip from the 7/7 Pro to the 7a since the Pixel 6a had the Same G1 chip utilized in the Pixel 6/6 Pro.

Although Tensor G2 isn’t a significant improvement over Tensor G1, it does deliver performance and efficiency gains that should be quite welcome in regular use—especially given how hot the Pixel 6a can become. Moreover, the Tensor G2 should be able to support new AI features like Clear Calling and speaker labels in the

Also, there have been rumor’s that the Pixel 7a’s display would finally have a refresh rate of 90Hz. Up until this point, every Pixel A-series phone had a screen running at 60 hertz. Although scrolling and animations on 60Hz-equipped phones are notably choppy, this is not the case for devices with 90Hz and 120Hz panels. The Google Pixel 7a would experience a fairly nice speed gain with a refresh rate of 90Hz and the additional power of Tensor G2, which should be felt in regular use.

The Pixel 7a is believed to enable wireless charging, which has also frequently been missing from Pixel A devices in the past. Today, wireless charging is a standard feature on every flagship smartphone, so if Google can finally add it to the budget Pixel, that’ll be a major item crossed off our wish list for the Google Pixel 7a.

Google Pixel 7a: camera

The Pixel 6a used the same 12MP back camera that Google has been using since the Pixel 3 despite having a considerable design and CPU improvement. The Pixel 7a has the potential to drastically alter that.

According to numerous speculations, the 64MP Sony IMX787 sensor will take the place of the Google Pixel 7a’s outdated 12MP main camera. As a result, you should see crisper pictures, better colors, improved night performance, etc. It will have every standard Pixel camera feature, including Magic Eraser. The 12MP lens is said to be the secondary, ultrawide rear shooter, with the 64MP camera operating as the primary lens.

In terms of selfie cameras, rumor has it that the Pixel 7a will be fitted with an 8MP lens, the same one found in the Pixel 6a. While that’s obviously not an upgrade, the 6a’s front-facing camera took solid pictures, so it’s safe to expect the 7a to do the same.

Google Pixel 7a: release date

To put it mildly, Google’s announcement/release date sequence for the Pixel A smartphones has been erratic.

During its I/O conference in May of 2019, Google unveiled the Pixel 3a and made preorders accessible that very same day. The Pixel 4a wasn’t revealed by Google until early August 2020, and the Pixel 5a wasn’t until August 26, 2021. When the Pixel 6a was announced in May 2022, everything returned to normal.

What does the Pixel 7a get out of all of that? The release dates of the Pixel 4a and 5a were probably impacted by COVID and chipset limitations, thus it’s safe to believe the Pixel 7a will be announced at Google I/O 2023, which is confirmed to take place on May 10. The Google Pixel Fold and Google Pixel Tablet are also expected to make their debuts at this event, so this year’s I/O may be a hotbed for Pixel hardware announcements.

Google Pixel 7a: price

The cost comes last but not least. Over the years, the cost of Pixel A phones has been largely stable: the Pixel 3a began at $399, the Pixel 4a sold for $349, the Pixel 5a cost $449, and the Pixel 6a is priced at the same $449.

The era of $399 and $349 Pixel smartphones is securely behind us. Google is probably going to retain the Pixel 7a at $449 for an additional year. Any increase in price runs the danger of undercutting the $599 Pixel 7, yet a decrease in price doesn’t seem likely considering the expected feature increases.