The Google Pixel 7a isn’t expected to arrive for a few months yet, but we’re already starting to see some serious leaks. Which isn’t all that surprising for a Google smartphone, and means we’ll have a good idea of what to expect long before the phone is actually unveiled.
In this instance a hands-on from Zing News could have shown off the Pixel 7a in great detail. Not only does this hands-on seemingly show the phone from almost every angle, it may reveal some of the phone’s internal hardware.
It’s worth noting that this may be the same device that leaked through a Vietnamese Facebook group back in January. That leak and the Zing News reports shares at least one image of the phone’s screen. But there does appear to be a lot more information revealed this time around.
The Pixel 7a design shown off in Zing News’ photos isn’t all that surprising. It bears a strong resemblance to the Pixel 7 lineup, complete with the rear camera bar and the cut out for the two lenses. The front better differentiates itself from the flagship Pixel 7 lineup with a noticeably thicker bezel reminiscent of the Pixel 6a.
Google Pixel 7a specs
Zing News said that they weren’t able to turn the phone on properly, claiming it’s a test machine for programmers. However, fastboot was apparently able to verify some hardware specs, including 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM — up from 6GB last year. The device’s original owner claimed that the device has a 90Hz display, apparently noticed before Google remotely locked the device, and two 12MP cameras.
Other hardware features of note aren’t hugely surprising, including a 6.1-inch display, a metal frame with glass sides, a single SIM slot, USB-C charging and waterproofing around the SIM tray. There’s also no sign of the headphone jack, something we haven’t seen on an A-series Pixel since the Pixel 5a.
Of course, we should be taking all this information with a healthy dose of skepticism. There’s no guarantee that any of these specs will make it to the Pixel 7a, especially given the fact this is apparently a developer model. But it does give us an idea of what the phone could come packing.
There’s a lot that this hands-on doesn’t cover, but the alleged upgrades to 8GB RAM and a 90Hz display are big upgrades in themselves — especially if Google manages to keep the price more or less the same as the Pixel 6a.
Other rumored upgrades include the new Tensor 2 chipset, which is designed to offer better security and capacity for machine learning. Another rumor claims that the phone could come with a Samsung GN1 50MP sensor — the same as the Pixel 6. However Zing News’ report would seemingly refute this particular claim.
We’re expecting the Google Pixel 7a to launch at Google I/O 2023 on May 10. The event typically features Google’s hardware and software plans for the coming year, meaning it’s the best place to announce a new mid-range phone — especially given Google’s habit of doing just that in years gone by. So sit tight, be patient, and we’ll bring you all the best Pixel 7a news as and when we hear it.
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