Google Pixel 8a just leaked right before the Pixel 8 launches

The Google Pixel 8a isn't expected to launch for another eight months or so, but its first big design leak has already appeared ahead of the Google Pixel 8's launch.

Images of the Pixel 7a's alleged successor were posted by Abhishek Yadav on Twitter/X. At first glance, we can see the alleged Pixel 8a has much rounder corners than the Pixel 7a, something that appears to fit with the Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8 Pro's redesign.

We can also see a pair of cameras on the back (likely main and ultrawide cameras like the 7a offers), and a matte texture on the camera bar and side rails, all daubed with a handsome blue color. The Pixel 7a comes in a "Sea" blue color already, but the Pixel 8a's version looks a deeper shade.

Yadav also shows us the possible Pixel 8a from the front. Looking beyond the interface, which looks like the Pixel version of Android we all know and love, the display has the same unfortunate chunky bezels the Pixel 7a has. It makes the phone look a little outdated, but unfortunately it's likely once again a consequence of Google trying to keep the phone's cost around the $500 mark.

It's hard to judge the size of the Pixel 8a in these images, but it'll likely be 6.1 inches like the Pixel 7a again. However with the Pixel 8 allegedly moving from 6.3 inches to 6.2 inches, perhaps Google will adjust the size to avoid confusing buyers or cannibalizing its own sales.

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This leak reveals nothing of the phone's insides, but one near-guaranteed feature for the Pixel 8a is a Tensor G3 chipset. This is assumed to be Google's latest processor that will first be introduced on the Pixel 8 according to the rumors, and should mean a performance and efficiency bump for the devices using it. That said, the first alleged Tensor G3 benchmarks for the Pixel 8a were not very impressive.

Google Pixel a-series phones usually appear each May at Google I/O, so this is quite a long time in advance to see an apparently finished handset. But with no unexpected details appearing, perhaps bar the very rounded corners, it seems plausible that this is a very early prototype of the Pixel 8a.

In the near future, the Made by Google event is on the calendar for October 4, which Google has already announced will be the day we're introduced to the Pixel 8 series. We haven't had much else confirmed about these new flagship Pixels, but leakers have claimed we could see new 50MP main and 64MP ultrawide cameras, a Video Unblur function and a new flat display that ditches the curved panel of the Pixel 7 Pro.

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