Some real-life Google Pixel 8a images have been published by TechDroider on X, giving us a closer look at what we're hoping will be one of the best cheap phones of the year.
Unfortunately one prominent feature revealed by these photos are the Pixel 8a's thick display bezels, with the thickest appearing on the bottom edge.
TechDroider showed off a side-by-side image with the Pixel 7a to demonstrate how the bezels haven't improved much since last year, if at all. That's not to suggest the phones are identical in design though. It's easy to see that the Pixel 8a now features rounded corners, which will better show its relationship to the newer Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro models.
Beyond the bezels
It's just as well that other rumored specs for the Pixel 8a make it look like a more convincing mid-priced phone champion. Like the Pixel 7a before it, this 6.1-inch phone should come equipped with an OLED display and a 64MP main camera. But new this time will be a 120Hz refresh rate for the display, an updated flagship-grade Tensor G3 chipset, and a larger 4,500 mAh battery (up from 4,385 mAh) with faster 27W charging (up from 20W).
These features should help Google take on its competitors for the title of top cheap phone too. Although the OnePlus 12R and the Samsung Galaxy A55 are impressive in their own right, Google's combination of a compact frame, quality specs where it counts and exclusive Android features could be hard to beat.
Going by previous years, the Pixel 8a should debut at Google I/O, which takes place each May. That's not too far off, but make sure you're prepared for the show by reading up on the phone's leaks and rumors so far in our news hub linked above. And while you're at it, you may want to learn more about upcoming Google phones like the Pixel Fold 2, Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro.
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