Google Pixel 8A Leak Suggests Launch Is Right Around the Corner

A lot of rumors have been swirling about Google’s Pixel 8A, the rumored entry-level smartphone expected to launch around Google’s I/O developer conference in May. Now, a new set of leaks suggest the upcoming phone will sport a matte backing, similar to its predecessors.

In posts on X and YouTube, leaker TechDroider showed off purported images of the Pixel 8A, highlighting its matte back and colors of blue, porcelain (beige) and obsidian (black). The $699 Google Pixel 8, which released last year, comes in obsidian, mint (green), hazel (greenish-grey) and rose (peachy-pink).

Google representatives didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 

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Read more: Google’s Pixel 8A Will Be Similar to the Pixel 8, Leak Suggests

The latest round of leaks is a pretty clear sign that, if nothing else, Google’s Pixel 8A is likely to launch sometime soon. The A-series phones, which have always been known for their value, typically sport a smaller screen and slightly lower specs when they launch about half a year after their more expensive cousins. 

Last year’s Pixel 7A was considered by CNET’s reviewers to be among the best lower-priced smartphones when it launched at $499. But rumors indicate Google may increase that price to $549, at least according to one leaker.

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Google may attempt to justify the price increase by drawing similarities between the Pixel 8A and its more expensive cousin. A separate report indicates that while the Pixel 8A screen will be smaller, it will offer the same brightness. It may also have a better camera just as last year’s Pixel 7A did, though when CNET’s Lisa Eadicicco tested them out, she “could barely tell the difference” most of the time.

Google’s most compelling reason to buy a Pixel 8A may be its price and the promise of software and security updates for seven years, like it guarantees for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. Other competing budget phones, such as Samsung’s Galaxy A35 5G and Galaxy A55 5G, receive only four years of such updates.

Read more: Google I/O 2024 Set for May 14