Key Takeaways
- The Pixel 8a, Google's next mid-range Android phone, is highly anticipated and is expected to build on the success of its predecessors.
- The release date and price of the Pixel 8a are still uncertain, but it is likely to be announced at Google I/O and may have a $499 price tag.
- Rumours suggest that the Pixel 8a is being developed under the codename Akita, and packs a nine-core CPU with 8GB of RAM.
As the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are getting most of the attention for now, we're already eyeing the next entry to Google's own mid-range Android lineup, the Pixel 8a.
Since its inception with 2018's Pixel 3a, the A-series has proved extremely successful thanks to the company's combination of great software support, a constant drip of user-friendly features, and hardware that's cheap, but cheerful. The Pixel 7a was a welcome advance from its predecessors with the inclusion of wireless charging for the first time. Will we see something as drastic make an appearance on the Pixel 8a? We don't know for certain just yet, but we do have intelligence to work off of and we're gathering it for you right here.
Google Pixel 7a
If you can't wait for the Pixel 8a to upgrade your phone, the Pixel 7a is one of our top considerations in the mid-range Android phone category.
Google Pixel 8a release date and price
While there are no solid rumours about these aspects, we can make educated guesses about where these will land.
As for an announcement, Google had been pulling its A-series releases up the calendar: the Pixel 5a came about in late August of 2020, the following year had the Pixel 6a in mid-July, and the 7a was announced at the Google I/O 2023 keynote on May 10. This spot, however, may be the most appropriate one on which to plant the Pixel 8a next year. Even as a conference aimed at developers, I/O always poses an opportunity to introduce hardware platforms to serve this new software on - such as a new Android phone or two - for the public's discernment. It also lands far enough away from the mainline Pixel phone releases that happen in October during the company's Made by Google showcases so as not to cannibalize sales.
Money-wise, it's very likely that the Pixel 8a will carry over the Pixel 7a's $499 price tag - a $50 hike from the Pixel 6a and 5a and arguably called for given global inflationary pressures. Late last year, an unnamed source claimed that the Pixel 8a would be the one to take on that $499 price tag and not the 7a. There were even doubts as to whether the 8a would show up in 2024, but we'll get to why we're confident that that will be the case shortly.
Google Pixel 8a specs
One source called out the Pixel 8a's codename as Akita and that seems to be accurate, as a Geekbench result listing from August that pegs it as an Android 14 device that's running a nine-core CPU with roughly 8GB of RAM. The existence of said listing is why we believe that an 8a is being pipelined for launch as we speak, but, as with anything in rumour and speculation, don't take anyone's word for it.
The SoC seems to be styled after one that was seen in two Geekbench listings dating back to April for a supposed test bed named "Ripcurrent." Leaks blogger @Tech_Reve claimed this chipset to be the Tensor G3, which would be the third generation of Google's custom design that has been based on Samsung's Exynos blueprints. The chipsets on both Ripcurrent and Akita builds are clustered identically with a single-core hero unit, a quad-core mid-tier unit, and another quad-core low-power unit. The big difference between the two is that the Akita's cores are cycling slower. It's the case across each cluster, but the low-power group sees the widest gulf at 1.7GHz versus 2.15GHz.
We're not exactly sure what to make of this given that the Tensor G3 will presumably debut on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro first. We haven't seen any indications of other potential Tensor G3 benchmarks out there, meaning it's hard to tell if Google is flat-out downstepping its performance or is only doing so for the Pixel 8a. Another complication is that it's easy to spoof device names for Geekbench runs, but this is all we have to work with so far.
Google Pixel 8a cameras
Camera details for the Pixel 8a have yet to spill. Up through the Pixel 6 generation of devices, Google has been relying on the same 12MP sensor for its main rear camera. The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro introduced a new array of sensors, but the 7a's camera set was remarkably different to its siblings with a 64MP wide unit and a 13MP ultrawide. At this moment, we suspect the company will carry those same cameras (and some cost savings) over to the Pixel 8a.
Google Pixel 8a rumours: What's happened so far
24 August 2023: Leaker claims Galaxy Z FE phones will launch after Z Fold/Flip 6
A device that is believed to be the Pixel 8a appears in a Geekbench result (via MySmartPrice).
15 June 2023: Google Pixel 8 Tensor G3 leak points to some big performance upgrades
Slightly tangential, but this story about the Tensor G3 does provide some context about the uncertainty surrounding the Pixel 8a's powerhouse.
23 December 2022: Leaked roadmap reveals plans for Google Pixel Fold, Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, and beyond
A source to Android Authority relayed details about the Pixel 8a's codename along with pricing plans and a potential change in release cycle.