Pixel 7a release date, price, features, and news

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Тhe Pixel 7a is destined to be the latest budget offering in Google’s a-series of phones, which aim to bring high-end features at an affordable price. You may be asking yourself if it’s the phone for you, especially after hearing about the myriad of exclusive software enhancements that Google has brought to the Pixel line. The 7a is probably going to be inspired by the Pixel 7, not only in terms of design, but also hardware and exclusive camera features. Staples such as Photo Unblur and Magic Eraser work with just a press of a button and bring a lot of utility, as they can be used on older photos from other phones too.

The Pixel 6a was the last phone in Google’s budget line-up and made for a compact, but powerful device. It still managed to offer the exclusive features that the Pixel line is known for, but it had to make up for its lower price. As such, it had a smaller battery, smaller image processor and lacked wireless charging. But it still managed to impress even at that, so the Pixel 7a certainly has big shoes to fill.

Latest Google Pixel 7a news

Pixel 7a latest news

Google Pixel 7a release date

Well, there is no official info to present as of this point, nor are there any reliable leaks from trusted sources with a solid track record, but we can always try our best at some guesswork, backed up by release patterns and a tad of deduction.

The Pixel 6a was released in July of 2022 – less than 6 months ago. Put a pin on that. Then we have the base Pixel 6 model release on October 28 of 2021, which would make for a period of 9 months between the two.

Similarly, the Pixel 5a was released 10 months after the flagship Pixel 5 had become available to the public. So, it’s safe to say that the marketing strategy for the a-series is to have them out about three quarters of a year after the main duo of flagship devices.

Device family	Announcement	Market release
Google Pixel 5	September 30, 2019	October 29, 2021
Google Pixel 5a	August 17, 2021	August 26, 2021
Google Pixel 6	October 19, 2021	October 28, 2021
Google Pixel 6a	May 11, 2022	July 28, 2022
Google Pixel 7	October 6, 2022	October 13, 2022
Google Pixel 7a*	April/May, 2023*	June/August, 2023*

* – probable dates

So what would that mean? Well, if we are to trust this pattern, combined with the release date of the Pixel 7 of October 13, 2022, that would mean that we could see the Pixel 7a go up for sale between June and August of 2023.

The Pixel 6a was announced in May of this year, so there was a two-month gap between its unveiling and release. Thus, we can hope to see the 7a become showcased as early as Q2 of 2023, quite possibly around April or May, but we can’t be sure until Google starts teasing the release.

That being said, the last two Google phones were officially announced a month before they release. If this is to become tradition, then we should see the Pixel 7a become unveiled as late as July for a release during August of 2023.

Google Pixel 7a price

When it comes to pricing, we’ve seen Google stick to tradition. What we mean by that is that, for example, all Pixel a-series phones have had a price tag of $499. Given what we’ve seen thus far from Google’s habits, it’s fair to assume that this may very well be the price of the Pixel 7a too.

iPhone model	128GB of storage	256GB of storage	512GB of storage
Pixel 5a	$449	–	–
Pixel 6	$599	$699	–
Pixel 6 Pro	$899	$999	–
Pixel 6a	$449	–	–
Pixel 7	$599	$699	–
Pixel 7 Pro	$899	$999	$1,099
Pixel 7a	$499*	–	–

* – anticipated prices

Google Pixel 7a camera

The Pixel 6a has a dual-camera setup, consisting of a wide an ultrawide lens. It also has a 12MP sensor, which was previously seen on the Pixel 5 flagship. While that may seem like quite the step back from the larger 50MP sensor which the Pixel 6 had, the performance of the two really was comparable.

Google’s expertise on the software front made the smaller 12MP sensor of the 6a shine brighter than ever. It also came with most of the exclusive software options, some of which were introduced with the Pixel 7. Sure, not all of them made their way to the 6a, but at least Google cut what seems like the less popular ones, like Motion Mode.

The Night Sight mode on Pixel devices has been around since Pixel 3, so we can expect the advanced astrophotography mode to be on the 7a too. We already mentioned the impressive Photo Unblur and Magic Eraser, which were on the 6a, and we hope to see them again on the 7a. Lastly, another old, but gold feature, unique to Pixel phones is Top Shot — sort of like a “smart burst mode”, which helps you capture a fleeting moment easily. Neat!

Pixel 7a camera setup, render based on leaks

As such, we can expect the Pixel 7a to follow suite and have:

Hopefully, the 50MP sensor from the 6a, but the 12MP one could still make a comeback
A dual-camera setup, same as on the Pixel 7 and 6a
Most of the post-processing features that have become a staple for the Pixel series
Overall high performance, especially when compared to other budget smartphones

We’ve also had rumors of an even bigger image sensor being incorporated on the Pixel 7a, namely a 64MP Sony IMX787, with the inclusion of a 13MP IMX712, destined for its ultrawide camera on the back, but Google’s track record of utilizing hardware from older Pixel models on their budget series of phones doesn’t fit this claim.

Google Pixel 7a storage

You’ve probably noticed in the hefty chart above that all Pixel a-series phones have always come with 128GB of storage and no additional expansion slot. And we believe that there is a reason for that – the price point.

For most users, that’s going to be more than enough, as long as they can develop a healthy habit to regularly backup their photos and videos to a cloud service, and not clutter their phone with apps or games that go unused.

In some fringe cases, like for gamers, who like to enjoy a large roster of hefty games on their device, the space might not be enough. But in the age of media streaming, 128GB of storage is nothing to scoff at, as services like Spotify and Netflix weigh in in less than half a gigabyte still.

Google Pixel 7a design

Well, now that the Pixel 7a has had its renders leaked, we can definitely say that Google is sticking to the signature Pixel look. Ever since the Pixel 6, we’ve entered this new age of futuristic visor-esque bars on the backs of Google phones, instead of the typical asymmetrical camera bump we’ve come to know from the Samsung Galaxy S22 or the iPhone 14.

From the render, we can see that the 7a will be following in the footsteps of its older siblings, the 7 and the 7 Pro, with that said camera bar gaining a silvery metallic finish, and becoming slightly more protruded than on the 7. A difference that can be noted on is slightly larger screen bezels, but considering the expected price point, that’s fair.

Pixel Phones traditionally come in two monochromatic options, which dance around black and white, such as charcoal or obsidian, for example. Then there is the third option, which goes for something more vibrant, without becoming too overbearing, like the muted greens of the sage variant or the fresh lemon grass option.

Pixel 7a render based on leaks

So, it would be safe to assume that we can look forward to two variants of the Pixel 7a, which will be some nuances of black and white, respectively. As to the third option, we can make a solid guess that the nature-inspired muted greens, seen on the last three Pixel phones, are going to make a come back in some way, which evades the coolness of lighter hues, while still not going overboard with warmer or darker tones.

The Pixel 6 and 7 phones were both rated at IP68, while the 6a manages an IP67 rating. As per the IP rating system, the 6 indicates that dust can’t get inside all three phones, as long as some sort of external damage hasn’t compromised their vacuum seal.

The second number is related to the phone’s water-resistant capabilities, with a rating of 7 allowing for 30 minutes of submersion of up to 3ft (1m), while the rating of 8 takes things further to a depth of 9.8ft (3m), but the time is undisclosed.

While the flagship series are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and on the back, making them capable of surviving a drop from 6.5 ft , the Pixel 6a comes with a 3D thermoformed composite back – a fancy way of saying plastic – and Gorilla Glass 3 on front, which still offers some protection, but on a lower level than what Victus has to offer.

We can see what looks like brushed matte aluminum on the sides of the phone.

Ergo, we can surely anticipate the Pixel 7a to come with some protection over its screen, but we remain curious to see as to what Google has in store for the phone’s backside. It’s likely going to be some sort of plastic again, but they might surprise us and offer a higher grade Gorilla Glass front, and a lower one out back.

Lastly, regarding the phone’s sides: we’re betting on aluminum. We’ve seen the material both on the 7 and the 6a, so it would only make sense to keep things in line and incorporate it once again in the Pixel 7a. Most probably in a matte finish, as before.

Google Pixel 7a display

Here’s the deal: one of our biggest gripes with the otherwise excellent Pixel 6a was its 60Hz display, especially after seeing the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro’s screens and their 90 and 120Hz refresh rates respectively. With higher refresh rates slowly becoming a sought-after feature, it would be great to see such an improvement in the Pixel 7a.

Why fix what isn’t broken? Hefty bezels though.

And lo and behold, recent leaks point to a 6.1″ display with a 90Hz refresh rate! Huzzah! The display is likely going to be 2400 x 1080 pixels in resolution for a 20:9 ratio, same as the Pixel 5a, 6a and 7. From the renders we can tell that the smartphone will feature a hole-punch style of selfie camera, centered at the top of the screen, and it’s likely going to have an optical under-screen fingerprint sensor, as with its brothers.

Google Pixel 7a battery

So, we’ve not seen any interesting reports or leaks regarding the Pixel 7a and its battery capacity or capabilities. However, we sure know what we’d like to see and what we’re probably not going to get. Spoilers – the latter is a bigger battery.

The Pixel 6a had a capacity of 4,410mAh, which we found to be quite dependable, even with sometimes heavier usage. It is, unfortunately, limited to 18W of charging speed via cable only — no wireless charging. The Pixel 7 has even less capacity with 4,355mAh, but can at least handle a slightly faster 20W, both for wired and wireless charging.

So, ultimately we’re hoping to see the battery from the Pixel 6 make a return in the 7a for a sweet 4,614mAh of capacity and the ability to receive a faster charge of around 20W wired and wirelessly. What more could we ask for?

Well, if we’re lucky, Google is going to meet us halfway and give us a Pixel 7a, with a battery capacity of around 4,300mAh, that has wireless charging capabilities and faster wired charging. We’d bet our money on the capacity part of the prediction, even though we hope to have nailed the rest too.

Google Pixel 7a features and software

With this being an Android phone, coming from the guys who make Android, it’s no wonder that it has some extra features, which are exclusive to the Pixel series. Several instantly come to mind as staples: Google assistant’s Pixel-exclusive features like Direct My Call and Call Screening, Google’s impressive camera post-processing enhancements, and voice typing.

Google Assistant is significantly capable on Pixel devices. It has the ability to accept calls from strangers in your stead. It can also hold a call for you on customer service lines, until the other end is ready to proceed, so you don’t sit there wasting time. If you don’t usually use voice assistants, then a Pixel phone may be a game changer for you.

The Pixel camera capabilities are legendary, not so much because of the tech inside, but because of Google’s Camera app, which is exclusive to their smartphones. It utilizes HDR+ to enhance the dynamics of your snaps greatly, and underpins them with vibrance and clarity.

The visor-styled camera bump is not a feature, but helps the phone stand out quite a lot.

There are other futuristic features too, like the option to erase photobombers from your shots with a tap on a button, or other powerful retouch tools, which not only let you do the usual, such as adjusting contrast and cropping, but go as far as removing motion blur from photos.

And, yes, we did mention voice typing. Why’d we do that? It’s not like it’s something new in the world of tech. Well, Google has achieved impressive results with their rendition of the feature, which can truly be relied on a whole lot more than your typical third party app.

While all of this sounds wonderful, truth is that the Pixel 6a did see some cut features when compared to the 7, so we’re expecting the same approach this time too. Good news is that Google is nice and usually cuts the ones that people don’t use as much, so you don’t need to worry about it.

Google Pixel 7a hardware and specs

We say Google, you say Tensor! Of course, we can bank on the latest Tensor G2 being included in the Pixel 7a. This practice became notable with the Pixel 6a, where Google crammed the latest SoC from the Pixel 6 into their budget offering, which is exactly what made it worth it.

That is certainly what is going to bring an above-average performance to the Pixel 7a, especially for a phone from its expected price range. We’ve also had this backed up by recent leaks, and it would only make sense, given Google’s habits of recycling parts across its range of phones.

That being said, we’ve not had any notable spills about RAM. So what would be a safe bet? 8GB, for sure, and make it LPDDR5. We’ve seen the exact same type and quantity on both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 6a, which is what we are basing our prediction on.

Should I wait for the Google Pixel 7a?

You should wait for Pixel 7a if you’ve always wanted to try the best that Android has to offer, but are not willing to spend extra for a Pixel 7 or 7 Pro.

You should not wait for Pixel 7a if you’ve already gotten a Pixel 7, Pixel 6 or 6a, as those phones are going to last a long time, as per Google’s own support plans. We’re expecting the Pixel 7a to be potent, but it is not likely to blow either of its predecessors out the water just yet.

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