The Pixel 8a will reportedly feature significant upgrades, including a brighter display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
The news comes from reliable leaker Kamila Wojciechowska, writing for Android Authority. Wojciechowska’s latest report dives deep into Google’s upcoming budget phone and reveals several upcoming features.
The most notable are improvements to the smartphone’s display. We already knew the 8a would sport a 6.1-inch screen, the same as the Pixel 7a and slightly smaller than the Pixel 8’s 6.2-inch screen. However, Wojciechowska says the Pixel 8a will boast a 120Hz refresh rate, up from 90Hz on the 7a and matching the Pixel 8’s refresh rate. Similarly, the Pixel 8a will have 1,400 nits brightness, up from 1,000 nits on the 7a and again matching the Pixel 8’s display. All three phones sport the same resolution of 2,400 x 1080.
Wojciechowska also confirmed previous rumours indicating the Pixel 8a display would feature rounder corners to more closely match the Pixel 8 series.
Beyond the display, Wojciechowska says the Pixel 8a will support the DisplayPort output feature that recently came to the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, though there’s still no real user software to support it. DisplayPort output support is likely a foundation for a future feature coming to the Pixel line.
We also already knew the Pixel 8a would sport a Tensor G3 chip like the 8 and 8 Pro, but Wojciechowska reports that, like the Pixel 7a’s G2, the 8a’s chip will be a slightly worse variant of the G3. The chip itself is identical but uses a different plastic packaging that is thicker and hotter but also cheaper. Those interested can see all the nitty gritty details in Wojciechowska’s report, but the main takeaway is that the Pixel 8a should offer significant performance improvement over the 7a, though it might not be quite as performant as the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.
One of the big promises of the Tensor G3 was improved support for on-device AI, though arguably, Google hasn’t actually done much in that regard, aside from a few minor features being tested on the Pixel 8 Pro. As The Verge points out, Google also limited AI features on the Pixel 8, despite it having the same chipset as the 8 Pro. If the Pixel 8a’s G3 is a slightly worse version, it’s possible Google could further limit AI capabilities on the 8a.
Finally, Wojciechowska notes that the Pixel 8a will stick with the exact same camera setup as what’s in the 7a. However, with the Tensor G3, we could see improvements on the processing side.
What’s particularly interesting about all these details is that, once again, Google’s budget smartphone will likely encroach on the territory of Google’s smaller flagship. With both the Pixel 6a and 7a, I felt there was very little reason to get the Pixel 6 or 7 instead — the extra cost provided very few tangible benefits. And with the Pixel 8a reportedly getting a better display, it’s once again treading very close to the Pixel 8 — close enough that it might not make sense for anyone to buy the 8 over the 8a. Rumours hint at a Pixel 8a price hike, so we’ll see how it all shakes out when Google announces the phone (likely at I/O 2024), but I have a feeling the Pixel 8a will make the Pixel 8 totally redundant.
Distributed also on: Android Authority Via: The Verge
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