Google's Pixel 8A Will Be Similar to the Pixel 8, Leak Suggests
The latest leak provides further evidence that there will be more crossover between Google's A-series and regular Pixels.
Google's Pixel 8 Pro (left) and Pixel 8 (right).
Google's Pixel 8A will have a lot in common with its more expensive sibling, if a recent leak turns out to be accurate. The search giant's next budget phone is expected to run on the company's Tensor G3 processor, similar to the Pixel 8. It may also have a higher 120Hz refresh rate, according to Android Authority, further bridging the gap between Google's flagship and lower-tier phone.
If the report turns out to be correct, it would continue the approach Google took with last year's Pixel 7A. As I wrote when reviewing the phone last year, the Pixel 7A essentially felt like a version of the Pixel 7 that was $100 cheaper.
A Google representative did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment regarding the leak.
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Other potential similarities between the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8A could include design and screen brightness. The report says the 8A will get a boost to 1,400 nits to match the Pixel 8. It sounds like the biggest difference between the two devices would be the Pixel 8A's camera, which is expected to have a 64-megapixel main camera, 13-megapixel ultrawide camera and 13-megapixel selfie camera just like the Pixel 7A, reports Android Authority. The Pixel 8, by comparison has a 50-megapixel main shooter along with a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 10.5-megapixel selfie camera.
That might make the Pixel 8A's camera sound superior to the Pixel 8's on paper. But when I compared the Pixel 7A against the Pixel 7 -- which has a similar camera setup as the Pixel 8 -- I couldn't really tell the difference. Google also told me at the time that the Pixel 7's camera sensor is larger and more light sensitive, which should result in better image quality despite the difference in resolution. The case could be the same for the Pixel 8A.
The Pixel 8A will also include DisplayPort support, meaning you'll be able to connect it to a monitor, says the report. That feature also appears to be coming to the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, as indicated by an Android beta software release that Android Authority also reported.
Among the biggest questions about the Pixel 8A is whether Google will provide Android version and security software updates for seven years like it does with the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. That would make the Pixel 8A an even better value and could give it an advantage over Samsung's recently announced competitors, the Galaxy A35 5G and Galaxy A55 5G, both of which will only receive four years of such updates.
Google introduced the Pixel 7A during its Google I/O conference last year, so it's possible we'll learn more about the device in the coming months.
We won't know concrete details until Google announces the Pixel 8A. But the company typically prices its A-series phones around $100 to $150 below its standard Pixel phones.
Making quality smartphones more affordable is always a good thing. Still, as I wrote ahead of the Pixel 8's launch last year, it also makes it more difficult for Google's mainline smartphones to stand out. It feels like Google is targeting the same audience with both its standard Pixel phones and its A-series phones, which could dampen the Pixel 8's appeal.
If the Pixel 8A turns out to be a scaled-back version of the Pixel 8 as the leaks suggest, it'll certainly raise the bar for the Pixel 9.
