Google Pixel 7a Leaks in New Hands-On Pics

Google’s Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are some of the best smartphones you can buy, and the prices aren’t unreasonable in 2023. However, the Pixel A-series phones have always offered unparalleled value, and we expect a new product in that line to appear before long. Now, we know what it’s going to look like thanks to an unusually clear hands-on with the unreleased phone.

The new images of Google’s unannounced Pixel 7a come from the Vietnamese site Zing News, which reports the device in question is a manufacturing prototype. After the leaker came into possession of the device, it was remotely locked. Thus, there are only a few photos of the system UI — all they get now is the Fastboot system info showing reporting a boot failure. There are still some details to glean here, including the inclusion of 8GB of RAM. That’s more than the 6a’s 6GB.

The device shows a predictable evolution of the Pixel 6a’s design. While that phone adopted the camera bar design, it had a plastic inlay mimicking the Pixel 6. The Pixel 7 switched to a full aluminum camera bar, and it appears the Pixel 7a will follow suit. It’s a more refined look and should make the device more durable. The leak also claims the back of the phone is glass, whereas the Pixel 6a’s back was plastic.

The leaker claims the two cameras on the back have not seen an upgrade — they’re still both 12MP, one wide and the other ultrawide. Google’s flagship Pixels currently have a 50MP main camera with newer ultrawide and zoom (Pixel 7 Pro only) sensors. This might not be the most impressive hardware, but Google’s processing algorithms have been expertly tuned for the 12MP sensor, giving the Pixel 6a surprisingly good capabilities. The 7a should be no different.

Before the phone was locked, the leaker noted that it was running a test build of Android 13, which is the current stable version of the OS. Google is working on Android 14 now, but it won’t release that until this coming fall. The Pixel 7a, which we expect to see on sale this summer, will launch on Android 13. Previous leaks also claim this phone will run the updated Tensor G2 chip, which debuted in the more expensive Pixel 7 and 7 Pro last year. The Pixel 7a is expected to keep the $450 price tag of the 6a. Google will probably reveal official details of the phone at I/O 2023, which starts on May 10.