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First article
Major Google Leak Reveals Pixel 8a Price, Features And New Offer
This story was updated on May 2nd. Update below.
Google’s Pixel 8a will likely make its debut in two weeks at the company’s I/O developer event. But that hasn’t stopped the leaks, which have so far mostly focussed on specifications and design. Now, though, we have some insight into the handset’s price.
The information comes from reliable tipster OnLeaks, via SmartPrix, and shows that Google isn’t planning to hike the Pixel 8a’s price in the U.S. The 128GB Pixel 8a will sell for $499, while there’s now a second 256GB storage option, which will retail for $559.
While the 256GB is new, that base unit will cost as much as the Pixel 7a did when it launched last year. There were concerns about Google upping the price of the Pixel 8a, but it looks like those rumors were based on the price of higher storage model, which, if accurate, is a new option Google is offering 8a buyers.
OnLeaks (and MySmartPrice) had previously revealed that the 8a will follow the Pixel 8’s design principles with rounder edges and a generally less boxy design than the Pixel 7 series.
In terms of specifications, according to Android Authority, the 8a will have an improved 120Hz OLED display with a higher maximum brightness of 1400 nits. The 7a’s 64MP Sony IMX787 camera sensor will return in the 8a, while the handset will be powered by a slightly downgraded version of the Tensor G3 chipset found in the flagship Pixel 8 range.
Elsewhere, some promotional images, obtained by Android Headlines, shows that the new budget Pixel will come with seven years of security patches. But there’s no mention of supporting the phone with seven years of Android updates and parts, as is the case with the main Pixel 8 phones. Google could differentiate between its main, and cheaper, lines with how many years of updates it offers depending on the device. Or, the Android Headlines image doesn’t tell the full story.
We also don’t know what AI skills the Pixel 7a will have. There will be a heavy focus on Gemini, and generative AI in general, at I/O and I suspect Google will have some Pixel 8a-related surprises for us. We’ll know more in a couple of weeks.
Some more renders of the Pixel 8a have leaked via @MysteryLupin on Twitter/X, who posted over 30 pictures of the upcoming Google phone and the cases it will launch with.
The renders look like the press images Google sends to reporters ahead of a launch and show much of what we have already seen, including the rounder design and two camera sensors on the back.
What is interesting is that there’s a coral color case, which hasn’t been seen in previous leaked images. This could be another variant Google decides to release later in the device cycle, as it did with the Mint model for the Pixel 8 in January, or it’s simply another case color option. Google is quite intentional with its official case colors, so this could be a clue that we’re getting a new hue for the Pixel range at some point in the future.
Another major dump of Pixel 8a information just landed, this time from reliable tipster Evan Blass. The leaker has unearthed what appears to be screenshots of the Pixel 8a product page in another language. The translations are slightly off, but it’s clear that Google is indeed planning to offer seven years of security updates for the budget phone.
Specifically the image says seven years of “feature drops” and security updates. This tallies with previous leaks that Google won’t be offering seven years of Android updates, just security patches. But another one of Blass’ screenshots explicitly states that the 8a will receive seven years of OS updates too. This is likely a translation error, but we’ll have to see if Google really is that generous when it unveils the phone in a couple of weeks.
Elsewhere Google is going hard on pushing its other services by offering 8a buyers three months of free YouTube Premium, six months of Fitbit Premium and three months of the 100GB Google One plan. The expected AI features, like Magic Editor, Audio Eraser, Magic Eraser and Circle To Search get a namecheck, alongside the Google One VPN service and a “24 hour” battery life.
Second article
Leaked Pixel 8a case colors reveal one wildcard entry
Google may surprise us with an orange case for the Pixel 8a, a departure from previous color choices for their phones.
 Leaked case colors for the Pixel 8a include green, blue, white, black, and a vibrant orange option.
 While the orange case gives hope for an orange Pixel 8a, we'll have to wait for the official unveiling at Google I/O, or a mid-cycle update to know for sure.
With every new smartphone launch, we look forward to new hardware and the capabilities said hardware unlocks, and the accessories Android phone brands offer with their phones. While most companies usually offer a standard black case, Google often color-matches accessories to the back panels of its latest devices. With the Pixel 8a leaks coming in thick and fast ahead of the model’s official unveiling, the phone’s colors have leaked too. However, a new leak reveals we may see a wildcard entry among the case colors this time, and that’s not entirely a bad thing.
Earlier this month, a leak spilled the beans on Google's color choice for the cases to match its upcoming Pixel 8a. Since the phone is expected to come finished in mint green officially called Mint, deep blue called Bay, a cream-white color called Porcelain, and a black hue named Obsidian, the leaked case colors should be green, blue, white, and black. However, reliable tipster Evan Blass (@evleaks on X) recently shared official-looking imagery for the accessory lineup, also showcasing a vibrant orange case.
Can we have an orange phone to match the case, please?
We were quick to lament the color choices for this generation of devices from a brand that wasn’t afraid to slap pop orange on a phone, twice — once with the Pixel 5’s Oh So Orange, and more recently, the Sea color for the Pixel 7a. However, the existence of an orange case isn’t implicit confirmation that Google will launch the device in that color. We’ve seen that happen before with the Pixel 8 series where an orange case leaked and is still available, but the phone never got the same treatment.
Google gave its latest flagship, the Pixel 8 Pro, a mid-cycle refresh like Apple does with iPhones, so there is hope the company does it again with the Pixel 8a in orange, especially considering we have seen a-series hardware in that color before, and Google isn't shy to repeat colors. Even if a coral colorway doesn’t drop, the orange color case should be available from the get-go, giving buyers an option to spruce up their new Pixel 8a if they adore the shade.
Although leaks like this one usually offer credible insight, we will have to wait for the Pixel 8a’s official unveiling before we know which protective case shades will be listed for sale initially. Google has scheduled its annual developer conference called I/O for May 14, which means the new phone's launch is just a couple of weeks away.