Everything we know so far

The Google Pixel 6a made its mark as one of the best budget Android phones of 2022 thanks to its powerful hardware, great cameras, and premium construction. Anyone who wanted an affordable phone with power that rivaled flagships couldn’t go wrong with Google’s latest offering — especially as steep discounts hit months after launch.

As you might expect, next year’s Pixel 7a will likely take its inspiration from this year’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Google’s latest flagship devices are its best yet, setting up the next A-series device to be a budget homerun. Here’s everything we know about the Google Pixel 7a so far.

Google Pixel 7a: Design and specs

While we expect the broad strokes of the Pixel 7a’s design to mimic the Pixel 7 in the same way that the Pixel 6a mimicked the Pixel 6, there are a few surprising rumors about the design floating around.

We’ve heard rumors about an upcoming Pixel device codenamed Lynx that, despite early word suggesting a high-end member of the Pixel 7 family, now seems to be the Pixel 7a. Some key premature rumors didn’t help in the confusion, either. As reported by tipster Digital Chat Station, the Pixel 7a might used a ceramic body, making it the first Pixel device to do so. That would be a significant upgrade, and not just over previous A-series models that often relied on plastic bodies. The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro use glossy glass, not ceramic. There’s good reason to believe these reports, as Google confirmed the Pixel Tablet will sport a nano-ceramic body back at Made By Google 2022.

The same source claimed that Lynx would use the Tensor G2 processor, a 50MP camera with a periscope lens, and a hole-punch screen. The inclusion of the Tensor G2 is what we would expect from the Pixel 7a, as the Pixel 6a ships with a first-gen Tensor CPU, which debuted with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Developer Kuba Wojciechowski also unearthed that the Pixel 7a will support wireless charging, a low-power 5W chip suitable for charging earbud cases.

If the Pixel 7a is, in fact, this “Lynx” device we’ve heard so much about, it sounds like it’ll use a Qualcomm-branded modem. That’s a big shift away from the controversial Samsung modems of the last two Pixel generations, and along with the ceramic build, it sounds like it might be an even better option than the plain Pixel 7.

Google Pixel 7a: Cameras

9to5Google recently confirmed some of the rumors we heard earlier this summer regarding the Pixel 7a’s camera. The sensor on the 50MP camera is the same Samsung GN1 found on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. A Sony IMX787 64MP sensor for telephoto and a Sony IMX712 for ultrawide (duplicated in the front for selfies) round out the Pixel 7a’s camera arrangement. If true, this means the 7a would have nearly identical camera quality to the Pixel 6, which is still exceptionally good in 2022.

This would also mark a shift from the Pixel 6a, which used hardware dating back to the Pixel 3. It’s common for Google to rely on older sensors, letting that post-processing magic do much of the work, but considering the Pixel 6 represents a step above previous generations in our camera tests, we’re excited to see where this goes.

Google Pixel 7a: Price and release date

No reliable rumors have surfaced yet, but we can make some educated guesses about these details. Google decided to ease the stress on our wallets this year by keeping the price of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro the same as their predecessors. If they follow this trend for the Pixel 7a, we can expect a price tag of $449/£399. But the quality of the rumored specs indicates we may be looking at a less affordable device.

Google released the Pixel 6a in July 2022 and the Pixel 5a in August 2021. If this pattern continues, we can expect a significant wait until we see the Pixel 7a in stores. However, Google’s penchant for leaking every detail of upcoming devices means we will probably know everything about the Pixel 7a months before this date. Only a few months out from the Pixel 6a, it’s just too early to lock in any details.

Not ready to upgrade just yet?

If you felt that the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro were too pricey, the upcoming Pixel 7a might be just what you want. If it manages to retain the affordability of the 6a, it may very well be one of the best Android phones of 2023.