It’s no secret that Google’s smartphones are more susceptible to leaks than any other manufacturer around. Over the past few years, we’ve watched the company try to beat leakers to the punch through early unveils and even marketing campaigns, to no avail. This week, after a relative period of silence, the floodgates opened on all of Google’s upcoming smartphones, giving us plenty of new information on the Pixel 7a, the Pixel Fold, and even this fall’s Pixel 8 series. The only question remaining is which — if any — you’re planning to pick up.
Let’s start with everything Pixel Fold, because I think this round of rumors might be the most exciting of the bunch. After months and months of hearing about Google’s entry into the foldable market, this week we learned the most-likely launch window for the device: June, following an announcement at Google I/O. What’s even better of course, was the pricing rumors that followed later in the week, potentially cementing the Pixel Fold as a cheaper alternative to Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5 later this year. While a $1,300-$1,500 range doesn’t cement it as a “budget” device, it’s still a move in the right direction.
This week’s Pixel 7a rumors followed a similar path: an official unveiling at I/O, followed by a June launch window with pricing set somewhere between $450 and $500. We also saw two units leak in the wild — one in an early hands-on showing off every angle of the device imaginable, the other as an eBay listing when one prototype went up for sale. Google was quick to shut down the latter, but put together, we have a pretty good idea of what the Pixel 7 is shaping up to be.
But the fun didn’t stop there. We also got our first look at renders for the Pixel 8 Pro, revealing a big surprise for a phone that otherwise looks like a fairly iterative update: a flat display. Google has finally listened to calls on social media, forums, and this very website, and have seemingly done away with the curved screens from the previous Pro-series devices. The Pixel 8 leaked as well, better highlighting the rounded corners on both phones.
It’s hard to believe we learned all of that over just a single week, but with Google I/O less than two months away now, I don’t expect the leaks to slow down anytime soon. After all, we have yet to see the Fold in person, aside from a potential train-sighting posted to Reddit. Meanwhile, the Pixel Tablet — which Google announced during its Pixel 7 event last fall — remains without a release date, even as we approach April.
Still, this week felt like a turning point for Google’s 2023 lineup, giving us our clearest picture yet on the company’s future plans. So, I’m curious: which device is exciting you the most? Is the Pixel 7a the cheaper Pixel 7 you’ve been waiting for? Does the Fold’s pricing make it a must-buy foldable? Or are you content in waiting for Google’s next flagship series this fall? Feel free to expand on your thoughts in the comments — this was a busy news week, and I’m curious what everyone thought of it all.
