Skip to main content

Forget the Google Pixel 8, another new Google phone just leaked

Possible renders showing the Google Pixel 8a.
Smart Prix

Technology always has something new on the horizon. For instance, just a few days after the launch of the Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8 Pro, a new leak has emerged about the rumored Google Pixel 8a smartphone that could perhaps be released early next year.

In at least the second leak about the Pixel 8a, Smart Prix has published renderings of the new phone. The renders suggest the Pixel 8a will feature a 6.1-inch flat screen with a hole punch camera cut out. The back shows a visor that contains two camera sensors. Based on the leaked renders, the phone’s dimensions will be 152.1 by 72.6 by 8.99mm, compared to the Pixel 7a’s 152.4 by 72.9 by 9.0mm.

Recommended Videos

Per Smart Prix, the Google Pixel 8a is expected to sport a redesigned body featuring rounded corners, similar to Google’s latest phones, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. This is a significant shift from its previous boxy shape. The leaks also reveal that the new phone will flaunt slimmer bezels and a smaller chin at the bottom.

Possible renders showing the Google Pixel 8a.
Smart Prix

Moreover, the Pixel 8a might feature an ultra-wideband antenna and earpiece alongside a power button and volume rocker on the right edge. The phone could also display a Google logo on the back and a SIM tray on the left edge. Additionally, cellular antenna bands could arrive on the top, left, and right-hand sides of the device.

In September, we covered a post on X (previously known as Twitter) by @yabhishekhd. The post contained hands-on images of the supposed Pixel 8a. This post was significant, as rumors had been circulating since May that the Pixel 7a would be the final device in the Pixel A series. That’s the month Google released the Google Pixel 7a. The May rumor from Yogesh Brar said there would be no Pixel 8a due to the Pixel A series being too similar to its base model counterparts.

However, we’ve now seen two rumors in as many months suggesting the Pixel 8a is indeed in the works and could be announced next spring, which is when Google usually releases its budget smartphones.

Rendering showing a possible Google Pixel 8a.
Smart Prix

It’s been a busy time for mobile news. Last week, Google made an official announcement of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, along with the Google Pixel Watch 2. We have also seen other tech companies like Samsung, with its Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5, and Apple, with its iPhone 15 lineup, announce new mobile devices.

The Google Pixel 8a likely won’t be released until next May, but if this is any indication of what’s to come, it’s looking like 2024 is already off to an intriguing start.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
Google Tensor heating woes are the top reason for Pixel phone returns
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9's cameras.

Google’s Pixel phones have been an odd mix of joys and frustrations over the past few years. On the one hand, they offer excellent camera output and clean software, but they are also held back by recurring overheating and performance issues.

It seems that the company is well aware of those shortcomings and also knows that the highest number of customers return their Pixel phones due to bad thermal output. The high temperatures are also said to ruin the experience of running demanding tasks.

Read more
I used the first Snapdragon 8 Elite phone, and it’s hot stuff
The Realme GT 7 Pro's screen.

When the courier handed over the box containing the Realme GT 7 Pro, I was keen to open it up. Not because it was a new phone (they come quite often), but because it was one of the very first phones with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor inside — and the first phone I’d use with the chip.

Qualcomm has hyped the Snapdragon 8 Elite up as a considerable improvement over its previous chips, so I got to work testing it out. I can confirm, it’s hot stuff in every sense of the phrase.
A crucial update arrives
Following the publication of this feature on October 31, 2024, Realme contacted Digital Trends to say it was working on a software update that would cure the software compatibility issue it claimed was causing the phone to overheat during some benchmarking tests. It arrived several days later, and we published a separate feature on November 4, 2024, explaining how it affected the phone.

Read more
A new Google Pixel feature could make managing phone calls a breeze
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 screens.

Contextual replies are one of the best parts of the Google Pixel experience. This feature allows you to respond to a call without actually answering it; the Google Assistant voice asks why they're calling and allows you to answer with generated responses for specific keywords. For example, if someone is calling to confirm an appointment, you can reply with "Confirm."

It's a great feature, especially if you aren't fond of talking on the phone. Now an update to contextual replies could take the feature to the next level with AI responses. The team at 9to5Google found snippets of code in the latest beta version of the Phone by Google app that suggest a wider range of capabilities is on the way.

Read more