The Google Pixel 8a has been officially announced and unveiled, marking the latest entry to Google’s ‘A’ series of budget devices, which we’ve long loved at Gizmodo Australia.
From specs, features, price, and availability; here is everything you need to know about Google’s Pixel 8a.
Table of contents
Google Pixel 8a: Specs
The entire purpose of Google’s budget ‘A’ series lineup is to take the tech from last year’s models (in this case, the Pixel 8 range) and put them into a smaller, more affordable device (the Pixel 8a). As such, the chip remains the same as in those flagship devices, as do many of the camera specs.
- Google Tensor G3 processor
- 6.1-inches, 2,400 x 1,080 pixel OLED display, 60-120hz refresh rate
- 152.1mm H x 72.7mm W x 8.9mm D, 188 grams
- Nano SIM/eSIM
- 128GB or 256GB storage, 8GB RAM
- 64MP main camera, 13MP ultrawide camera, 13MP selfie camera
- Scratch-resistant Actua display (Gorilla Glass 3), IP67 protection
- Available in Obsidian black, Porcelain white, and Bay blue (Aloe green not available in Australia)
- 18W fast charging, 4,492 mAh battery
- Fingerprint and facial recognition.
Google Pixel 8a: Price
The price, to be frank isn’t cheap. This isn’t a new thing for Google’s A series device, nor was it entirely unexpected. Previous members of the A series family have brought price increases – in particular, the Pixel 6a, which started at $749, $150 up from the Pixel 4a (the 5a never launched in Australia). At one point, the series even had a price decrease – with the Pixel 4a, down $50 from the Pixel 3a’s price point of $650.
The Pixel 3a was the first phone in Google’s budget Pixel range, and our headline for our review on it rang true for every Pixel A phone released up until now – it fuccs.
But prices are going up once again, this time up to $850. The price move wasn’t too unexpected, considering that prices for the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro both went up last year as well. A spokesperson said the price rise was due to “foreign exchange”, whatever that means. The Pixel 8 went up by $200 (to $1,199), and the Pixel 8 Pro up by $400 (to $1,699).
With these price shifts in mind, it’s getting more difficult to give the current Pixel A device the ‘best budget Android’ title, though we’ll delve more into it in our review, out next week.
Google Pixel 8a: Features
The Google Pixel 8a has subtle stylistic differences to the preceding Pixel 7a. The camera bar is a little smaller, and the corners are noticeably more rounded.
On the software level, the Pixel 8a has adopted many of the AI features present in the other two Pixel 8 devices, such as Best Take, Photo Unblur, Nigth Sight, and Ask Gemini. There’s even the incredible ‘Circle to Search’ feature that launched with Samsung devices at the start of this year.
Google has also committed to seven years of security, OS, and Feature Drop updates with the Pixel 8a.
Google Pixel 8a: Release Date
The Google Pixel 8a will be available on May 14, it’s available in Obsidian (black), Porcelain (white), and Bay (blue).
The 128GB model is $849 and the 256GB is $949. Buy it from the Google Store, JB Hi-Fi, Telstra, Optus, Officeworks, and Harvey Norman.
Image: Google/Gizmodo Australia