Skip to main content

Pixel 7a hands-on photos show us an unwelcome display change

Google’s upcoming Pixel 7a has leaked several months before launch, courtesy of a Facebook group in Vietnam and shared to the leaks aggregator site, Slashleaks. This follows renders from trusted leakers Steve Hemmerstoffer (OnLeaks) last year. This new set of live leaks confirms elements of previous images, including the refreshed design and support for a 90Hz display.

As noted, this leak comes from Vietnam. This is where Google assembles its phones and, consequently, has been a source of a few Pixel leaks in the past. It’s happened with the Pixel 4a, and now the Pixel 7a. The video shows off the Pixel 7a in all its glory, leaving little to the imagination.

Allegedly hands-on photos of the Google Pixel 7a.
Slashleaks

As expected, the 7a looks remarkably like the Pixel 7, complete with the blended camera bar. It also looks quite similar to the Pixel 6a, but that’s due to the fact the Pixel 6a was designed to look like a bridge between the Pixel 6 and 7. One thing that stands out is the bezel size surrounding the Pixel 7a’s display. The bezels are considerably larger than the ones found on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, acting as a constant reminder of the Pixel 7a’s (presumably) lower price.

Alongside the (slightly) refreshed design, Google is expected to add the Tensor G2 chip into the 7a alongside a new pair of cameras while keeping the same palm-friendly 6.1-inch display that the 6a had. Google typically launches the A-Series phones at its Gooogle I/O event in May. The Pixel 7a is expected to make its debut there and go on sale shortly after. Alongside the 7a, Google is expected to release the currently unannounced Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet in the first half of 2023.

Google Pixel 7a render.
OnLeaks / SmartPrix

Other than the Pixel 7a, Google’s plans for the Pixel-line through 2025 also leaked courtesy of Android Authority. The company is expected to introduce a smaller Pixel Pro, much like the 6.1-inch iPhone Pro, alongside the larger Pixel Pro and the A-series. The Pixel-A series itself could see relegation to a biannual release rather than the annual release it currently enjoys.

Google’s Pixel line, while not yet quite competitive with the iPhone or Samsung’s Galaxy (to put it charitably), continues to win rave reviews and phone of the year recommendations. The company’s problems remain reliability, heat management, and battery life — most of which can be linked to its Tensor processor.

Editors' Recommendations

Michael Allison
A UK-based tech journalist for Digital Trends, helping keep track and make sense of the fast-paced world of tech with a…
The Google Pixel 8a’s release just got a lot closer
Possible renders showing the Google Pixel 8a.

Google Pixel fans, it's almost time to open up your wallets. Rumors and leaks regarding the Google Pixel 8a have been floating around online for months, and now the phone has taken a big step closer to its official release.

On March 18, Google submitted four new smartphone models to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Getting FCC approval is required of smartphone companies before they can sell a smartphone in the U.S., and it's usually one of the last big leaks we see for a phone before its official unveiling. In this case, the four model numbers submitted by Google include G8HHN, G6GPR, G576D, and GKV4X.

Read more
The Google Pixel Fold 2 could get a massive display upgrade
A game running on the Google Pixel Fold's open screen.

It seems Google’s next foldable phone will go big — quite literally. According to Ross Young of DSCC (which is now a part of industry analysis heavyweight Countepoint Research), the screen size of the Pixel Fold 2 will be bigger than what other leaks have suggested.

When the first set of Pixel Fold 2 leaks came out with alleged renders, they predicted a 7.9-inch inner foldable screen. Young writes in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the inner flexible panel measures 8.02 inches, which is a major bump compared to the 7.6-inch OLED panel on the first-gen Google Pixel Fold.

Read more
Have a Google Pixel phone? You’re about to get these new features
A person holding the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

One of the great things about Google’s Pixel phones is how often the company sweetens the pot with its Pixel Feature Drops. While they’re not always the most exciting updates, every so often, we get some pleasant surprises; this month’s Feature Drop fits into that latter category with some new goodies that will be of particular interest to owners of phones in the recent Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 8 lineups (and of course the Google Pixel Fold).

That doesn’t mean older Pixel phones are entirely left out of the party, though. There’s at least one helpful enhancement here for the Pixel 6 and even some smaller improvements that go back to the Pixel 5a. Let's dig into everything that's new.
New features coming to Pixel phones
Circle to Search Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more