Google might kill its best Pixel smartphone next year

We’re expecting the Pixel 7a to launch later this year. A recent leak, however, suggests that it may be the last of its kind.

The Pixel A series is Google’s budget-friendly version of its yearly flagship Pixel models — and have consistently been some of the best devices that the company has in its lineup. Despite the success of the Pixel A series, it seems like the Pixel 7a will be the final A series device.

According to leaker Yogesh Brar, there will be no Pixel 8a on account of how similar the Pixel A series has become to its base model counterparts. While this news is certainly disappointing for Pixel A fans, it does make a lot of sense when looking at the rumors surrounding the Pixel 7a.

The current rumors about its specs suggest that the 7a is essentially the same phone as the Pixel 7, albeit with a slightly smaller screen and a slight difference in cameras. In terms of price, rumor also has it that the Pixel 7a will be getting a $50 price increase from the Pixel 6a — costing $499, just $100 less than the Pixel 7.

With how close the two devices are becoming, it doesn’t make much sense for Google to continue offering both, especially since the Pixel A series costs less than the base model while offering very similar specs.

Despite that understanding, it’s still a pretty big bummer that we might lose the A series since it’s consistently been one of the most solid budget-friendly devices on the market. There are plenty of other options when it comes to cheap phones, sure, but the Pixel A always felt like a go-to winner.

According to Brar, Google will replace the Pixel A series in its lineup with a yearly foldable device — an iteration of the upcoming Pixel Fold. Unfortunately, that’ll leave fans out of luck when it comes to picking up Pixel devices for under $500. Brar also mentions that Samsung may be adopting a similar practice, however, with the large magnitude of budget devices that Samsung produces each year, it’s unclear which line might be sunset.

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