Google Pixel 8a leaks hint at a new finish and mixed design tweaks

More curves expected, but thick bezels could remain

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The next phone we get fromGoogleshould be the mid-rangePixel 8a, and a couple of fresh leaks have hinted at some of the design choices that have been made on this handset – including a noticeable change from theGoogle Pixel 7a.

First up, we have two pictures from@techdroider(via9to5Google), which supposedly give us a good look at the front and back of the Pixel 8a. There’s nothing surprising on the front, and the unfortunately thick bezels seem to match what we saw with the Pixel 7a.

Google Pixel 8A pic.twitter.com/2Jopl3R2MiApril 8, 2024

Around the back there is something different from this phone’s 2023 predecessor though: a matte rather than a polished finish. Otherwise there’s the same camera bump, with the dual lenses on the left and the flash over on the right.

In terms of colors, it appears we’re looking at the standard dark gray that a lot of phones come in (the Pixel 7a called it Charcoal). These real-life photos do match up withleaked rendersthat have previously made their way on to the web.

Case in point

That’s not all for the Pixel 8a reveals today though: we also have some case leaks courtesy ofAndroid Central. Based on these cases, it seems the Pixel 8a will be a more rounded handset at the corners than the Pixel 7a, which is borne out by the photos above, too.

Apparently the Pixel 7a doesn’t fit into these Pixel 8a cases, pointing to a phone that’s slightly smaller. The screen size is expected to remain the same on this year’s model though,coming in at 6.1 inchescorner to corner.

Also worth noting is the inclusion of the MagSafe charging ring on one of the cases, suggesting that the latest Qi2 wireless charging standard isn’t going to be something that’s offered by the Google Pixel 8a.

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All should be revealed soon: there’s a strong likelihood that the Pixel 8a is going to be officially unveiled atGoogle I/O 2024, which we knowgets underway on May 14. Google is expected to talk much more aboutAndroid 15on the same day.

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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

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