Google Pixel 8a specs revealed as launch seems set for May

Phone launches are a bit like thunderstorms: the shorter the distance between leaks, the closer the launch is. And just days after the latest Google Pixel 8a leaks we've got some more, including an expected launch date. 

According to tipster Yogesh Brar, the Pixel 8a launch date is going to be in May, most likely as part of the Google I/O conference that begins on the 14th of May. It's expected to cost between $500 and $550 in the US (the current Google Pixel 7a is $499 / £449) and should have an impressive specification for an affordable Android. 

The reported upgrades aren't exactly world-changing but they're still welcome and keep Google's cheapest Android phone up to speed with the rest of the mid-range Android pack. As we explain in our guide to the best cheap phones, in which the Pixel 6a currently features, "we pretty much know what to expect from these mid-range phones from Google: they offer a clean, slick Android experience and some very good photo and video capabilities for not much money at all."

What to expect from the Google Pixel 8a

According to the tipster, the Google Pixel 8a will have a 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED display and the now obligatory 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling. There will be two models, one with 128GB of storage and one with 256GB, and both will be running Android 14. Both variants will come with a 4,500mAh battery and support for 27W fast charging.

Inside the processor is the same Tensor G3 we've already seen in the Pixel 8, and the GPU is expected to be the Mali-G715. 

The main camera will be 64MP with optical image stabilisation. There will be a 13MP ultra-wide camera too, and the selfie shooter is believed to be 13MP – the same as in the Pixel 7a. 

As we reported a few days ago, the phone will have Bluetooth 5.3 and is likely to come in four colour choices; the latest predictions chime with previous reports of a 120Hz OLED display with 1,400 nits of peak brightness and HDR support. Don't expect a radically different design this time out: the Pixel 8a leaks we've seen so far show a model that looks very much like its sibling, the Pixel 8.