Despite its dated hardware, the Google Pixel 6a remains one of the best budget Android phones to buy. It launched in July 2022 after being announced at I/O 2022 in May. With the phone's anniversary fast approaching, rumors and leaks surrounding the Google Pixel 7a have been in full flow. At the beginning of the year, the phone's first hands-on images, albeit in poor quality, leaked on the internet. Now, a couple of months ahead of I/O 2023, high-quality Pixel 7a hands-on photos have been shared online, giving us a closer look at its Pixel 7-inspired design.
From the hands-on images shared by the Vietnamese blog Zing News, it is clear that the Pixel 7a will adopt the Pixel 7's camera bar design. This means the camera bump will use matte aluminum instead of glass, making it a lot more durable. Sadly, the photos also confirm Google has done nothing to reduce the chunky bezels surrounding the display.
Source: Zing News
Thanks to the camera bar cover, though, the Pixel 7a does look a lot more premium in the photos than the 6a.
Unlike the Pixel 7, which slimmed down its bezels, the Pixel 7a still looks pretty chunky around the screen.
While difficult to determine from the hands-on images, the Pixel 7a should retain the same 6.1-inch display size as its predecessor, though the refresh rate will apparently get a bump to 90Hz. Based on information from the About Phone and Bootloader menu, the phone will pack 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. For comparison, the Pixel 6a ships with 6GB RAM.
Other tidbits confirmed from the hands-on photos include a single physical SIM tray, rubber protection around the SIM slot for IP protection, a speaker, and a USB-C port at the bottom. Google remotely locked the phone soon after its pictures were shared online, making it difficult to determine its other specs. If previous leaks are anything to go by though, the Pixel 7a should use a Tensor G2 chip, feature 5W wireless charging, and retain the same $450 price tag as its predecessor.
The unit is apparently a "software prototype" running Android 13. Given the Pixel 7a is only a couple of months away from its official reveal, this is likely its final design as well. This is not the first time unreleased Pixel phones have surfaced in Vietnam months before their launch. Expect more Pixel 7a leaks to emerge as the phone inches closer to its release.