The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are coming early next month, and while we're excited to see these two new phones, we know that neither of these will be compact devices designed for those who like smaller phones. If that's you, you may be happy to hear a new rumor that suggests Google is working on a smaller Pixel flagship alternative.

According to prolific leaker Digital Chat Station (via Android Authority), Google is working on a new "small-screen flagship" device that the company has codenamed Neila. This is the first time we've heard mention of this device, but the source claims Google is focusing on a smaller screen experience with flagship specs in tow.

Digital Chat Station also claims the phone will have a similar design to the recent Pixel handsets. That likely means it'll follow a similar design language to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series. The Pixel 6a features a similar design to the Pixel 6 series with a slightly smaller screen, but the specs aren't as impressive as the flagship series.

The post is machine translated from the Chinese social networking site Weibo, so some elements may be lost in translation. The leak doesn't give us any precise details on what to expect from the Neila project, but it may be this is a new Pixel 7 (or perhaps even Pixel 8 if it's early in development) handset that we haven't heard about before. If so, we wouldn't expect to hear about it on October 6, during the company's Pixel 7 launch, where we also know we'll hear more about the Pixel Watch.

We haven't seen a smaller Pixel handset since the Pixel 5 in 2020. That phone had a 6-inch screen, while the Pixel 6 jumped considerably to a 6.4-inch. Take this new leak with a pinch of salt, as it's the first time we've heard about such a device. If you're a fan of small Android phones, you may be in luck… you just may have to wait a while for it to appear.