Pixel 7a Announced With $499 Price Point, Google Tensor G2
Following months of speculations, a series of leaks, and an official teaser from Google themselves, the company's mid-range offering for 2023 — the Google Pixel 7a — is finally here, announced at Google I/O 2023. Powered by the same Tensor G2 SoC found on the flagship Pixel 7 series, you can expect the Pixel 7a to deliver similar performance at a much lower price tag. There's been a slight bump in the pricing of the base variant this time, though, with the asking price for the sole 8GB + 128GB variant going up by $50 to $499.
While the Pixel 7a is a minor upgrade over the Pixel 6a in terms of looks and overall design language, it does have a few noticeable upgrades to justify the $50 premium. To begin with, the Pixel 7a is the first A series Google device to sport a high refresh rate panel (90Hz).
The Google Pixel 7a inherits its predecessor's design language but has been bolstered with better durability features. While it gets the same level of scratch resistance as the 6a, the phone is now IP67 rated. In addition, the trademark Pixel camera bump is now made of metal. Besides the computing prowess of the Tensor G2 chip, the Pixel 7a also gets its security aspects right thanks to the dedicated Titan M2 security chip that ensures fast biometric authentication options, among others.
In addition to these hardware-focused updates, the Pixel 7a also gets its share of Pixel-exclusive goodies. These range from 3 months of Premium Subscription to YouTube Premium and Google One — to priority access to all Pixel feature drops for the foreseeable future. Google also promises five years of Pixel updates for the phone, ensuring that the Pixel 7a stays relevant until 2027.
Google Pixel 7a: Everything you need to know
Confirming previous rumors, the phone also gets a much-needed, comprehensive hardware upgrade in the camera department. Google has finally done away with its tried and tested but aging 12MP sensor, which has been around since the days of the Pixel 3. Also making their way in are new sensors for the twin rear cameras and the front-facing selfie camera.
The primary camera gets a 64 MP sensor paired with an f/1.89 lens. This camera also doubles as a telephoto camera and supports Google's Super Res Zoom feature. The secondary rear camera uses a 13MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture and a 120-degree field of view. Google has also thrown in support for Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), thereby ensuring better low-light photos and less shaky videos.
The Pixel 7a gets a 4385mAh battery (advertised as 4300 mAh) that supports fast charging. With Qi-certified wireless charging support, the Pixel 7a has also become the first A series device to support wireless charging. Google claims 24 hours of battery life with standard usage and up to 72 hours with the Extreme Battery Saver mode on. The company has also thrown in support for wired fast charging — albeit capped at 18W.
The Pixel 7a comes in four color options: Charcoal, Sea, Snow, and Coral, with the Coral color option being made available only on the Google Store. Besides the U.S. and Canada, the phone will also be made available across several European and Asian countries.