Pixel 8a: Turning the affordable Pixel into Android’s iPhone SE might be a crazy (good) idea،
There were rumors that Google was about to kill the Pixel 8a and the “A” series of Pixel phones in general, but luckily that’s not the case – at least if live photos of the previously unpublished have been disclosed. Pixel 8a are legitimate. That being said, I’d be lying if I said Google’s hypothetical decision to discontinue the Pixel “A” series of phones would have shocked me. The reason ? Just look at how similar the Pixel 7a 2023 is to the Pixel 7 2022. The biggest headache – due to Google’s bizarre release schedule, the Pixel 7 had already fallen to $500 when the Pixel 7a launched at the same price, making the existence of both phones even more confusing.
So, without a doubt, Google needs to do something to distinguish the vanilla Pixel flagship from the mid-range “A” series device ASAP, and even if the new higher starting price of $700 of the Pixel 8 will help, I think I could get a better idea of what Pixel 8a should represent.
Now, will this turn out to be the case? I am not sure. But maybe Google is a regular reader of PhoneArena and would consider my business proposal for the Pixel 9a and Pixel 10a, if not the 8a. Because why 4th most valuable company in the world follow the advice of the 4th lowest paid writer in tech?
Pixel 8a: Perhaps Google’s mid-range phone should take a step back if it wants to appeal to a wider audience
Live images of the alleged Pixel 8a, scheduled to launch in summer 2024.
Whether Google really plans to abandon the Pixel “A” series or not, it would be sad to see a phone, which represents such good value, leave the smartphone scene – especially in the US, where there are has a shortage of impressive mid-range and budget. smartphones.
But I think there’s a way to keep the best-selling Pixel line alive in the long term, and I’d do it by doing something that’s considered unconventional in the smartphone world: making the phone cheaper and potentially less efficient. on paper.
If Google’s only two options are to make the Pixel 8a more expensive or remove the Pixel A series altogether, I’d rather they turn the Pixel A into a budget phone with less pretentious specs but at a more accessible price.
Hello Google! Why not turn the Pixel 8a into a (more) budget phone?
Was the Pixel A series a better deal when it started at $399?
- Turning point Pixel 8a in a more budget-friendly $400 phone will help differentiate it from the Pixel 8 and avoid another »Pixel 7a against the Pixel 7”; This would also achieve a consistent $300 gap between all of Google’s phones – $400 for the Pixel 8a$700 for the Pixel 8and $1,000 for the Pixel 8 Pro
- A phone with Google’s brand promise, which costs no more than $400, should appeal to a wider range of people, especially in developing countries – we’ve already seen proof of this with the popular ones (according to Google standards) Pixel 4a and Pixel. 5a
- The $500-$600 smartphone market has become incredibly saturated over the past couple of years, which means that Pixel 8a and the Pixel 9a will have a harder time standing out
To the question of “how would Google achieve a $400 price target” by trying to make a better phone than the Pixel 7athat starts at $500-600 I would say…they don’t need it.
The Pixel A phone may be a more affordable device that doesn’t try too hard but gets the essentials right. Think of it as Android’s iPhone SE – although I know Apple’s current SE model is very dated and with poor battery life, but that’s another story. Apart from this, there is no denying Apple’s idea of iPhone SE is to make a basic but reliable phone at an affordable price.
A $400 Pixel 8a vs. a $500-600 Pixel 8a – why a cheaper mid-range Google phone might be a good idea
| Hypothetical Pixel 8a at $400 | Hypothetical Pixel 8a $500-600 |
|---|---|
| 6.1-inch, 90Hz OLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | 6.1-inch, 90Hz OLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Tensor G3 SoC + 8 GB RAM | Tensor G3 SoC + 8 GB RAM |
| 4,500 mAh battery with wireless charging | 4,500 mAh battery with wireless charging |
| 64 MP single camera system | 64 + 12MP dual camera system with an ultra-wide-angle camera |
| Plastic back (more durable, cheaper than glass) | Glass back (less durable, more expensive than plastic) |
| Dust and water resistance IP67 (protection level approximately the same as IP 68) | IP68 dust and water resistance |
| Side-mounted fingerprint scanner (faster, more reliable) | Under-screen fingerprint scanner (slower, less reliable – especially on Google phones) |
Should Google turn the mid-range Pixel ‘A’ into Android’s iPhone SE?
Computer renderings of the compact, extra-curved Pixel 8a.
In the end, I am well aware that some enthusiasts would not agree with my “watered down” version of the Pixel 8a, and I would understand that. In fact, if I could, I would also choose to use a phone with a more premium feature set.
Truth be told, the vast majority of “normal users” don’t care about the “must-have” extras that we tech enthusiasts consider important. For example, most people will never be able to tell you if a phone is plastic or glass.
Ultimately, turning the Pixel “A” back into the $400 phone it was would make it much easier to recommend. Especially considering how expensive phones are these days. And finally, it would make the “just pay a little more and get the flagship” argument less valid.
Or maybe that’s Google’s idea of the Pixel A series now: to sell the more expensive Pixel flagship?
