Google Pixel 8A Leaks Reveal $499 Starting Price, Bigger Battery

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Google's Pixel 8A appears to be a step closer to holding onto last year's budget-friendly smartphone crown. A new report Tuesday says that despite upgrades including a bigger battery, the Pixel 8A's price will remain the same as last year's Pixel 7A, starting at $499.

The leak, from popular online personality OnLeaks and published at Smartprix, says that rumors of an expected price increase for the entry-level Pixel 8A had been wrong. Instead, the report says Google will offer a Pixel 8A with 128GB of storage for $499, while planning to charge $559 for a 256GB model. Each phone will also have a slightly larger battery, at 4,500-mAh, up from 4,385-mAh on last year's Pixel 7A.

Google representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read more: Google Pixel 8A: All We Know About the Next Cheap Pixel

The latest leaks help to give a fuller view of how the Pixel 8A will shape up when it launches around Google's I/O developer conference in May. Google's A-series phones, which are well-regarded for their value, typically offer slightly lower specs than the more expensive flagship Pixel phones, which typically launch in the fall.

Last year's Pixel 7A was considered by CNET's reviewers to be among the best lower-priced smartphones when it launched last summer, while the $699 Pixel 8 was praised for its AI-enhanced photo editing features. The Pixel 8A is expected to offer similar features, but at its well-received $499 sticker price.

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Many of the Pixel 8A's other features are expected to be similar to its more expensive cousins, including similar processing chips and a slightly smaller screen. Last year's Pixel 7A had better camera specs than the Pixel 7, though when CNET's Lisa Eadicicco tested them out, she "could barely tell the difference."

The Pixel 8A's most compelling feature may be its promised support period, though. Google promised software and security updates for seven years when it launched the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro last year, nearly double the four years other competing budget phones typically receive. 

Read more: Google I/O 2024 Set for May 14