Apparently, Google was itching to unveil the newest Pixel line member at I/O next week. The firm has been showcasing an upgrade to its budget line at its yearly developer conference for the past several years, but Google simply unveiled the Pixel 8a one week before the event.
“It is its own device, and we want to give it its own moment to shine,” Google said when I questioned them about the timing. Assume that it is worth anything.
Though the presale begins today, the phone will really begin delivering on May 14, the day of the I/O keynote. The gadget starts off at $499, the same as its predecessor. We’ve learned to anticipate these refreshes’ updates, too. Top of the list is the Tensor G3 chip addition. The October Pixel 8 review has all the details.
Google has established a decent release schedule, in which it releases new silicon for flagship smartphones six months later for its budget line. While you might argue that the short turnaround is making it harder to distinguish between premium and mid-tier smartphones, Google has no intention of going up against the Apples and Samsungs of the world on the $1,000+ side of the market (at least not with non-foldables).
The inclusion of Gemini from Google is the other noteworthy aspect here. When you set up the product, you can make the generative AI platform the default device assistant. It’s probably better that Google is keeping it an opt-in option for the time being, given how hit or miss these LLM-based systems are. Starting with summarizing an email and assisting the user in taking notes,
One wonders, however, how quickly Gemini will completely replace Google Assistant. Maybe further details at I/O.
The system will inherit some additional AI-based features from the premium line, such as Audio Magic Erase, which reduces accidental noise from a recording. Further tools designed to enhance your images include Magic Eraser, Best Take, Magic Editor, Real Tone, and Face Unblur.
Additionally, Circle to Search is available on the gadget. Introduced in January, the function essentially enables users to manually draw a circle around phrases to conduct a Google search.
The 8a has two back-facing cameras, one wide and one ultrawide, at 64 megapixels each. The basic model still includes 8GB of RAM and 123GB of storage, but Google has introduced a 245GB option. Google also revealed that it would be offering the Pixel tablet for sale alone, without the hub, for the first time.
It comes in a beautiful green “aloe” and a blue “bay,” both of which Google labels as “limited edition.”
