Pixel 8a first look: It has the AI magic and an aloe green colour to beat the summer | Technology News
The last time I had fun with a device was with the fourth-generation iPod Nano. It came in orange, had a white click-wheel, and felt different. That model wasn’t the first iPod Nano model, nor was it the last. I still remember the iPod Touch had already been announced by then, yet the iPod Nano made so much sense for the price it offered. The new Pixel 8a reminded me of the iPod Nano, and I couldn’t help but wonder why. In a way, both devices represent different eras in time, but like the iPod Nano, the Pixel 8a is trying to be a device that’s not lacking in premiumness, both in design and features, and yet it is by far the best value you’ll find in a Pixel device today. I tried the Pixel 8a at Google’s annual developer conference I/O in Mountain View, California, and here’s the first look at the mid-range Pixel phone.
I am not new to Pixel smartphones. My first experience with a Pixel smartphone was in 2016 when the first Pixel phone was introduced. Since then, I have tried every Pixel smartphone (except for the Pixel 4, which never made it to India). Not that I liked the initial Pixel smartphones, but over the years, Pixel devices have gotten better. Having access to a Pixel device, and being a tech journalist, I could test early builds of Android and get access to Google’s latest software. That’s the perk of a Pixel phone, and of course, the device’s camera which is unrivaled in the smartphone space and introduced everyone to computational photography.
A pretty phone that need not be covered in a case
The Pixel 8a (left) next to the last year ‘s Pixel 7a (right). Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Pixel 8a is a fun device, and I love it. It is one of those rare devices that transports you to a more meditative state, just by looking at it. Besides matching well with my Sony wireless earbuds, the aloe green colour shade is so soothing to the eyes in summers. I really like how the Pixel team is experimenting with colours on premium phones. Otherwise, the palette of colours on smartphones is limited to space gray and silver. How depressing is that?
I can see Google has upped the design game with Pixel smartphones, and it shows with the Pixel 8a. I mean, this is the phone that should be carried without a case. It’s a beautiful phone. You would automatically be drawn to touch the device and get a feel of it. The industrial design of the phone is reminiscent of that of the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, thanks to the wide camera bar, so the exterior is familiar. It’s a simple and clean design – a quintessential Google product. The rear has a matte-textured back that reduces fingerprints and oil stains. The back also lets the Pixel 8a support wireless charging. Meanwhile, the front glass appears scratch-resistant and is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The sides of the phone (or the frame) are made of aluminum, and it doesn’t feel any less premium.
It’s quite funny that the Pixel 8a reminds me a bit of the iPhone 13 mini – at least in terms of size. Not that the Pixel 8a is as small (with a 6.1-inch display vs. the iPhone 13 mini’s 5.4-inch display), but it’s fair to say that Google’s device is a compact smartphone. I am a huge fan of small phones, and it’s good to see that Google cares about consumers like me. The rounded edges make it comfortable in the hand and contoured to your fingers. Google found a good balance between the weight and size of the phone. The Pixel 8a is IP67 water- and dust-resistant (submergible in up to 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes).
The Pixel 8a lacks a headphone jack, so you need to move on to either wireless headphones or earbuds like Pixel Buds — but at least the stereo speakers are louder and have a wider soundstage.
OLED screen is bright and colourful
The Pixel 8a is similar to the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro in many ways. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
My biggest gripe with the Pixel 7a was its display. It always felt dim, and it was hard to read WhatsApp messages or browse the web under bright sunlight. While the Pixel 8a, like the Pixel 7a, ships with a 6.1-inch OLED display, Google increased the refresh rate so that it can reach up to 120Hz. With a 60 to 120Hz variable refresh rate, it translates to smoother scrolling alongside a higher max brightness of up to 2000 nits. Having a better display is a welcome move, especially for me, who is always on the move and constantly needs to look at the tech page of indianexpress.com.
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AI at the center of Pixel experience
What makes the Pixel 8A so special are the smart software features. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
At the heart of the Pixel 8a (which supports 8GB RAM/128GB or 256GB non-expandable storage) is Google’s Tensor 3 chipset, which also powers the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. The Tensor 3 is Google’s in-house chip, which allows the company to take advantage of artificial intelligence and machine-learning prowess. The Tensor 3, along with the Gemini Nano model, is the reason why Google is calling the Pixel 8a an AI smartphone. Maybe AI is the flavour of the season, but I must tell you it won’t stop here. Tech companies like Google will go to every extent to make sure you notice the AI features – some using the cloud and some on the device.
The reason the Pixel 8a is an exciting device is that for the first time, Google is bringing its marquee AI features, previously reserved for the higher-end Pixel 8 smartphones, to a more affordable, mid-range device. That means Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser, Magic Eraser, and Circle to Search are coming to Pixel 8a. My favourite is Best Take, which lets you combine similar pictures into one where everyone is looking at the camera and smiling. But the feature only works on a series of photos in a sequence – and works only on people. Meanwhile, the Magic Eraser tool allows you to remove unwanted images in photos which I believe many people already know. There is also an Audio Magic Eraser feature which allows users to remove unwanted sounds from videos.
Google is also bringing Circle to Search (it’s already available on Pixel phones as well as the Galaxy S24 smartphones) to Pixel 8a. The idea is simple: press and hold the bottom of the display, circle anything on the display (whether you’ve taken a photo of something, or spotted an interesting information on a webpage), and Google will tell you what it is. It’s a useful feature, I must say.
The trademark Pixel camera
The Pixel 8a’s camera is very similar to the Pixel 7a’s. There’s a 64-megapixel main camera and a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera. So hardware-wise, nothing has changed, but I will reserve my judgment until I fully test the Pixel 8a’s camera. But from whatever I have been able to shoot with the Pixel 8a, the camera has impressed me. I have gotten good, sharper photos, especially in low light. Google does photography the Google way. As much as I swear by the iPhone’s camera, a lot of times I prefer to take photos using a Pixel phone. Again, it’s not about the effect, contrast, or just about that perfect shot. I think photography is about taste – and vision more than what camera you are using to shoot a subject.
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Ecosystem promise and OS upgrades
The Pixel 8a is powered by Google’s newer Tensor G3 processor. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
One of the most surprising elements I’ve witnessed is how Google is creating an ecosystem with Pixel devices. For example, Google’s Pixel Buds seamlessly switch between Pixel devices to which they are paired, or Nearby Share promises AirDrop-like functionality between Pixels and devices running Android, ChromeOS, and even Windows. Not many people talk about the Pixel ecosystem, which surprised me. But I must say, while the Pixel ecosystem is not in the same space as where Apple is, the ambitions are there. Maybe we should give Google some more time and see where its ecosystem play lands in the future.
Whatever your views about the Pixel devices, I can see small steps are being taken to improve the experience. Take the case of the company’s seven-year update policy. Like the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, the Pixel 8a will also be eligible for Google’s long-term software upgrade program, making this device eligible to receive the latest operating system upgrades, security patches, and Pixel Feature Drops from now until 2031.
Testing in progress…
The Pixel 8a has more rounded corners compared to the rest of the Pixel 8 lineup. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Pixel 8 series uses the same Tensor G3 chip and therefore has similar levels of performance. That also applies to the Pixel 8a. But I am, in particular, looking forward to seeing if the Pixel 8a surpasses last year’s Pixel 7a in battery life. The Pixel 7a disappointed me with its battery life (it packed a 4,385mAh cell), and I am hoping to see improved battery life on the Pixel 8a, considering it’s packing a slightly bigger 4,492mAh battery and an improved Tensor 3 chipset. As far as Android 15 is concerned, the Pixel 8a is not yet eligible for beta testing but I am expecting it to be eligible soon. Google has provided me with a unit that runs Android 14.
Early impressions
I think if Google markets the Pixel 8a well, it could be a premium-quality, mass-appeal device. But more than the pricing (it starts from Rs 52,999) and fun colors the Pixel 8a offers, I am curious to see how Google keeps the device better over time through AI features and beefed-up software. A lot of us ignore this aspect and focus on non-essential things instead. This has always been Google’s promise with the Pixel brand.
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The writer is attending I/O 2024 in Mountain View California, at the invitation of Google India. He can be reached at anuj.bhatia@indianexpress.com.
