Google might kill its best Pixel smartphone next year – Digital Trends

We’re expecting the Pixel 7a to launch later this year. A recent leak, however, suggests that it may be the last of its kind.
The Pixel A series is Google’s budget-friendly version of its yearly flagship Pixel models — and have consistently been some of the best devices that the company has in its lineup. Despite the success of the Pixel A series, it seems like the Pixel 7a will be the final A series device.
According to leaker Yogesh Brar, there will be no Pixel 8a on account of how similar the Pixel A series has become to its base model counterparts. While this news is certainly disappointing for Pixel A fans, it does make a lot of sense when looking at the rumors surrounding the Pixel 7a.
The current rumors about its specs suggest that the 7a is essentially the same phone as the Pixel 7, albeit with a slightly smaller screen and a slight difference in cameras. In terms of price, rumor also has it that the Pixel 7a will be getting a $50 price increase from the Pixel 6a — costing $499, just $100 less than the Pixel 7.
With how close the two devices are becoming, it doesn’t make much sense for Google to continue offering both, especially since the Pixel A series costs less than the base model while offering very similar specs.
Despite that understanding, it’s still a pretty big bummer that we might lose the A series since it’s consistently been one of the most solid budget-friendly devices on the market. There are plenty of other options when it comes to cheap phones, sure, but the Pixel A always felt like a go-to winner.
According to Brar, Google will replace the Pixel A series in its lineup with a yearly foldable device — an iteration of the upcoming Pixel Fold. Unfortunately, that’ll leave fans out of luck when it comes to picking up Pixel devices for under $500. Brar also mentions that Samsung may be adopting a similar practice, however, with the large magnitude of budget devices that Samsung produces each year, it’s unclear which line might be sunset.
One of the most surprising additions to Google’s Pixel hardware in recent years is temperature sensing. The Google Pixel 8 Pro comes armed with a temperature sensor that can measure the temperature of objects simply by “scanning” them from an optimum distance within the five-centimeter range. Google says the sensor is good for “beverages, cooking pan, water temperature, and more.”
The smartphone community, however, is seemingly hell-bent on relegating it to gimmick status. But average Pixel 8 Pro owners are finding cool ways to use it. As detailed in this Reddit post, one Pixel 8 Pro user was stuck in a stormy situation that took out the power supply for 36 hours, putting them in a quandary regarding the status of food items kept in an out-of-power refrigerator.
I have a not-so-surprising confession: I tend to want every new phone that comes out. I’m a sucker for good marketing, and smartphone launches have some of the best marketing around. Whether it’s a new feature like a telephoto lens, a bigger battery, a more vivid display, or a radically new form factor, I get a bad case of fear of missing out almost every time. It’s why I often find myself buying the most expensive model, despite not really needing to.
So, I was slightly confused when the recent launch of the Google Pixel 8 Pro didn’t leave me feeling like I wanted the phone at all. Or rather, I did, but the desire was undercut by another emotion: annoyance. I’m mad at the Pixel 8 Pro, but it’s not for the reasons you might think.
Google released the next generation of Pixel devices recently, including the Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8 Pro. These have been the best Pixel smartphones in a while, as they pack the improved Tensor G3 chip inside, better cameras, brighter displays, and more — all in a slightly updated design. I’ve been using the phones for a couple of weeks now, and I really like what Google’s done with them.
But Google also added some more photo editing capabilities to the Pixel 8 lineup, with a heavy reliance on AI with the Tensor G3 chip. While these AI-heavy editing tools can help you chase perfection, they shouldn’t be relied on too heavily or abused.
The Pixel 8’s AI tools are impressive …
Magic Editor on the Google Pixel 8 Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Trends.
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