New leak confirms Pixel 7a upgrade I’ve been hoping for

We’ve already had plenty of leaks around the Pixel 7a, letting us in on a handful of the things we should expect from Google’s upcoming mid-range phone. As always, the Pixel 7a is expected to aesthetically fall in line with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, but should also come with a handful of upgrades over previous A-series Pixel phones of the past.

According to those early rumors, the Pixel 7a should come with wireless charging, the Tensor G2 SoC, an improved camera setup, and a 90Hz screen for the first time in a non-flagship phone from Google. While all these additions are fantastic, in my opinion the addition of a 90Hz screen is a game-changer at this sort of price point. I already felt pretty sure this upgrade was on the way for the Pixel 7a, but we now have a much better assurance that this is in fact the case.

Thanks to an early hands-on leak over at Slashleaks, we can clearly see that this Pixel 7a is not only real but also comes with a 90Hz screen. Again, I didn’t really think it would arrive without this feature, but the fact that we know it is on the way makes me very happy.

The Pixel 7a looks to bring a lot to the table and makes me wonder exactly how it will fit in with the Pixel 7. If Google keeps the Pixel 7a in the $449 range, it will make it almost impossible not to recommend it over the Pixel 7 when it launches. If Google pushes the price up a bit, it could get a bit confusing for buyers to choose between on-sale, reduced prices on the Pixel 7 and a slightly-inflated price on the Pixel 7a.

If the leaked roadmap for Pixel phones is to be believed, however, the Pixel 7a could be the first in a new line of A-series Pixel phones to be released only once every 2 years, making a bit more sense out of a mid-range phone that brings more features to the table. If the Pixel 7a is to stay around for a few years after launch, it needs strong hardware, and it looks more and more likely that this will be the case. With a supposed release date of May 2023, we still have a little while to wait.