Not too long after an FCC database listing was spotted bearing several of its model numbers, it looks like the Pixel 8a is once again the subject of newly-leaked information. According to a report from the folks over at Android Authority, the Pixel 8a is shaping up to be one formidable midrange Android phone.

According to a source with direct intel over at Google, the Pixel 8a will come with some familiar and new features not found on the Pixel 8 flagship phones. For one, the handset is rumored to have a 120hz display, a major step-up from the 90Hz screen on the Pixel 7a from last year. It will also come with the Tensor G3 chipset, the same SoC found inside the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.

Interestingly, the leaker says that the Pixel 8a will also come with support for a display-out feature, which will allow it to output content onto external screens via a USB-C connection. Meanwhile, the 8a will come with the same camera configuration as on the Pixel 7a, which ditches the 12MP Sony sensor used in several earlier A-series Pixel phones in lieu of a 64MP primary camera sensor.

Finally, the source also states that Google will be selling the Pixel 8a in several more regions worldwide, including countries in Easter Europe. With the amount of leaks involved such as its price, design and even retail packaging, all that's really left for Google to do is to showcase the full range of colour variants available for the Pixel 8a, which we can expect during this year's Google I/O conference, set to be held on May 14.

Every year, Google launches a Pixel A series phone. This is meant to be a cheaper alternative to the flagship version. Last year we got the Pixel 7a, which means that unless Google changes their mind, this year we'll see the Pixel 8a. Now it looks like the phone has been confirmed.

In a post on the Google Issue Tracker page, a Google employee has more or less confirmed the existence of the phone. They mention the Pixel 8a explicitly, which means that it's pretty much a guarantee that Google will launch the handset soon enough. We can't say we're too surprised, but it's nice to have confirmation all the same.

If Google were to keep the specs of the Pixel 8a in the same veins as its predecessor, it means that we can look forward to the use of the Tensor G3 chipset. It might be slightly underclocked to help differentiate it from the Pixel 8, but otherwise it should still be a pretty capable handset.

We have heard rumors that the phone could also come with a battery upgrade. A rumor from last week also suggested that the handset could see a price hike. Google increased the price of the Pixel 7a last year. We thought we were safe from another price hike, but we guess not.

Last year, Google announced its new LLM called Gemini. There are several versions of Gemini, including Gemini Nano that is designed to run directly on mobile devices. It is basically an on-device AI versus the Pro and Ultra models that are run in the cloud. Unfortunately, it will not be making its way onto the Pixel 8.

Google announced towards the end of 2023 that Gemini Nano would be finding its way onto the Pixel 8 Pro. During The Android Show, a Google engineer from the Android generative AI team confirmed that Gemini Nano will not be coming to the Pixel 8 due to "hardware limitations". The company did reassure that they are working to bring Nano to more devices in the future, specifically "high-end" devices.

Based on that statement, this is bad news for Pixel 8 owners and owners of lower-end Android devices. In terms of specs, the Pixel 8 only differs from the Pixel 8 Pro in the RAM department. The Pixel 8 comes with 8GB of RAM while the Pro model comes with 12GB of RAM. Otherwise, both are powered by the same Tensor G3 chipset.

So, what are Pixel 8 owners missing out on? In this instance, they would be missing out on features like the Recorder's Summarize feature and Gboard Smart Reply. Hopefully Google will come up with a cloud-based alternative in the future, but for now, this is the situation we are in.

Google Maps is a great navigation tool. It's perfect for finding your way around a new city, navigating roads you're unfamiliar with, and so on. But generally speaking, it's only good in terms of "bigger picture". That could change soon as Google seems to be testing out a new Google Maps feature that shows building entrances.

We know that many of you have probably used Google Maps to find the location of a building. But when you get to the area, finding the entrance could become tricky. As spotted by Android Police, Google is testing a new feature that will show the entrances of a building on the map.

This means that when you get to a location and want to find out how to get in, all you need to do is zoom into Google Maps and you will see entrances and exits marked on the building. Google already has a similar feature for the public transit navigation that shows station exits and entrances, so it makes sense that they would apply this to other locations as well.

At the moment the feature isn't live yet for all users. It also isn't available for all locations yet. We imagine that Google might have to add these entrances and exits manually, so it could take a while. Either way, it's actually a pretty useful feature and we can't wait for it to roll out to the public.

As Mobile World Congress 2024 closes its doors for this year, we got to see GSMA once again give out its "Global Mobile Awards" for software and hardware products that have made significant strides and impacts in the industry - and yes, this includes smartphones.

As such, GSMA recently presented its "best smartphone" award of 2023 to the Google Pixel 8 series - this is on basis of "outstanding performance, innovation and leadership as determined through assessment of smartphones on the market during the period January 2023 to December 2023, by world leading independent analysts, journalists and influencers."

Other devices mentioned on the shortlist include the Apple iPhone 15 Pro series, OnePlus Open/OPPO Find N3, Samsung Galaxy S23 Devices, and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. Google's Rick Osterloh likewise posted about the award on his official social media page.

Launched in October last year, the Pixel 8 features major upgrades especially within Google's base-model flagship phones, including a Google's Tensor G3 chipset, a smoother and brighter screen, new camera features, as well as new AI software features.