Google Pixel 7a makes an appearance on Amazon — but we’re a little skeptical

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

There are pretty good odds that Google is going to launch a budget version of the Pixel 7, likely dubbed the Pixel 7a, sometime before the launch of next-gen Pixel smartphones. But if experience tells us anything, it isn’t likely to be until sometime next summer. So it’s a little weird Amazon is already offering Pixel 7a email updates for the people who opt in.

This strange occurrence was spotted and sent over to GSMArena, and doesn’t make a great deal of sense. Amazon is letting users sign up for updates about the future Pixel 7a launch, which would normally suggest that we’re not so far off from such a thing happening.

And yet, that’s not how Google has done things so far. It's only been a few short weeks since the launch of the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, and the Google Pixel 6a was only released back in July. So it would be completely out of character for Google to launch the next A-series Pixel anytime soon.

The fact Amazon doesn’t reveal any information about the phone, or its launch, suggests that this is merely a placeholder. To make things even more suspicious is the fact the retailer is offering notifications on the “Pixel 7a Family Launch” and the “Google Pixel 7a and Watch launch”.

Either Amazon has just spilled that there’s a Pixel Watch A on the cards, or the people responsible for proofreading Amazon’s copy let something slip them by. Because, as we all know, the first members of the Pixel 7 family launched earlier this month at the same time as the Pixel Watch.

GSMArena’s images aren’t faked either. It took a while to hunt down the right page, but you too can sign up for Pixel 7a updates on Amazon. Simply head over to Your Account > Email Subscriptions and scroll down until you get to the right place. It’s all alphabetical, so the Pixel 7a opt-in is pretty easy to find.

It’s not impossible that Google might expedite the launch of the next budget phone. That said I’m not likely to be holding my breath waiting for the Pixel 7a to arrive, especially since a few details about Amazon's Pixel 7a updates don’t really add up.

The Google Pixel 7a will almost certainly be coming at some point, but I would be very surprised if it arrived before Google I/O 2023, which will likely be in early May. Of course, if we start hearing any news that it could happen sooner, from more trustworthy sources, we’ll be among the first to let everyone know.

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Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.

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