Google Pixel 7a release date confirmed — here’s what we know

You can probably mark down the release date for the Google Pixel 7a in pen now instead of pencil, as the launch date for Google's next midrange phone just leaked out. And the information comes from a pretty credible source — Google itself.

The Google India Twitter account posted a Pixel 7a teaser, promising that the "latest phone engineered by Google" is coming May 11. The tweet doesn't mention the Pixel 7a by name, but the slightly blurred image in the background sure likes a lot like Pixel 7a images that have leaked out earlier.

Most Pixel 7a release rumors have claimed that the Pixel 7a will launch on May 10, the same day that the Google I/O 2023 developer conference takes place. The Google India tweet is actually consistent with that rumor once you take time zones into account.

Since India Standard Time is 12.5 hours ahead of the Pacific time zone, that means the Google I/O keynote slated for 10 a.m. PT on May 10 will begin at 10:30 p.m. IST. By the time Google wraps things up — and we know what hardware has and hasn't debuted — it will likely be after midnight on May 11 in India.

The fact that Google India is tweeting about an upcoming phone release suggests wide availability for the Pixel 7a. That's significant because that hasn't always been the case for Google's Pixel A phones. Remember that two years ago, the Pixel 5a only came out in the U.S. and Japan, though that was likely a by-product of supply shortages triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you want every Pixel 7a surprise ruined for you prior to next week's all-but-certain launch, head over to Roland Quandt's Twitter feed. As spotted by 9to5Google, the leaker has several tweets featuring Google marketing material for its upcoming phone.

The tweets don't reveal anything you probably didn't know had you been following along with Pixel 7a rumors. The new phone is expected to feature Google's Tensor G2 chipset, which means machine learning-powered features like Photo Unblur are headed to the Pixel 7a. Additionally, the material shared by Quandt note a faster 90Hz refresh rate for the Pixel 7a's 6.1-inch display and an improved camera array led by a 64MP main lens. (The Pixel 6a made do with a 12.2MP shooter.)

Those new features could mean a price hike from the $449 starting price of the Pixel 6a. Indeed, the same rumor mongers who've apparently correctly identified the May 10 launch date for the Pixel 7a claim that the phone will cost $499.

Google I/O is just over a week away, so we should find out very soon how accurate all these claims are. Be sure to follow our Pixel 7a hub for all the last-minute leaks and our Google I/O 2023 guide for the latest news. 

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