My Pixel 7a is still going strong, but that hasn't stopped me from seeing all the exciting new upgrades that are said to be coming to the upcoming Pixel 8a. Google's next mid-tier model may arrive sooner than expected, with pre-orders rumored to begin on May 7 and sales to begin a week later when the Google I/O conference opens on May 14.

This is according to prominent Dealabs leaker Billbil-kun, who Phone Arena reports will begin pre-orders a week before Google officially unveils the Pixel 8a at Google I/O. Billbil-kun is not an Android Given that it is known for gaming-related leaks, this should be taken with a healthy pinch of salt, and it would be very different from Google's previous Pixel releases; it's hard to understand why Google would start pre-orders for a phone before it is officially announced, and it's hard to see why, The leak does not specify whether the company plans to soft-launch the Pixel 8a at another event outside of its annual developer conference.

Earlier this week, Onleaks reported that Google plans to keep the Pixel 8a's launch price at $499. Given recent rumors suggesting that Google may raise the price of its mid-range smartphone, this news may come as a surprise and relief to potential buyers; according to OnLeaks, this $499 price applies to the Pixel 8a with 128GB of storage, while the Pixel 8a with 256GB of storage will be priced at $499, The version with 256GB of storage will sell for $599.

If Onleaks' information proves correct, the same starting price as last year's Pixel 7a will be maintained. However, Dealabs reports that may not be the case in Europe. They claim that the 128GB Pixel 8a will start at €549, €40 more than the Pixel 7a; the 256GB model is rumored to be €609. Interestingly, according to Dealabs, the 256GB model may only be available in Obsidian (i.e., black) color; the Pixel 8a line is expected to be available in the same four colors as the Pixel 8: Bay, Mint, Obsidian, and Porcelain.

As for specs, the Pixel 8a is said to feature a new Tensor chipset, using the Tensor G3 that Google introduced with the Pixel 8. This means that the same AI-powered features found in Google's flagship phones could be included in the less expensive Pixel 8a. Some leaked product pages for the Pixel 8a show AI tools for photo editing, Circle to Search, AI assistant Gemini were advertised.

We'll have to wait until the Google I/O conference on May 14 to learn more about Google's plans for the Pixel 8a. However, with a little over a week to go, the rumors will continue to come in.