Google Pixel 8a was expected to arrive at Google I/O 2024, but it arrived a week earlier with features borrowed from its elder siblings, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. These features include the new Gemini Nano-driven AI enhancements, the new actua display with higher brightness, and much more. However, is it value for money in India, which is such a price-sensitive market, or do you get better options? Let’s have a look.

Google Pixel 8a: India Price, Availability

Pixel 8a is available for pre-order in India on Flipkart since 7th May 2024, with sales commencing at 6:30 am IST on 14th May 2024. Pixel 8a will be priced at Rs 52,999 for the 128GB version and Rs 59,999 for the 256GB variant. Both of them have 8GB RAM. Colour options for the device include Aloe, Bay, Obsidian, and Porcelain.

Launch and pre-order offers for Google’s Pixel 8a in India include:

• Bank offer of Rs 4,000 and 12 months of no-cost EMI, available with select bank cards
• Exchange bonus of Rs 9,000 on select smartphone models
• Pre-order offer: Purchase Pixel Buds A-Series at Rs 999 with purchase of Pixel 8a anytime during the pre-order period.

Google Pixel 8a Vs Pixel 8: Specs Comparison

The Pixel 8a sports a 6.1-inch full-HD+ OLED display with a Resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and a 120Hz Refresh Rate. Further, the display gets a 20:9 aspect ratio, up to 2000 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass 3 protection and 430 ppi of pixel density. In comparison, the Pixel 8 gets a better display with narrower bezels and better brightness along with narrower bezels as well.

The phone is powered by Google’s Tensor G3 SoC, along with 8GB of LPDDR5x RAM. You will get up to 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. It runs on Android 14 and will get 7 years of Android OS upgrades, security updates and regular Feature Drops. No major difference lies within the performance department when comparing the Pixel 8a to the Pixel 8.

Pixel 8a comes with a dual rear camera setup, consisting of a 64MP f/1.89 IMX787 sensor paired with a 13MP f/2.2 IMX712 ultra-wide-angle sensor. On the front, there is a 13MP f/2.2 sensor as well. This is where the Google Pixel 8 shines again, with bigger Sensors that allow more light to enter, which also helps in better low-light photography.

Connectivity options include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C port. For security, you get an in-display fingerprint sensor and the Titan M2 security chip.

On the battery front, there’s a 4492mAh cell that supports 18W fast wired charging and Qi-certified fast wireless charging. It also has dual stereo speakers and is IP67 certified. The Pixel 8 has a bigger battery with a higher charging speed and an IP68 rating, which protects it better against water and dust.

The Pixel 8 is currently selling for Rs 62,999, and when clubbed with a bank offer, it can be made available for Rs 54,999. While you do miss out on storage with the base model of the Pixel 8 in comparison to the 256GB trim of the 8a, the overall value you get with the Google Pixel 8, keeping storage aside, is unmatched in comparison to the 8a. Due to that, we feel that even buying the Pixel 8 128GB model would be a better deal than the 8a’s 256GB model, and the storage tradeoff is worth it.

Google Pixel 8a vs Samsung Galaxy S23

The Galaxy S23 is available for Rs 51,999 on Flipkart at the time of writing this article and that too, the 256GB model. It’s a steal at that price, especially of the 8a, considering it gets you the latest Galaxy AI features which debuted with the Galaxy S24. While you definitely won’t miss out on AI, you’d get better thermal efficiency too, with the S23 as we have heard multiple reports of Tensor G3 not holding up well during sustained workloads.

Aside from that, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a beast of a chip even more than a year later since its debut. The Galaxy S23 will also get you equally great cameras, a display that may not be as bright but still sufficient for readability under direct sunlight, and much narrower bezels, allowing for a better look and immersive viewing experience. The software is a subjective choice, but the S23 has more customisation on offer and is good for another 3 years. The 8a does offer 7 years of updates, but would you use your phone for that long?

You do compromise on the battery front as the Galaxy S23 has a smaller 3900mAh cell over the 8a’s 4492mAh cell but that should still get you through a day without any issues, a phenomenon we saw both during the initial review of the S23 and when we revisited it 6 months later.

Google Pixel 8a vs OnePlus 12R

If you want raw power, the Pixel 8a just doesn’t cut it with the Tensor G3. However, for an even lower price of Rs 45,999, you can opt for the OnePlus 12R, which not only gets you the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Processor and a curved panel with better bezels but also has a sharper resolution at 1.5K pixels. Apart from that, it has decent cameras but we doubt they’d match the quality of Pixel 8a. That’s just a speculation based on our previous experiences with the brand’s phones.

It does offer a much bigger 5500mAh cell with faster 100W wired charging that makes wireless charging look useless. It may not offer as many updates as the Pixel 8a does, but thanks to better hardware, it will still age well for the next three years.

Google Pixel 8a vs iQOO 12

If you plan to game on your smartphone a lot and again want the latest hardware, then the iQOO 12 is phenomenal value over the Pixel 8a. In fact, both of them have the same starting price. At Rs 52,999, you get more RAM and storage than 8a’s 128GB model, which sells for the same price. At Rs 57,999, which is still cheaper than 8a’s 256GB trim price, iQOO 12’s RAM doubles to 16GB while the storage more than doubles to 512GB.

If that wasn’t enough, you get the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which is miles ahead of Tensor G3 in terms of performance, thermal efficiency, and overall efficiency. It has a better display that’s sharper and brighter. The battery size is bigger and the charging speeds are much faster at 120W. We aren’t sure about the camera performance comparison between the two as we haven’t tested the Pixel 8a but what we saw with iQOO 12 during its review, we were far too impressed than what we expected from its camera.

The only department where you compromise is the software one. The software on the iQOO 12 isn’t as neat as Pixel 8a’s, but it’s still very much usable. There are enough customisation options on offer, and it’s snappy as well.

Google Pixel 8a: Is It Worth Buying In India?

If we only consider price and specs, the Pixel 8a may struggle to stand out, not only among its competitors but also compared to its own sibling, the Pixel 8.

If you are considering buying the Google Pixel 8a, we recommend waiting for a while. Google has frequently reduced the prices of its devices in India soon after launch. Sometimes, even just a month later after the phone initially debuted.

Apple is gearing up to launch new iPads later today and will potentially unveil the iPhone 16 series later this year. However, even before the launch of iPhone 16 series, we are already seeing leaks for the iPhone 17 series which should debut in second half of 2025. Here’s everything we have heard so far about the iPhone 17 lineup.

Slim Replaces Plus

For the past few years, the iPhone lineup has consisted of four models and Apple replaced the mini model with the Plus model beginning with iPhone 14 series. Now, the Plus would further be replaced by a slim model. As per Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu (via 9to5Mac), the iPhone 16 Plus will be succeeded by the iPhone 17 Slim. As the name suggests, this iPhone should be slimmer than the other three models, which would be the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and the 17 Pro Max.

The iPhone 17 will allegedly have a 6.1-inch screen, the iPhone 17 Pro will get a 6.3″ panel, and the Pro Max will be the biggest, with a 6.9-inch panel. The iPhone 17 Slim is rumoured to get a 6.6″ screen.

Revamped Design Alongside Smaller Dynamic Island

As per the leaks shared by the analyst, Apple will also revamp the dynamic island on the Pro max model in the iPhone 17 series, making it smaller overall. As of now, the dynamic island may be smaller than the notch but is equally intrusive and hampers the immersive experience one could get if it was smaller. Finally, Apple is planning to implement that beginning next year.

However, there’s a catch, as only the Pro Max model is likely to benefit from the narrower dynamic island while the rest of the three models will get the same sized cutout as iPhone 14, 15 and 16 series. Apple will make it possible by using a new “metalens” technology which will help it dramatically reduce the size of the Face ID sensor.

Read More: iPad Mini 6 Review 2.5 Years Later: Upgrades We Wish iPad Mini 7 Gets

The overall design of the iPhone 17 series could also undergo some changes for a more modern look. After all, the iPhones are now in a dire need for a design refresh as Apple has been carrying forward the same design for the Pro models for the past few years.

iPhone 17, 17 Slim, and 17 Pro will have aluminium frames as per the analyst, while only the Pro Max will have with titanium frame which we saw on both the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max last year. Pu calls the design of the iPhone 17 lineup to be “more complex” than former models.

Upgraded Internals

Of course, the internals have to be upgraded as every year and the iPhone 17 and 17 Slim could get the A18 or A19 chip paired with 8GB of RAM. For context, only the chip would be the major upgrade for non-pro models as even the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have 8GB RAM.
The Pro models will likely be the bearer of more numbers of upgrades, including the A19 Pro chip paired with 12GB RAM, which is a decent upgrade over the current generation Pro models and likely also the upcoming iPhone 16 series, all of which have 8GB RAM. The models will also get a new 24MP front-facing camera that will be an upgrade over the current generation 12MP sensor.

We’ll keep updating this article in case any new leaks emerge, so keep an eye out for it.

iQOO is all set to introduce the Z9x 5G smartphone on May 16 in India and from what we saw with the global variant of the handset, it’s nothing new but a rebadged Vivo T3x 5G with the design being the only differentiator between the two. Based on that, the device may be priced starting at Rs 13,499 or cheaper, same as the Vivo T3x 5G. With that in mind, here are the top 3 potential competitors for the iQOO Z9x 5G.

Samsung Galaxy M15 5G

Available at a starting price of Rs 11,999 the Galaxy M15 5G may serve as one of the top competitors to the iQOO Z9x 5G. Moreover, there’s a Rs 1,300 coupon available on Amazon at the time of writing this article that can further bring down the price.

The Galaxy M15 5G has a 6.5-inch full-HD+ (2,340 x 1,080 pixels) Super AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 90Hz. An octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ SoC and a Mali G57 GPU powers the phone with up to 6GB RAM. It comes with a built-in storage of 128GB, which can be expanded to 1TB with a microSD card. The phone comes with One UI 6 pre-loaded, which is based on Android 14.

The triple camera setup on the back comprises of a 50-megapixel primary sensor with 10x magnification, a 5-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2-megapixel camera with a macro sensor. The front camera has a 13-megapixel sensor. The M15 5G includes a 6,000mAh battery that supports 25W wired fast charging. It further gets a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for security.

Over the iQOO Z9x, the Galaxy M15 5G could offer a better AMOLED display, more RAM for a cheaper price tag, and longer software support with better features. However, it does lack in terms of charging speed.

Moto G64 5G

Priced starting at Rs 13,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model and Rs 15,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model, the Moto G64 5G (Review) sports a 6.5-inch FHD+ display with a punch-hole cutout, 240Hz touch sampling rate and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7025 octa-core Chipset paired with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage that is further expandable up to 1TB. The phone runs on Android 14-based MyUX 5.0 custom skin out of the box.

Moto G64 5G has a dual camera setup on the back, consisting of a 50MP f/1.8 main sensor with OIS, and an 8MP ultra-wide angle f/2.2 lens with LED Flash. There is a 16MP f/2.4 front camera for selfies and video chats. The Moto G64 5G packs a 6000mAh battery with 33W fast charging.

Connectivity options include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB Type-C port for charging. There is a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for Biometrics along with Dolby Atmos powered stereo speakers. The handset is also IP52 rated.

In comparison with the iQOO device, the Moto G64 5G could get you a better chipset, more RAM and storage, and an ultra-wide angle rear sensor which the iQOO Z9x 5G may lack. However, the iQOO Z9x 5G would charge slightly faster in comparison.

Poco X6 Neo

The Poco X6 Neo, starting at Rs 14,999, is also one of the worthy competitors to the iQOO Z9x 5G. It sports a 6.67-inch full-HD+ AMOLED Display with 1080×2400 pixels resolution. Further, there is a 120Hz refresh rate, a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, instantaneous touch sampling rate of up to 2160Hz, 1920Hz PWM dimming, Gorilla Glass 5 protection and a hole-punch at the front.

The phone packs a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SoC under the hood. It is coupled with up to 12GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 2.2 internal storage. In addition, the device comes with a dual rear camera setup. This includes a 108-megapixel primary sensor, along with a 2-megapixel depth shooter. For the front, there is a 16-megapixel selfie camera.

The handset runs on Android 13 with the MIUI 14 skin on top and it will receive 2 years of major OS updates and 4 years of security patches. It is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging. The connectivity options include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/ A-GPS, infrared (IR) blaster, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm Headphone jack. Further, there is also a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The device has a single speaker with Dolby Atmos support.

While it does have an inferior chipset over iQOO’s device, it may offer you with more RAM and storage, a better camera (as per on-paper specs), a better display along with a cheaper price tag. However, you will miss out on a bigger battery and the latest Android version if you opt for Poco’s device.

MediaTek has introduced the Dimensity 9300+, the newest addition to its flagship mobile Processor line. This processor follows the Dimensity 9300 and is designed to enhance mobile experiences by providing advanced features for generative AI capabilities and improving overall performance.

The Dimensity 9300+ features increased clock speeds and new capabilities for on-device generative AI processing. It supports a wide range of large language models (LLMs), enabling more AI-driven applications to be run directly on mobile devices.

JC Hsu, Corporate Senior Vice President at MediaTek, mentioned that the Dimensity 9300+ is aimed at expanding the ecosystem of generative AI applications. “The chip’s broad support for LLMs and our new on-device LoRA Fusion technology speeds up LLM inference, enabling faster processing of AI tasks and improving user interactions with AI applications,” said Hsu.

The processor uses an All-Big-Core architecture and is built using the third generation of TSMC’s 4nm process. It includes one Arm Cortex-X4 core that operates at up to 3.4 GHz, three additional Cortex-X4 cores, and four Cortex-A720 cores. These specifications are intended to deliver strong performance, especially in AI computations and mobile gaming.

MediaTek has included its latest generative AI engine in the Dimensity 9300+, which features the new NeuroPilot Speculative Decode Acceleration technology. This technology allows the chip to support LLMs with parameters from 1 billion to 33 billion while maintaining efficient operation. It can process LLMs with 7 billion parameters at a rate of 22 tokens per second, which is more than twice the rate of similar mass-market solutions.

The Dimensity 9300+ also enhances gaming capabilities with a second-generation hardware ray tracing engine powered by the Arm Immortalis-G720 GPU. This setup provides ray tracing performance at 60 frames per second and includes global illumination effects. MediaTek’s HyperEngine technologies improve the gaming experience, with MediaTek Adaptive Gaming Technology optimizing power efficiency in popular games, which helps extend battery life and keep devices cool.

The chip also enhances mobile photography and video capabilities with the MediaTek Imagiq 990 ISP. This processor supports 18-bit RAW capture and includes an AI Semantic Analysis Video Engine. These features help improve photo and video quality in various lighting conditions by enabling advanced AI videography features like scene segmentation and real-time video enhancements.

Additionally, the Dimensity 9300+ includes MediaTek’s MiraVision 990 display technology, which uses AI depth engine technologies to improve content viewing on smartphones by enhancing depth and colour accuracy.

For connectivity, the Dimensity 9300+ features a 5G R16 Modem that incorporates AI situational awareness to provide fast and reliable connections. This modem supports up to 7Gbps downlink and includes features to optimize network performance and efficiency.

Rumours suggest that the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra will launch in India soon. However, Motorola might be planning to release another device before or simultaneously: the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion, which was launched globally last month.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion: India Launch

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion is coming to India soon, as per a teaser shared by Motorola India on X. While Motorola hasn’t confirmed the device’s moniker, the teaser video shows a handset with a curved display, a dual-rear camera setup, and the text next to the camera lenses showing a “50MP OIS” camera. This suggests Motorola’s upcoming handset in India will be the Edge 50 Fusion. There’s no exact release date shared as of now.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion: Specs

The Edge 50 Fusion sports a 6.7-inch pOLED curved display with a Resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a Refresh Rate of 144Hz. The display will boast Gorilla Glass protection, 360Hz touch sampling rate, 10-bit colours and 1600 nits peak brightness.

The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 Processor powers the device internationally, while the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is present in devices sold in Latin America. It is paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 2.2 storage. It is unclear which processor the Indian variant would get.

The device has a dual rear camera setup, including an OIS-assisted 50MP f/1.9 main sensor and a 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle sensor. At the front, it has a 32MP f/2.5 sensor with Autofocus support.

The device packs a 5000mAh battery with support for 68W wired charging. It also has Dolby Atmos-tuned stereo speakers. The handset is IP68-rated and will receive upgrades until Android 17, which accounts for three years of OS upgrades. Connectivity options on the handset include Bluetooth v5.2, Wi-Fi 5, Dual-SIM 5G, GPS, NFC, and a USB-C port for charging.

Motorola Edge 50 Fusion: Expected Price in India

The Edge 50 Fusion begins at €399 (approx Rs 35,500) in Europe, and around that same price point, the brand already has the Edge 50 Fusion in India. It is expected that the brand will price the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion lower than Rs 30,000 in India. However, note that this is just a speculation based on the brand’s past pricing trends.