The first new mid-range Android phone of the year that should be on your radar has arrived. The Nothing Phone 2a sells for just $349, a price that’s even more affordable than the original Nothing Phone 1. Yet the Phone 2a gets various upgrades and has great specs for a mid-ranger. You get a 120Hz display, 50-megapixel camera, 5,000 mAh battery with fast charging, 5G, and Android 14 — all for $349.
The Nothing Phone 2a puts tremendous pressure on competitors like Google and Samsung. They’re about to launch their own 2024 mid-range models, the Pixel 8a and the Galaxy A55. And we already have somewhat disturbing news about the former. If this leak is correct, the Pixel 8a will be more expensive than the Pixel 7a. As a reminder, Google increased the Pixel 7a price over its predecessor when it was released last year. That would mean two consecutive years of price hikes in a market where smartphone sales are already stalling.
The Pixel 8a should come out in the next few months, as Google will probably unveil it at I/O 2024. And, like its last two a-series Pixel phones, the Pixel 8a should be a great mid-range device. Truthfully, the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7a were almost flagship-level devices. That might set the Pixel 8a apart from competitors like the Phone 2a and the Galaxy A55.
Still, the price will be an important detail to buyers looking for affordable smartphones this spring.
The often accurate WinFuture obtained Pixel 8a price information from unnamed German retailers. The 128GB version of the handset will reportedly cost €569.90 ($620), compared to €499 ($542) for the same storage version of the Pixel 7a.
It gets better… but also worse. Google will reportedly sell a 256GB version of the Pixel 8a this year. The storage upgrade will certainly come in handy. But that model will sell for €630 ($685) in Germany, according to the same source. The figures aren’t official, or final, however.
The leak also details the four Pixel 8a colors. We’re looking at obsidian, porcelain, bay, and mint.
As a reminder, European prices include VAT, so a direct conversion isn’t going to give us the US price. The Pixel 7a started at $499 in the US. The Pixel 8 had a starting price that was just $200 more at launch.
I’ll also remind you that Pixel leaks are almost always true. Therefore, if the price points above are accurate, Google’s mid-range will get more expensive than ever.
That’s not terrific news for buyers who are shopping within specific budgets. Even if Google will give the Pixel 8a hardware specs that will almost put it on par with the Pixel 8. And even if the Pixel 8a will come with a great software update guarantee. I’m just speculating on the latter, however.
The Pixel 8a should launch at some point in May. Before that, we’ll probably see the Galaxy A55 come out. Meanwhile, the Phone 2a will be released next week.
