Google launched the Pixel 8a version earlier this month and the pricing announced at the event was in line with the expectations. However, the Pixel 8a India price did surprise and even shock many of you. The Pixel 8a US price is the same as the Pixel 7a which allows it better room to compete with limited smartphones in the region.
But in India, the Pixel 8a costs Rs 52,999 and has a tough fight not only in its range but also so many other brands that offer better bang for the buck for much than less what the Pixel 8a costs.
Google’s Pixel 8a Conundrum
Some have even suggested that the launch of Pixel 8a could be cannibalised with the availability of the Pixel 8, now selling for just Rs 3,000 more than the 8a in the country. Google might say that packing in the AI features with the Tensor G3 chip and improving the display quality merits a price bump but that logic has been only applied in India, where the conversion of USD is closer to INR 100 than its current value of around Rs 83.
So, is it fair to say that Google has put itself in a challenging position with the India price of the Pixel 8a, very much so. But we feel there is a bigger reason for this shift, which was recently suggested in reports. Google is rumoured to be phasing out the Pixel a-series lineup, which could mean that the Pixel 8a could be its last in the family.
Pixel 8a – Google’s Flagship Lite Model?
After all, if you look beyond the design, the bezel-heavy screen and the different camera specs, the Pixel 8a is closer to the Pixel 8 model than it has ever been. You even get the flagship-grade 7 years of OS and security updates, which isn’t the case with Pixel 7a.
Google explained the reason to increase OS support was in line with its observations in the market, where it saw most people using one model for more than a few years. We still are not sure if a Pixel phone can survive that long with its ageing hardware but clearly Google has seen something that others are yet to notice.
Bringing the Pixel 8a to the market and bumping up its price tag could be Google’s way of reasoning with the exit of the lineup in the near future. We’ll be happy to be proven wrong but since the company has not shared anything on this officially, all signs hint at a possible departure of the Pixel a-series models which will be surprising but not entirely impossible within the realms of Google.
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