Google will hold its annual I/O developers conference next week, on May 10. The company is expected to announce two new hardware devices, the Pixel Fold foldable phone, and the Pixel 7a budget smartphone. It"s also expected to reveal more info, and a launch date, for the Pixel Tablet, which was announced at the 2022 Google I/O event.
However, a new but unconfirmed report claims Google"s rumored reveal of the Pixel 7a might actually be the end of the line for the Pixel "a" series. The noted leaker Yogesh Brar posted on his Twitter account today that "it is certain that there won"t be any 8a coming."
Pixel a series seems to be coming to an end. With the spec and price bump on the Pixel 7a, it is certain that there won"t be any 8a coming.
— Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) May 1, 2023
Google will likely stick with vanilla and Pro models alongside a foldable going forward. Something similar might happen with Samsung
Brar reports that in the future, Google will simply launch its regular and Pro versions of its Pixel phones every year, and a Pixel Fold. However, that may not be the end for the Pixel "a" series. Android Authority reports, according to its sources, that a new Pixel "a" phone might only be released every two years after 2023. The story adds that Google could even change the name of the brand.
As usual with these kinds of unconfirmed reports, take these two stories with a huge grain of salt. With Google"s recent layoff and its plans to reduce spending, it"s likely that the company is taking a long and hard look at its hardware products as a whole to see which ones will be viable in the marketplace.