The Google Pixel 8a is official, and it's shaping up to be one of the best cheap phones this year, primarily because it follows its predecessor's U.S. pricing. Rather than waiting to show off the phone at Google I/O, where the Pixel A Series models typically debut, Google opted to give the Pixel 8a its own surprise announcement. And that means you can preorder the Pixel 8a right now.
Unlike its flagship Pixel 8 models, Google's keeping the same $499 starting cost for the Pixel 8a. It's a welcome relief given how the Pixel 8 Pro got a $100 price hike when it was announced alongside the Pixel 8. If that's not enough to entice you, then maybe perhaps the new phone's seven years of software and security updates could make it more compelling for you to buy into it. And finally, there are four color options to choose from — along with an extra 256GB option if the base 128GB model doesn't offer enough capacity.
