Google Pixel 8a reaches FCC, moves closer to launch

Image: OnLeaks x SmartPrix

With spring swiftly approaching, it’s almost time to get our hands on the Pixel 8a. Ahead of its expected launch, the Google Pixel 8a has been submitted for approval from the FCC.

Before a wireless device like a smartphone can be sold, it needs to receive approval from various regulators around the world, such as the United States FCC. As has been seen on Google and Apple products alike over the years, if a company chooses to advertise a device before it has received FCC approval, there needs to be an included disclaimer that it can’t be sold until the FCC has given its approval.

To avoid those situations, many companies – with the odd exception of Apple – will submit their products to the FCC and other regulators ahead of their debut. In some cases, this can offer useful clues to what Google and other companies have in the immediate pipeline.

On Monday, four new Google device models appeared for approval by the FCC – model numbers G8HHN, GKV4X, G6GPR, and G576D. In the included paperwork, each device is listed as being a “phone,” and they’re all described as “variants” of one another. This is fairly routine, as Google will often develop slightly tweaked phone models for various countries and carriers, such as one model with 5G mmWave connectivity and one without.

Considering how close we are to Google’s usual mid-year arrival window for its affordable phones, we believe that this is a sign of the Pixel 8a making its way closer to launch. Thanks to various leaks, we’ve already seen quite a bit about the Pixel 8a, including its design and the external packaging. A closer look at the box shows a model number of “G6GPR,” which confirms the new listings are indeed the Pixel 8a.

Our current prediction for the Pixel 8a is that Google will announce it during this year’s I/O conference, which we learned last week is scheduled for May 14. Google has previously used the event as a venue to launch new hardware and tease upcoming releases.

Google’s next mid-range phone is expected to pack a Tensor G3 processor like the Pixel 8 flagship before it. It should feature a 6.1-inch display and be almost identical in size to the Pixel 7a, shifting less than a millimeter in each dimension. However, some early retail listings suggest that Google may be planning a price increase, potentially setting the Pixel 8a retail price to $549.

Header image: OnLeaks x SmartPrix