Google looks set to unveil its next affordable smartphone – the Google Pixel 7a – at Google IO 2023, with the device expected to occupy the space between the already-released Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro (both of which launched in October 2022).
But despite the inevitable modesty of its price, the Pixel 7a could still rival some of 2023’s best phones, thanks to the slew of impressive features it’s rumored to arrive packing. In this article, we assess how the phone might stack up against Apple’s latest vanilla flagship, the iPhone 14, when it comes to things like price, design, performance, cameras and battery life.
Naturally, none of the rumored Pixel 7a specs we detail below have been confirmed yet – as mentioned, we’ll learn more at Google IO 2023, which is due to take place on May 10 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (that’s May 11 at 3am AEST) – but we’re quietly confident that we know the sort of phone Google will be unveiling this month.
Google Pixel 7a vs iPhone 14: Specs comparison
It’s worth clarifying that none of the below Pixel 7a specs have been confirmed by Google, but we think we’ve heard enough rumors in each category to speculate (with confidence) about the phone’s camera, display and processor credentials.
Google Pixel 7a vs iPhone 14: Price and availability
As mentioned, we’re expecting the Google Pixel 7a to be unveiled at Google IO 2023, which is due to take place on May 10 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (that’s May 11 at 3am AEST, for our Australian readers).
In all likelihood, the phone will go on sale a few weeks after that date, since the Google Pixel 6a was announced in May 2022 but didn't begin shipping until July.
As for the price of the phone, one Google Pixel 7a price leak suggests it’ll cost $499 in the US. For reference, the Pixel 6a cost $449 / £399 / AU$749 at launch, so this would make for a $50 increase, with similar rises likely in other regions. We've since heard this $499 price touted again by other leakers, so it may well be accurate (£449 has also been mentioned for the UK, which would mark a £50 increase over the 6a). Then again, the Pixel 7 launched for the same amount as the Pixel 6, so Google may well stick to that structure for the Pixel 7a, keeping the price the same as the Pixel 6a (i.e. $449 / £399 / AU$749).
In any case, the iPhone 14 will be the more expensive of the two phones. Apple’s latest vanilla flagship was officially unveiled on September 7, 2022, before going on sale on September 16 for the following prices:
- 128GB: $799 / £849 / AU$1,339
- 256GB: $899 / £959 / AU$1,579
- 512GB: $1,099 / £1,179 / AU$1,899
If we were a betting publication, we’d wager that the Pixel 7a will cost $499 / £449 / AU$799 for the 128GB model, making it some $300 / £400 / AU$1,899 less than the iPhone 14.
Google Pixel 7a vs iPhone 14: Design and display
On the design front, the iPhone 14 measures 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8mm, weighs 172g and boasts a 6.1-inch, 60Hz Super XDR OLED display, which sports a 2532 x 1170 resolution.
A sizable Google Pixel 7a specs leak means we’re pretty certain that we know how Google’s upcoming phone will measure up, too. According to leaker Yogesh Bra, the Google Pixel 7a will rock a 6.1-inch, Full HD+ OLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, while the phone’s body will reportedly measure 152.4 x 72.9 x 9mm (rising to 10.1mm at the camera bump).
In other words, the Google Pixel 7a will be a touch larger than the iPhone 14, but its display – which looks set to be the same 6.1-inch size – will offer a higher refresh rate (90Hz versus 60Hz), meaning smoother visuals.
And, obviously, the Google Pixel 7a will look drastically different to the iPhone 14. Apple’s latest vanilla flagship maintains the straight-sided iPhone aesthetic first established by the iPhone 12, while the Pixel 7a looks set to inherit its predecessor’s design in all but its rear camera setup (see leaked images from @OnLeaks above).
Other design differences between the two phones will include their respective charging ports – the iPhone 14 rocks a Lightning port while the Pixel 7a will inevitably use USB-C – and they’ll be available in different colors, too. The iPhone 14 is available in Midnight, Starlight, red, blue, purple and yellow shades, while the Pixel 7a is rumored to ship in white, dark gray, blue, green and orange variants.
Google Pixel 7a vs iPhone 14: Cameras
When it comes to cameras, the iPhone 14 sports a dual-sensor setup comprising a 12MP main lens (26mm, f/1.5) and a 12MP ultra-wide lens (13mm, f/2.4). On the front, you get a 12MP selfie snapper, which seems to be the standard for high-end smartphones in 2023.
Leaked Pixel 7a specs from @Gadgetsdata suggest Google’s upcoming device will sport a 64MP main camera with optical image stabilization, a 12MP ultra-wide snapper and a 10.8MP selfie camera – which means, on paper at least, the added versatility afforded to the 7a's camera system could have the potential to trump the iPhone 14 in the rear photography department. That’s not to say that the iPhone 14 has poor main cameras by any means, though.
Incidentally, the Pixel 6a uses a 12.2MP main, a 12MP ultra-wide and a 8MP selfie snapper, so the 7a will offer an upgrade on at least two of those sensors.
By the looks of leaked Pixel 7a images (above), Google’s upcoming phone will arrange its cameras in a slightly different way to the iPhone 14, too. While the iPhone 14 smushes its main and ultra-wide sensors into a neat corner square with the flash, the Pixel 7a looks set to follow its predecessor by organizing its rear snappers in a horizontal fashion.
Google Pixel 7a vs iPhone 14: Performance
On the performance front, the iPhone 14 uses the previous-generation version of Apple’s silicon – the A15 Bionic – which allows the device to meet the demands of streaming, swiping, snapping and gaming with ease.
Apple doesn't typically disclose the RAM specs of its iPhones, but eagle-eyed researchers have found that every model in the iPhone 14 line uses 6GB RAM.
A recent leak suggests the Pixel 7a will arrive packing Google’s Tensor G2 chipset, which is the same chipset as sported by the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. This processor doesn’t have the raw power to match Apple’s A15 Bionic or Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 and Gen 2 chips, but both phones nonetheless offer real-world performance that’s largely comparable to devices that do use any one of those three processors (like the iPhone 14 or Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra). The Pixel 7a, then, should be plenty fast enough for most users.
Interestingly, the Pixel 7a looks set to get more RAM than the iPhone 14 – 8GB (LPDDR5) versus 6GB – so the device could technically offer a better multitasking experience if iOS and Android weren't built so differently. The iPhone 14 Pro Max also uses 6GB RAM and yet remains one of the best phones for multitasking, so make of that what you will.
Google Pixel 7a vs iPhone 14: Battery
Under the hood, the iPhone 14 sports a 3,279mAh battery that delivers a full day (and night) of use if the phone is used normally for everyday tasks.
You can buy a 5W adapter, or spend a bit more for Apple’s 20W charger, which will get you to 50% charge in 30 minutes. The phone is also MagSafe for iPhone and Qi wireless charging compatible.
The Google Pixel 7a, in contrast, looks set to benefit from a 4,400mAh battery that will last for up to 72 hours between charges, if aforementioned leakers are to be believed. We’ve heard that the phone will use 20W wired charging, too, while wireless charging capabilities have also been mentioned – something absent from previous the Pixel 6a.
Essentially, then, the Pixel 7a seems likely to offer better battery life than the iPhone 14 – which is understandable, given the former’s focus on being an affordable alternative to Google’s flashier Pixel handsets, but the truth could be very different.
