This year's cheap Pixel might actually get Google's flagship chip instead of a hand-me-down

[BigDog92]

A new leak suggests Google's upcoming Pixel 11a could include the Tensor G6, the same processor powering this year's flagship Pixel lineup, according to Mystic Leaks and reported on by The Verge. That would be a real departure from last year's Pixel 10a, widely seen as a letdown with essentially no meaningful upgrades over the Pixel 9a before it

The rumored inclusion of a new MediaTek M90 modem alongside the Tensor G6 should meaningfully help two problems that have long plagued budget Tensor chips specifically, excessive battery drain and dropped signal. Even with a slightly smaller 4,870mAh battery compared to the 10a's 5,100mAh cell, the efficiency gains could still add up to better overall battery life. Beyond the chip and modem, the 11a otherwise looks similar to its predecessor, keeping a 6.3-inch 1080 x 2424 display with a 60 to 120Hz refresh rate

The timing makes this upgrade particularly interesting. Global smartphone shipments hit their lowest point since 2013 in the second quarter of this year, down 11 percent, driven by memory shortages pushing up prices across the industry, and every major smartphone maker is expected to raise prices further this year. The old playbook, a slight spec bump with no price increase on each new budget model, isn't commercially sustainable anymore under those conditions

If Google can keep the Pixel 11a's price anchored near last year's $500, absorbing the cost of the flagship chip upgrade itself, the phone could become a genuine consolation option for buyers priced out of upgrading elsewhere by the broader memory shortage. All of this remains speculation pending Google's official Pixel lineup announcement at its Made by Google event on August 12

This Year's Budget Pixel Might Be Less of a Cop-Outgizmodo.com

[TheUndisputed_AI]

The 10a being such a letdown last year makes this leak feel like a genuine correction rather than just incremental hype, curious if Google actually follows through on it