April 2023 Pixel Update Goes Live; New Pixel 7a Colour Spotted

It’s that time of the month again – Google has finally announced that this month’s software patch for its Pixel phones is finally available for download, bringing some new improvements to device performance. We’ve also gotten a look at the Pixel 7a’s colour lineup – let’s get started!

April 2023 Pixel Update

In terms of availability, the April 2023 update will be compatible with several Pixel models, including the Pixel 4a, 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pro, 6a, as well as the current Pixel 7 series. Google typically releases software updates during the first week of every month, although there are times when they arrive a bit later than usual.

The new update will bring overall fixes for stability as well as security, although Google does mention some big improvements to other features, which include Bluetooth connectivity, and even camera performance. Google recently stated that it was bringing improvements to Night Sight camera performance on older Pixel models including the 6 and 6 Pro, as well as general camera improvements to the Pixel 7 devices.

Pixel users who own any of the aforementioned handsets can check for the update by opening “Settings” and going into “System,” tapping into System Update and then “Check for Update.”

New Pixel 7a Colour Spotted

While the Pixel 7a still hasn’t been officially announced at this point in time, that hasn’t stopped people from digging whatever they can about Google’s upcoming midrange Android device. With that being said, a new series of device renders online give us an idea of the Pixel 7a’s colour options, which include a new blue colour variant, in addition to the standard black and white options.

The images were originally shared by Twitter user @OnLeaks, and pretty much confirm the design that we’ve seen on much earlier device image leaks. Last month, several photos showed off hands-on usage of the Pixel 7a, with screenshots that point to the device being a prototype. The photos were shared by Zingnews, a Vietnamese tech website. The 7a will incorporate several familiar Pixel design elements, such as the glossy rear panels, rectangular camera bar, as well as metal railing on the sides seen on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.

As for hardware, the Pixel 7a seems very similar in size to the 6a, especially with the 6.1-inch display. Several online speculations include an OLED panel on the front of the phone, which will pack an FHD+ resolution, as well as a 90Hz refresh rate. If true, this would be a significant upgrade over the 60hz display on the 6a, and brings the 7a closer in terms of screen configuration to the “regular” 7 model.

The line separating the 7a and the regular 7 will only be blurred further, if other hardware speculations prove true – it’s expected that the 7a will come with the Google Tensor G2 chip, and a 64MP Sony sensor, which outshines the 50MP sensor on the 7. There’s also a possibility that it will come with 5W wireless charging, a first for a Pixel A-series device.