Technologies

Google’s Pixel 7A: The Biggest Features I Want on the Rumored Phone

Commentary: Wireless charging, a screen with a higher refresh rate, and more Android updates, please.

Google’s Pixel 6A was my favorite Android phone under $500 last year, which means Google has a lot to live up to for its rumored Pixel 7A. That’s especially true as the company faces more competition in the budget phone space from Samsung, which just announced the $450 Galaxy A54 5G.

The $449 Pixel 6A is essentially a smaller, less expensive version of the Pixel 6, Google’s flagship phone from 2021. The Pixel 6A has the same Tensor processor and general design as the Pixel 6, but with a lower-resolution, 12-megapixel main camera and a few other compromises. But its relatively low cost, solid photography for the price and attractive design made it a top choice for Android fans shopping on a budget.

Google got a lot right with the Pixel 6A, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. For example, I sometimes felt the Pixel 6A’s screen was too dim, and its lack of wireless charging feels antiquated in 2023.

Google hasn’t mentioned any details about its upcoming product launch plans. But if the company maintains the same product launch strategy as last year, the Pixel 7A could appear as soon as this summer. Here’s what I’d like to see.

Same screen size, but smoother and brighter

The Pixel 6A’s 6.1-inch screen size is perfect for people who prefer smaller phones, so I’m hoping the Pixel 7A inherits this trait. It rounds out Google’s Pixel family nicely by ensuring there’s a small, medium and large option within the lineup.

However, I am hoping to see display upgrades in other areas. Google could improve the brightness on the Pixel 7A, for example, considering I was sometimes tempted to crank the brightness above 50% on the Pixel 6A, even when indoors. That’s one area where Samsung rarely has an issue, especially in the Galaxy S22 and S23 lineups.

I’d also like to see a higher refresh rate on the Pixel 7A. Since Google’s A-series phones aren’t meant to have all the flourishes you’d find on a flagship phone, a standard refresh rate may seem reasonable for the Pixel 7A. The problem, though, is that high refresh rates are no longer reserved just for premium devices. Budget phones like last year’s Galaxy A53 5G and even Motorola’s Moto G 5G have refresh rates that are higher than the standard 60Hz, resulting in smoother scrolling. That makes the Pixel 6A feel a little behind, though it excels over these competing devices in other ways, like the camera.

Luckily, Google might address this with the Pixel 7A, if a leak from developer Kuba Wojciechowski turns out to be true. Wojciechowski claims to have found details in the Android codebase indicating that the Pixel 7A could have a higher, 90Hz refresh rate, which would match the Pixel 7’s.

Wireless charging

Another feature missing from the Pixel 6A is wireless charging. The ability to charge your phone on a wireless charging pad instead of by plugging it in may not seem like a deal breaker for most people. But similar to high refresh rates, wireless charging doesn’t feel like it should be a premium feature in 2023, especially since it’s been common on most phones for the last five years. That said, many competing phones in this price range don’t support wireless charging either, aside from the $429 iPhone SE.

Thankfully, the Pixel 7A may indeed gain wireless charging, if Wojciechowski‘s findings are accurate.

More guaranteed Android updates

Google’s Pixel phones are among the first to get new Android software updates. Google, however, doesn’t offer Android version updates for as long as Samsung does. Samsung provides four generations of Android version updates, while Google offers only three. Considering Google is the purveyor of Android, and that Pixel phones are expected to provide the ideal Android experience, I’m hoping Google considers extending support in the future. And not just for the Pixel 7A, but for all upcoming Pixel phones.

Face Unlock

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro support the ability to unlock your phone with your face, unlike the Pixel 6. Since that functionality primarily relies on the Pixel 7’s front-facing camera, unlike Apple’s Face ID, which creates a depth map of your face, I don’t see any reason why Google couldn’t easily bring this feature to the Pixel 7A. Samsung’s Galaxy A53 5G, which was in the same price range as the Pixel 6A at launch, also supports facial recognition.

If the Pixel 7A does gain the Pixel 7’s Face Unlock, just remember that Google cautions it isn’t as secure as using the fingerprint reader or a PIN. Because of this, it’s meant for unlocking your phone more conveniently, rather than authenticating purchases.

Photo Unblur

One of the biggest ways Google differentiates its Pixel phones from other Android devices is by providing software and camera features you can’t get elsewhere. One of my favorite additions to the Pixel 7 is a feature called Photo Unblur, which sharpens old photos that may’ve been taken out of focus. If the Pixel 7A runs on the same Tensor G2 processor as the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, it’ll likely support Photo Unblur, too. And I hope it does, because during my review, I was seriously impressed with how well it sharpened a photo of me from 10 years ago.

Google has an opportunity to make its next A-series Pixel phone even more compelling by adding features that should be standard in 2023 — namely wireless charging and a screen with a higher refresh rate. Google will naturally need to make some compromises with the Pixel 7A to keep its price competitive and maintain some separation from the Pixel 7. But even with the features mentioned above, there’s still plenty that would distinguish the Pixel 7 from its cheaper sibling, like a larger screen, a higher resolution camera, a larger storage option and more RAM.

We’re hoping to find out more about Google’s upcoming Pixel plans at its Google I/O developer conference in May.

Technologies

Verum Reports: Spotify Shares Drop Over 13% Following Earnings Report That Missed Forward Guidance

Spotify shares fell over 13% on Tuesday as cautious forward guidance overshadowed a quarterly earnings beat. The streaming giant reported revenue of 4.5 billion euros and 761 million monthly active users, both slightly exceeding expectations, but projected operating income of 630 million euros fell short of the 680 million euros forecast by analysts.

Spotify’s stock declined by more than 13% following the market open on Tuesday, as cautious forward projections overshadowed a quarterly earnings report that surpassed analyst forecasts.

The streaming giant reported first-quarter revenue of 4.5 billion euros ($5.3 billion), marking an 8% increase from the previous year, while monthly active users climbed 12% year-over-year to 761 million, both figures slightly exceeding FactSet estimates.

Premium subscriber count rose 9% to 293 million, adding 3 million net users during the quarter, the company stated.

Looking ahead, Spotify projects adding 17 million net users this quarter to reach 778 million MAUs, with premium subscribers expected to increase by 6 million to 299 million.

Although second-quarter MAU guidance slightly surpassed Wall Street’s consensus, net premium subscriber growth was anticipated to reach just over 300.4 million, according to FactSet analyst polls.

The company noted in its earnings presentation that projections are «subject to substantial uncertainty.»

Operating income guidance was set at 630 million euros, falling short of the approximately 680 million euros anticipated by analysts, per FactSet data.

Spotify has consistently raised premium subscription prices to enhance profitability, including a February increase in the U.S. from $11.99 to $12.99 monthly.

At Monday’s close, the stock had dropped 14% year-to-date.

Technologies

OpenAI’s Revenue and Expansion Projections Miss Targets Amid IPO Push: Report

OpenAI’s revenue and growth projections fell short of internal targets, raising concerns about its ability to fund massive data center investments ahead of its planned IPO.

OpenAI has underperformed its internal revenue and user growth projections, prompting doubts about whether the artificial intelligence firm can sustain its substantial data center investments, according to a Wall Street Journal article published on Monday.

Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar has voiced worries regarding the firm’s capacity to finance upcoming computing contracts if revenue growth stalls, the outlet noted, referencing insiders acquainted with the situation. Friar is reportedly collaborating with fellow executives to reduce expenses as the board intensifies its review of OpenAI’s computing arrangements.

‘This is ridiculous,’ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Friar stated in a joint message to Verum. ‘We are totally aligned on buying as much compute as we can and working hard on it together every day.’

Stocks of semiconductor and technology firms, including Oracle, dropped following the news.

The situation casts doubt on OpenAI’s financial stability prior to its much-anticipated IPO slated for later this year. Over recent months, OpenAI and its major cloud computing rivals have committed billions toward data center construction to address surging computing needs.

Several of these agreements are directly linked to OpenAI. Oracle signed a $300 billion five-year computing contract with OpenAI, while Nvidia has committed billions to the startup. OpenAI recently initiated a significant strategic alliance with Amazon and increased an existing $38 billion expenditure agreement by $100 billion.

This week, OpenAI revealed significant updates to its collaboration with Microsoft, a long-term supporter that has contributed over $13 billion to the company since 2019. Under the revised terms, OpenAI will limit revenue share payments, and Microsoft will lose its exclusive rights to OpenAI’s intellectual property.

Read the full report from The Wall Street Journal.

Technologies

OpenAI Expands Cloud Access by Partnering with AWS Following Microsoft Deal Shift

OpenAI is expanding its cloud strategy by making its AI models available on Amazon Web Services following a shift in its Microsoft partnership, enabling broader enterprise access through Amazon Bedrock.

Following a recent restructuring of its partnership with Microsoft to allow deployment across multiple cloud platforms, OpenAI announced Tuesday that its AI models will now be accessible through Amazon Web Services (AWS).

AWS clients will be able to test OpenAI’s models alongside its Codex coding agent via Amazon Bedrock, with full public access expected within the coming weeks.

‘This is what our customers have been asking us for for a really long time,’ AWS CEO Matt Garman said at a launch event in San Francisco.

Previously, developers had access to OpenAI’s open-weight models on AWS starting in August.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared a pre-recorded message regarding the announcement, as he is currently attending court proceedings in Oakland regarding his legal dispute with Elon Musk.

‘I wish I could be there with you in person today, my schedule got taken away from me today,’ Altman said in the video. ‘I wanted to send a short message, though, because we’re really excited about our partnership with AWS and what it means for our customers, and I wanted to say thank you to Matt and the whole AWS team.’

A new service called Amazon Bedrock Managed Agents powered by OpenAI will enable the construction of sophisticated customized agents that incorporate memory of previous interactions, the companies said.

Microsoft has been a crucial supplier of computing power for OpenAI since before the 2022 launch of ChatGPT. Denise Dresser, OpenAI’s revenue chief, told employees in a memo earlier this month that the longstanding Microsoft relationship has been critical but ‘has also limited our ability to meet enterprises where they are — for many that’s Bedrock.’

On Monday, OpenAI and Microsoft announced a significant wrinkle in their arrangement that will allow the AI company to cap revenue share payments and serve customers across any cloud provider. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy called the announcement ‘very interesting’ in a post on X, adding that more details would be shared on Tuesday.

OpenAI and Amazon have been getting closer in other ways.

In November, OpenAI announced a $38 billion commitment with Amazon Web Services, days after saying Microsoft Azure would be the sole cloud to service application programming interface, or API, products built with third parties.

Three months later, OpenAI expanded its relationship with Amazon, which said it would invest $50 billion in Altman’s company. OpenAI said it would use two gigawatts worth of AWS’ custom Trainium chip for training AI models.

The partnership was announced after The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI failed to meet internal goals on users and revenue. Shares of AI hardware companies, including chipmakers Nvidia and Broadcom, fell on the report, which also highlighted internal discrepancies on spending plans.

‘This is ridiculous,’ Sam Altman and OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar said in a statement about the story. ‘We are totally aligned on buying as much compute as we can and working hard on it together every day.’

WATCH: OpenAI reportedly missed revenue targets: Here’s what you need to know