Google Pixel 8a Gets AI Wallpaper Generator With First Software Update

Google Pixel 8a was recently unveiled globally and in India. It is powered by an in-house Tensor G3 SoC and joins the Pixel 8 series as the budget offering in the lineup. The smartphone, which runs Android 14 out-of-the-box, has now received its first software upgrade. This update introduced an AI-backed feature, previously available on only the latest flagship handsets, to the phone. Notably, the Google I/O event, an annual developers’ conference held earlier this week also witnessed the reveal of several other AI-based features including the update of the Gemini 1.5 Pro.

Google is quietly rolling out the first software update for its latest Pixel smartphone. The almost 190MB update comes with a few upgrades, which include the May 2024 Android security patch and Google’s AI-powered wallpaper generator. There are no more notable changes with this update.

The generative AI feature was previously exclusive to the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro handsets. The tool helps create unique wallpapers prompted by user-specified keywords and themes. A customised version of the feature can also be found on Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S24 series.

The Google Pixel 8a comes with a Tensor G3 SoC, a 4,492mAh battery with 18W fast charging, a 64-megapixel dual rear camera unit, a 13-megapixel selfie shooter and a 6.1-inch 120Hz full-HD+ OLED screen. Offered in Aloe, Bay, Obsidian and Porcelain colour options, the Google Pixel 8a starts in India at Rs. 52,999 for the 8GB + 128GB, while the 8GB + 256GB variant is priced at Rs. 59,999. 

Among the several AI-focussed announcements at the aforementioned Google I/O event, the company revealed the next generation of its text-to-image AI model, Imagen 3, which comes with upgrades over the Imagen 2, which was introduced in December 2023. The tech giant also unveiled Veo, an AI-powered video generation model, that is said to generate videos longer than a minute with 1080p resolution.