Google just inadvertently revealed the Pixel 11a

Google is going to unveil its Pixel 11 series on 12th August in New York City. The lineup will most likely contain four models: Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

If you know Google, you'll be aware the company typically also releases a budget variant for each new smartphone family, for example, the Pixel 10a in the Pixel 10 line. We've now reportedly received our first clue about the budget model of the upcoming series.

Google's own app spoils the Pixel 11a surprise

Almost all the smartphones of all brands are given a unique internal code name before they are officially unveiled. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the Pixel 10 Pro are internally referred to as Miracle and Blazer, respectively.

This allows everyone who is involved in the development of the device to refer to it without actually mentioning its commercial name. This basically ensures that the device remains confidential for long, employees could easily distinguish between products while they are still under development, and it also helps the manufacturer avoid spoiling the final marketing name before its official release.

That said, in the code of the Phone by Google app version 230.0.946661649-publicbeta-pixel, the internal codenames of all the Pixel 11 phones have been reportedly found.

• Cubs - Pixel 11
• Grizzly - Pixel 11 Pro
• Kodiak - Pixel 11 Pro XL
• Yogi - Pixel 11 Pro Fold

We have known about these four names for a while, but along with these, a new name has also been spotted in code–Formosan–and it is believed to belong to the Pixel 11a. This particular name might be a reference to the Formosan Black Bear that's found in Taiwan. In fact, Google apparently is using bear-themed codenames for all its Pixel 11 devices.

It isn't the first time this codename has been detected. In May this year, Android Headlines sources told them that the upcoming budget phone from Google would be codenamed Formosan. The appearance of this name again just reaffirms that it is indeed the internal name of the device and that the phone is under development.

When can Google release the Pixel 11a?

The A model of Pixel phones is generally released many months after their respective flagship variants hit the market. For instance, the Pixel 9 series was released in August 2024, whereas the Pixel 9a was launched in April of the next year, though it was initially scheduled for March. Similarly, the Pixel 10a was unveiled in March this year, whereas its flagship siblings were officially introduced in August last year.

If Google follows the same timeline this time as well, the possibility of which seems high as the Pixel 11 phones will be showcased to the world in August, we could see the budget model come out in March 2027. But this is just my educated guess, so I would highly advise taking this information with a grain of salt.

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