A mysterious Google phone shows up in new FCC filing

What you need to know

• An unnamed Google phone has been spotted on the FCC's website.
• Rumor has it that this may be the Google Pixel 7a or the Pixel Fold.
• The FCC listing doesn't reveal much, save for the mysterious phone's connectivity features.

It has been nearly six months since Android fans got their hands on Google's latest and greatest Android phones, but the wait for a more budget-friendly model has stretched on for a while. That could be over soon, as a mysterious new device has appeared in the FCC's database.

As 9to5Google (opens in new tab) reports, four unknown models with serial numbers GODZQ, GHL1X, GWKK3, and G82U8 passed through the FCC, with rumors leaning toward the Pixel 7a. Another possibility is that we are looking at Google's upcoming Pixel Fold.

However, a few hints point to the mysterious device being the Pixel 6a's successor. Google has traditionally released its mid-tier Pixel A-series phones in the summer. The Pixel 6a, for example, was released in July of last year following its debut in May during Google's I/O event. 

If the company's previous release schedule is any indication, it's a safe bet that the new listings refer to the Pixel 7a. With the FCC’s confidentiality set to expire in six months, the budget phone passing through its database aligns with a release in the summer.

Either way, the phone's appearance at the FCC also suggests that it is one step closer to launch. This, along with approvals from other government regulators worldwide, is required before a device can be released to the market. Although there are several serial numbers in the listings, 9to5 points out that they all refer to the same device.

There isn’t much of note with the listings, except that one of the models includes mmWave support, which could be earmarked for Verizon customers. It makes complete sense, given that the Pixel 6a's Verizon variant also had mmWave 5G support.

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