"On Wednesdays, we wear pink": why I'm obsessed with the Coral Google Pixel 7a

The Google Pixel 7a was announced at the recent Google I/O event, bringing top-tier tech performance to an even more affordable price point. With prices starting from just £449 in the UK, it looks a shoe-in for inclusion on our guide to the best cheap phones.

For that price, users snag the same Tensor G2 processor found in handsets like the Google Pixel 7 Pro. There's also a capable camera system, an OLED display with a 90Hz adaptive refresh rate, and the Google Titan M2 security chip making sure you and your data are safe and protected.

But there's something else I love about this new handset – the Coral colour option. It certainly won't be for everyone, but I can't help but admire such a bold choice. 

Recently, colour options on phones have been markedly bland. You'll get a variant of white and black, maybe a couple of grey options, and then one or two colours. Those colours, generally speaking are pastel blues or greens – whatever seems to be more en vogue at the time.

And I totally understand why that is. Manufacturers are businesses, and need to turn a profit. Those colour options are safe bets for most people, which will likely mean more guaranteed sales. But seeing a properly out-there colour option is really refreshing. 

I hope this is the start of a more fashionable trend for Google phones. We already saw glimmers of that when the Pixel 7 Pro sported a dull green and rose gold combination in the Hazel colourway. That seems to have been popular, too. If this Coral variant finds similar success, it could spell a new era for creative designs in the phone sphere.