Google Pixel 7a

Pixel 7a’s new midframe design proves durable and simplifies screen, battery repair

Abner Li | May 18 2023 - 9:13 am PT

The Pixel 7a uses an “all-new midframe architecture” that results in Google claiming that it is the “most durable A-series yet,” especially against drops, while the design also makes it better for repairs.

With the Pixel 6a last year, JerryRigEverything’s durability test was able to lift the display out of the body when applying pressure from the rear. However, the screen then “locks out, leaving us with no cracks, kinks, or breaks of any kind.”

This year, “there is almost no flex at all when bent from the back and again almost no flex when bent from the front” of the Pixel 7a, which is a great deal better than the more expensive Pixel 7 Pro.

Meanwhile, a teardown video from PBKreviews shows how the Pixel 7a “can be disassembled from both the back and the front.” This is important for repairs as you can just remove the screen without having to interact with any other component, while battery removal just involves removing the back plate and wireless charging coil to gain access.

Cracked screens and new batteries are common points of repair, especially if you want to make the phone last several years, and Google has made it possible to quickly fix both. This benefits and speeds up their internal repair process and yours.

It is similar to what Apple did with the iPhone 14, where the back glass can be quickly removed without having to go through the front.

Of note about the Pixel 7a rear piece is how it’s one piece with the camera bar attached to the plastic back plate. With the Pixel 6a, you just removed the portion below the camera.