We know that the much-anticipated phone is nearing release when the company making it leaks the device itself as well. 9to5Google has published a rendered image that appears to have come from the Google Store.

It is unclear where this picture is on the Google Store site, and it may have been quietly removed. Nevertheless, this clearly looks like a rendering of a typical Google product and is consistent with all the images of the Pixel 4a we have seen so far. Note the square but single-lens camera patch, the Pixel Imprint capacitive fingerprint sensor, and the hole-punch front-facing camera. Interestingly, this just black colorway has a mint power key, giving a nice touch to the traditional Pixel design.

The latest line on the availability of the Pixel4a is that it will be announced on August 3. This is according to a tweet from Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech, who has been following the Pixel4a through all its false starts and delayed reveals over the past few months. Of course, this date could slide.

Either way, Google will want to get the Pixel 4a out there as soon as possible. Apple announced the second-generation iPhone SE in April, and the upcoming baby Pixel was expected to follow soon after Apple's bargain iPhone. But Mountain View was forced to put a sharp brake on the launch, likely due to complications from the ongoing global pandemic.

Indeed, Stephen Hall of 9to5Google noted on Twitter that the May 12 date in the renderings above is evidence that Google had originally planned to launch the Pixel 4a during the canceled Google I/O developer conference.

As a result of all of Google's delays, the iPhone SE was nearly unbeatable in the sub-$400 mid-range phone segment during the spring and summer. Of course, given that it doesn't have Apple's A13 Bionic-level flagship processor, it won't match the iPhone SE's performance. However, the camera performance should be equal or even better, and the Pixel 4a's overall design is in keeping with the times. In fact, some rumors suggest that Google will offer this device for $349 instead of $399, a $50 discount from last year's model.

The rumored specs for the Google Pixel 4a include a 5.8-inch OLED display, Snapdragon 730 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage; don't expect 5G connectivity, but Google may later announce the Google Pixel 4 a 5G may be announced.

We can't wait to finally get our hands on the Pixel 4a and see how it stacks up against the most affordable iPhones and OnePlus makes. It shouldn't be too long.