Thanks to new details hidden in the Android 12 Developer Preview, the Google Pixel 5a is almost confirmed.

Preview builds of Android's next update are usually a good source of information about Google's upcoming projects, and the Android 12 beta is no exception.As confirmed by 9to5google, this latest update has revealed the new phone's revealed a few key tidbits, including the name and model number.

Leaks and rumors surrounding a cheaper version of the Google Pixel 5 have been accumulating over the past few weeks, and the name "Pixel 5a" is no surprise. In fact, it was even mentioned by the Android Open Source Project almost a year ago. [Android community member cstark27 found a reference to "Pixel 5a:GR0M2" in the update, along with "Pixel 4a (5G):G025I" and "Pixel 5:GTT9Q8."

The "GR0M2" reference is expected to be its international model number, which is significant because earlier this week it was discovered that a phone with the model number GR0M2 had passed certification by the Bureau of Indian Standards.

If international certification has been obtained, this suggests that the phone is well on its way to a final release and that Google is likely in the final stages of production. For comparison, we caught word that the Pixel 4a received BIS certification about two months before it was released in the US.

Taken together, this information would put the Pixel 5a in our hands around May, consistent with the Pixel 3a's release schedule; the Pixel 4a did not debut until August, but this late release window is believed to be largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic This late release window is believed to be largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One further piece of information gleaned from the preview is that the Pixel 5a's codename may have changed; based on information unearthed by 9to5google, the phone was initially thought to be known as "Barbette", It now appears to be a "Barbet" (a type of fish).

We may not yet know exactly when the Pixel 5a will appear, but we do have reasonable details about what it will look like.

This is thanks to a rendering posted by prominent leaker Steve "OnLeaks" Hemmerstoffer, which shows off a device that more than resembles the Pixel 4a.

Nevertheless, leaked Pixel 5a specs suggest that it will feature a 6.2-inch OLED display with full HD resolution, similar to that found on the Pixel 4a 5G version, rather than the 5.81-inch screen found on the standard 4a.

The camera is obviously a big deal on any Pixel phone, and rumors suggest that the 5a could be a significant upgrade over last year's model in the form of a second rear camera sensor. This would be a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens, joining the main 12.2MP sensor, in a setup similar to that of the Pixel 5.

Expect more information on the Pixel 5a over the next few weeks, with an official announcement not too far away.