The Pixel 7a has a buzz

Haptics are for you, and not the whole room

Nobody likes to be the center of attention in a quiet conference room when their phone ringtone blares. Setting your device to vibrate or using Google's Flip to Shh on Pixel phones comes in clutch during these situations. However, vibration alerts usually have only the basic settings on most devices. Google has other plans for the Pixel 7a launched at Google I/O yesterday, and we are here to tell you how it could save the day.

Besides turning vibration alerts on and off, you can only customize their intensity for different alerts like notifications, calls, and alarms. Specifically, Pixel phones allow four-level intensity adjustments, but the buzzing still doesn't vary situationally. The Pixel 7a is finally fixing this with a new feature called Adaptive alert vibration.

Spotted in a new support document, Google explains you can now customize the vibration intensity for when your Pixel 7a is immobile and facing up, like when placed on a table. The new option is available in the under Settings -> Sound & vibration -> Vibration & haptics. You can toggle it on for notification and alarm vibrations, but there is one limitation — you cannot define the level the vibration would reduce to.

This new option may not seem particularly useful at first glance, but the screen usually lights up for notifications, and certainly does for calls — so when the device is facing up, you probably don't need your Pixel vibrating the table to bits.

Google's conditional approach suggests this feature is reliant on accelerometer measurements to determine the phone's state of motion, and data from multiple other sensors helps find out if its screen is facing up. So, you don't need to worry about dulled haptics when the Pixel 7a is in your pocket, or when it's flipped upside-down on your desk to avoid distractions.

Come to think of it, haptics are quite indispensable, and this is merely a software-level toggle controlling a haptics motor just like on any other Pixel. We even saw it in development in Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1. Now, we are just hopeful this new toggle makes its way to other Pixel phones with an upcoming Android Feature Drop or beta release. Additional control of the reduced vibration level would be nice to have as well.

The Pixel 7a is basically a Pixel 7 for $100 less. While there used to be more separation between Google's A-series phones and its flagships, the 7a closes the gap with features like wireless charging and a 90Hz display. There are minor sacrifices like a plastic back and slightly thicker bezels, but even those are somewhat offset by the fact this phone will receive 7 more monthly updates after the more expensive Pixel 7 reaches its end of support.

Chandraveer is a mechanical design engineer with a passion for all things Android including devices, launchers, theming, apps, and photography. When he isn't typing away on his mechanical keyboard's heavy linear switches, he enjoys discovering new music, improving his keyboard, and rowing through his hatchback's gears on twisty roads.