Googlejust released thePixel 9a.
As with its predecessors, the marquee features for the Pixel 9a include its AI capabilities and its cameras.
But Google has also introduced a new design for the Pixel 9a (no more camera bar!)
Add Me before(Image credit: Future)
and included a much larger battery.
More important, Google made all these changes without a price hike.
For comparison’s sake, that’s what Apple charges for the entry-leveliPhone 16e.
As in the U.S., pricing on the Pixel 9a remains unchanged in the U.K. and Australia.
You’ll pay 499 and AU$849, respectively, for the 128GB phone.
TheGalaxy A36 and Galaxy A26are even cheaper at $399 and $299, respectively.
Add Me before(Image credit: Future)
Meanwhile, both theNothing Phone 3aandNothing Phone 3a Prostart at $379 and $459, respectively.
Well, wonder no more with the Pixel 9a.
Heres a side-by-side look at its specs compared to those of thePixel 8ait replaces.
The new phone uses a 48MP sensor compared to the 64MP main camera on the Pixel 8a.
There are other camera improvements that go beyond the main sensor.
And if you like capturing photos of the night sky, the Pixel 9a adds support for astrophotography.
Instead, the phone will go on sale in April.
Its certainly more expansive than the Pixel 8as 4,492 mAh cell.
But well need to test the phone to confirm.
But that’s not stopping retailers and wireless carriers from talking up their Pixel 9a deals now.
On the one hand, I’m sad to see the camera bar go.
I thought it made Pixel phones stand out from other devices.
Other phones with camera arrays that jut out can’t say the same.
However, the fact that the new camera setup doesn’t jut out from the Pixel 9a intrigues me.
I’d like to see how it looks in person and more importantly, whether there’s any wobble.
And it can put a little cash in your pocket in the form of a gift card.
Specifically, Best Buy will give youa $100 gift card when your buy a Pixel 9afrom the retailer.
There’s not trade-in or activation required just buy an unlocked phone, and the gift card’s yours.
Where are the pre-orders?
Turns out, it’s a quality control issue, where Google is playing it safe with this release.
Hopefully, the company is able to complete its check and announce a firm release date soon.
Add Me gets added
I’ll be honest.
I wasn’t that impressed with Add Me when I tested it out for myPixel 9 Pro reviewlast year.
At any rate,Add Mejoins the AI tools available on the Pixel 9a.
So what do you sacrifice by opting for the $499 Pixel 9a over Google’s pricier flagship?
OurPixel 9a vs. Pixel 9comparison digs into the answer to that question.
Thats especially true these days since the iPhone 16e was announced at the end of last month.
Youd think the iPhone is at a disadvantage in both cases.
On the AI front, Googles features are far more polished than Apple Intelligence at this point.
Clearly, Googles camera improvements on the 9a have their work cut out for them.
Add Me before(Image credit: Future)
Get alerts from Google
We know that the Google Store is going to offer the Pixel 9a.
What we don’t know is when.
The notification button’s on the page where Google outlines all the features in its latest phone.
Add Me after(Image credit: Future)
Ars Technicadid some digging, and the apparent reason is the 8GB of RAM on board the Pixel 9a.
This is the generative image creation tool Google introduced last fall.
You use text prompts to create an image out of scratch that you might then share with other people.
When Pixel Studio debuted in the fall, you couldn’t use the feature to create images of people.
Google wanted to confirm it could implement that feature in ways that would limit its ability to be abused.
Last year, we took a look atPixel Studio compared to the Image Playground featureavailable through Apple Intelligence.
Google has not specified which components might be affected or a more specific timeline beyond the month of April.
But there’s a couple of display changes with the Pixel 9a that are worth noting.
First off, this is a bigger display than what you get with the Pixel 8a.
That phone had a 6.1-inch panel, while the Pixel 9a features a 6.3-inch screen.
The Pixel 8a topped out at 2,000 nits, for context.
What about the Pixel 8a?
We’re focusing a lot on the Pixel 9a, understandably.
But what about the Pixel 8a, the rig Google’s new phone seemingly replaces?
I say “seemingly” because older Pixel models have a habit of sticking around Google’s store.
But when the Pixel 9a does become available, will the Pixel 8a still be there?
As a cheapskate, I know which scenario I’d prefer.
Specifically, the Pixel 9a now offers an IP68 water resistance rating.
The Pixel 8a featured an IP67 rating.
(Remember:water-resistantdoes not meanwaterproof.)
The higher water resistance rating takes that to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes with the Pixel 9a.
There’s also the matter of how long Google supports the rig.
Just check out the table below for a look at that compares to comparably priced phones.
And you’re free to read all about it in ourPixel 9a vs. Pixel 7acomparison.
9a is greater than 16e?
And fortunately for Google, there areseven ways the Pixel 9a immediately beats the new cheaper iPhone.
In the Pixel 9a’s case, one of those-trade-offs is less RAM.
There’s currently a very appealing offer at Best Buy for the Pixel 9 Pro.
That phone normally costs $999, butBest Buy has dropped the Pixel 9 Pro Price by $250.
Activate the phone with a carrier, and you might save another $100.
Even at $749, the Pixel 9 Pro costs $250 more than the Pixel 9a.
Specifically, the renders show a rather prominent horizontal camera bar like the one the 9a just ditched.
There’s some dispute over the status of the Tensor G5 expected to debut inside the Pixel 10 models.
Normally that phone sells for $1,099.
That means Google’s super-sized Pixel flagship now has a Pixel 9a-sized price of $499.
If you’re looking for options in the sub-$500 category, give Richard Priday’sGalaxy A56 reviewa look.
But the Exynos chip inside the phone isn’t very powerful.
Buy or skip?
We still may be waiting for an actual date for the Pixel 9a to go on sale.
But the time to start thinking about whether to make this gadget your next phone starts now.
