Just over six months after Google launched the new Pixel 9 generation of Android smartphones, a new model has joined the lineup.
On Wednesday, Google announced the Pixel 9a.
What is the Pixel 9a and where does it place among the other Pixel 9 devices? Let’s break down everything you need to know about Google’s latest Pixel phone.
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Pixel 9a price
The Pixel 9a fits in as the most affordable of the Pixel 9 devices, which sets it up as an entry-level phone below the base Pixel 9 model.
The Pixel 9a retails at $499, which makes it $300 less than the Pixel 9, the previous lowest costing current generation Pixel device.
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Pixel 9a specs: Everything you need to know
Don’t let the price difference between the Pixel 9a and the Pixel 9 fool you. Google has packed the Pixel 9a with plenty of power.
In fact, the Pixel 9a is powered by the same Google Tensor G4 processor that you’ll find inside the Pixel 9. This is the same processor that was created specifically for Google’s intensive AI capabilities, so you’ll find all of the Pixel 9’s AI features in the Pixel 9a, including Magic Edit and Gemini AI Assistant.
The Pixel 9a has a 6.3-inch scratch-resistant Actua display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 cover glass.
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When it comes to memory, the Pixel 9a has 8GB of RAM and provides two different storage options, 128 GB or 256 GB.
Storage size isn’t the only option you’ll have to choose from when buying a Pixel 9a. The Pixel 9a comes in 4 different colors: Iris, Peony, Porcelain, and Obsidian.
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With over 30 hours of battery life and 7 years of guaranteed Pixel updates, the Pixel 9a is built to last.
When it comes to the rear cameras, the Pixel 9a has a 48 MP main camera and 13 MP ultrawide camera. But, there’s even more that sets Pixel 9a’s cameras apart from the rest.
So long, camera bump
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One of the most interesting features of the Google Pixel 9a isn’t what it has, but what it doesn’t.
The Pixel 9a has a flat back design, meaning no camera bump.
The Pixel 9a is the only Pixel phone to sport a flat back profile. In fact, the Pixel 9a doesn’t have the now-classic Pixel camera bar either. Instead, the back of the device is flat with the cameras found within a rounded water droplet-like design on the upper left hand side of the Pixel 9a.
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Without the camera bump, the Pixel 9a is unique not only among other Pixel phones but other smartphones as well.
Pixel 9a release date, preorder info
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Interested in a Google Pixel 9a? Pre-orders, originally set to start on Wednesday, March 19, are now expected to open sometime in the coming weeks, according to Google. The exact on-shelf date, originally planned for March 26, is now set for an April release.
UPDATE: Mar. 19, 2025, 12:10 p.m. EDT This story has been updated to reflect delayed preorder and release dates.
