When Will Google’s Pixel 9a Arrive?

The highly anticipated Pixel 9a has been announced but it’s not available for pre-order yet due to a “component quality issue” affecting a small number of devices.

We were expecting a March 26 release date but that’s been pushed back to early April. Although disappointing, it’s actually a good thing. The last thing Google needs is a new product with a problem at launch so getting it right now, is definitely the best strategy.

WHAT IS THE PIXEL 9a?

The Pixel 9a is the ‘budget’ version of the current Google flagship phone. It retains a lot of the key features from the premium device and it’s often seen as the best bang for buck phone in the lineup.

It will start at A$849, which is A$500 cheaper than the Pixel 9 and A$850 below the price of the excellent Pixel 9 Pro. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold was my phone of the year in 2024 and it’s worth A$2,699.

As you’ll read over the following paragraphs, the Pixel9a is excellent value and even ‘out-specs’ the other models in one key area.

DESIGN/DISPLAY

When it comes to design we have some changes and the most notable, and probably most welcome, is the removal of the camera bump. The Pixel 9a now has a flat back with the camera lenses finishing almost flush with the plastic back. Plastic is fine by me and I don’t think others will mind either. It also means you won’t get that annoying wobble when placed on table like the iPhone. You’ll get flat sides sides too, another improvement in my opinion.

It’s also more resistant to water and dust with a new rating of IP68. The screen is Corning Gorilla Glass 3 not the tougher Victus 2 found on the Pixel 9 but it is 35% brighter than the Pixel 8a at 2700 nits. It also has a 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate for a smoother scrolling and content viewing.

It also comes with seven years of OS updates, security updates and Pixel Drops.

CAMERA

On the back you’ll get a dual camera system.

For the first time on an A-Series phone, you can capture the smallest details using Macro Focus. The main camera is a 48 MP sensor with wide angle lens, the other is a 13MP sensor with an ultrawide lens. It’s a dual setup like the Pixel 9 but the 9’s wide angle is 50MP and the ultrawide is a whopping 48MP with autofocus.

On the front you’ll see a 13 MP selfie camera with a ƒ/2.2 aperture and 96° ultrawide field of view.

So although the cameras are a downgrade compared with the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro they are still good enough to take advantage of Google’s incredible AI photo shooting and editing features. So you’ll get all those goodies like Night Sight and Astrophotography.

OTHER AI PHOTO FEATURES:

• Add Me, launched with our Pixel 9 series, is also on A-series for the first time. This feature combines two group photos into one, so everyone makes it into the photo — even the photographer.
• Best Take lets you create the perfect group photo by seamlessly blending facial expressions from a series of photos into one.
• Magic Editor with Auto Frame can automatically reframe your photo, new or old. It suggests the best crop and even expands your image to get more of the scene. You can also Reimagine photos in Magic Editor, like adding fall leaves or green grass. Tap what you want to change in the photo and type what you want to see.

Pixel 9a also has Magic Eraser, Audio Magic Eraser, and the new Panorama with Night Sight.

When it comes to video, the Pixel 9a has reduced options compared with the Pixel 9 and it’s a long way off from the functionality of the Pixel 9 Pro which has 3 rear cameras and 8K recording.

BATTERY

The Pixel 9a has more than 30 hours of battery life and up to 100 hours of Extreme Battery Saver according to Google. It has the best battery life out of any Pixel phone available now. That’s the key area I mentioned earlier. It has wireless Qi charging but not fast wireless charging like the Pixel 9.

PERFORMANCE/AI

The Pixel 9a might have a mid-range price but it certainly doesn’t perform like a lower class smartphone. It has the same Google Tensor G4 chip and Titan M2 coprocessor.

It will launch with Android 15 and have all the AI capabilities you’d expect from a Google phone. Gemini Nano is built in giving Pixel 9a’s personal AI experience an advantage not seen in similar Android phones at this price-point.

You’ll also get access to Gemini Live, which lets you use your voice to interact with Gemini. I use this a lot on my other phones and it’s a very good experience. Soon, Gemini Advanced subscribers will be able to use Gemini Live with video- and screen-sharing capabilities on Pixel 9a.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Pixel 9a starts at A$849 and will be available at the Google Store and through retail partners (including JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, Officeworks, The Good Guys, Telstra, Vodafone and Optus) beginning in April.