Pixel 9a release date, price, specs, and must-know features
The Google Pixel 9a is now official and it's unveiling date is March 19, 2025.
We knew virtually everything there was to know about the Pixel 9a – Google is not in the business of keeping secrets – and our expectations about the device were confirmed.
The Pixel 9a is the mighty potent Pixel 8a's successor – another amazing mid-ranger from the search engine giant. Despite the "9a" moniker, this is the seventh Pixel "a" phone. The budget-friendly variants of the Pixel flagships kicked off with the immortal classic Pixel 3a back in 2019 and have left millions of users across the globe satisfied. The new Pixel should do the same, easily.
It features the Google Tensor G4 chipset, paired with 8 GB of RAM and storage options of 128 GB or 256 GB. The battery on the Pixel 9a is jaw dropping: it's now a 5,100 mAh capacity cell, a 13% increase over its predecessor, with 23W wired charging and 7.5W wireless charging.
The camera setup includes a 48 MP main sensor, one that is very similar to the one used in the Pixel Fold 9 Pro, replacing the Pixel 8a's 64 MP sensor for potentially better performance. The ultrawide and front cameras retain their 13 MP resolution.
The display grows to 6.3 inches, offering increased peak brightness, but the device is compact at 154.7 x 73.3 x 8.9 mm and 185.9 g.
Other highlights include an IP68 water and dust resistance rating and a design similar to the Pixel 9 lineup (minus the camera bar ), available in Obsidian, Porcelain, Iris, and Peony colors.
Other highlights include an IP68 water and dust resistance rating and a design similar to the Pixel 9 lineup (minus the camera bar ), available in Obsidian, Porcelain, Iris, and Peony colors.
Let's dive deeper!
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Pixel 9a release date
The Pixel 9a was made official on March 19, 2025. Pre-orders, however, were not active at time of release. Google said the Pixel 9a is going to be available in the Google Store and at retail partners in April 2025. The phone was believed to be suffering from overheating issues and a talks of delay arose, but a Google representative contacted us and explained that a passive component in the device did not meet internal benchmarks for long-term reliability. Shortly after, the Pixel 9a was back on track for its April shipments.
The March unveiling is a significant shift from the typical Pixel a-series launch, which has traditionally taken place around mid-May in recent years.
Google is likely pushing the Pixel 9a's release forward to create more separation from the Pixel 10, which is set to debut in August 2025. This strategy not only spaces out its major product launches but also gives Google a head start in the market, helping it avoid direct competition with flagship devices typically released in the fall.
Google has been gradually accelerating its Android timeline, as seen with the Pixel 9 series, which debuted in mid-August 2024, two months ahead of the usual October schedule. Android 16 is also expected earlier than usual.
Google has been gradually accelerating its Android timeline, as seen with the Pixel 9 series, which debuted in mid-August 2024, two months ahead of the usual October schedule. Android 16 is also expected earlier than usual.
| Device family | Announcement | Market release |
|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel 9a | March 19 | April 2025 |
| Google Pixel 8a | May 7, 2024 | May 14, 2024 |
| Google Pixel 7a | May 10, 2023 | May 10, 2023 |
Pixel 9a price
The Pixel 9a comes without a price hike for the 128 GB version.
| Pixel model | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Pixel 9a | $499 |
| Pixel 8a | $499 |
| Pixel 7a | $499 |
| Pixel 6a | $449 |
Google's "a" series started at $399 for the Pixel 3a back in 2019 and since then, the price is going in one direction: up (with the notable exception of the Pixel 4a, which was sold for $349)!
Pixel 9a camera
The Pixel 9a comes with a dual rear camera system for great photo and video results and a capable enough selfie that packs a trick or two up its sleeve.
Pixel phones and their cameras are a genre of their own, and that's no surpise. You're getting a solid snapper that is not outstanding in terms of hardware, but shines on the software front: computational photography is the keyword.
- Main camera: 48 MP, 1/2-inch sensor, f/1.7 aperture, 82° field of view
- Ultra wide camera: 13 MP, 1/3.1-inch sensor, f/2.2 aperture, 120° field of view
- Front camera: 13 MP, f/2.2, 96.1° ultrawide field of view
The Pixel 9a's main camera is the main star here, and it brings advanced autofocus features and OIS (optical image stabilization). Its large f/1.7 aperture ensures that more light gets on the 1/2-inch sensor, which should result in cleaner, finer, better end results. Given that the Pixel 8a's camera comes with a 64 MP sensor – and the Pixel 9a lowers that to 48 MP – you might be tempted to say that's a downgrade. But this 48 MP camera is similar to the one used in the Pixel Fold 9 Pro (although Google says there are differences).
Despite the lower megapixel count, the new sensor could offer improved depth and detail.
The Pixel 9a doesn't come with a dedicated telephoto camera, but its main camera supports Super Res Zoom up to 8x: a fancy Google software technology that enhances photos when you want that extra reach.
There is, however, a standalone ultra wide camera and it comes with optical and electronic image stabilization. It's most likely the same ultra wide camera from the Pixel 8a and Pixel 7a.
The front camera on the Pixel 9a is backed by a 13 MP sensor and it's one that also familiar, as both the Pixel 8a and Pixel 7a came with a 13 MP selfie snapper.
Camera features and editing tricks
Beyond the aforementioned Super Res Zoom, the Pixel 9a will make taking photos and videos funnier that it used to be with features like:
- Add Me
- Macro Focus Photo
- Night Sight
- Astrophotography
- Portrait Mode
- Face Unblur
- Long Exposure
- Real Tone
- Panorame
- Top Shot
- Frequent Faces
Add Me, for example, uses AI to automatically include the photographer in group shots by capturing multiple images and seamlessly blending them together. As far as Night Sight goes, it's been legendary for years now: as the name suggests, this one delivers great images when it's dark. Face Unblur uses AI to sharpen blurry faces in photos by combining data from multiple camera exposures, ensuring clearer and more detailed portraits.
But that's not the end of it. The Pixel 9a comes with various editing features as well:
- Magic Editor
- Auto Frame
- Reimagine
- Magic Eraser
- Best Take
- Photo Unblur
- Portrait Light
For example, Magic Editor allows users to make advanced edits, such as repositioning subjects, resizing objects, and adjusting backgrounds, all with simple taps. The Magic Eraser feature removes unwanted distractions from photos, helping to create cleaner and more focused images.
For refining portraits, Best Take blends multiple shots to ensure everyone in a group photo has their best expression, while Photo Unblur sharpens blurry images to restore clarity. Additionally, Portrait Light enhances lighting on faces, allowing users to adjust brightness and shadows for more professional-looking portraits. These features make it easier to perfect photos without needing advanced editing skills.
For refining portraits, Best Take blends multiple shots to ensure everyone in a group photo has their best expression, while Photo Unblur sharpens blurry images to restore clarity. Additionally, Portrait Light enhances lighting on faces, allowing users to adjust brightness and shadows for more professional-looking portraits. These features make it easier to perfect photos without needing advanced editing skills.
Video capabilities
For video, the Pixel 9a comes with 4K video recording capabilities at 30/60 fps (frames per second). There's a digital video zoom up to 5x as well. The selfie camera can record 4K at 30 fps.
There's a whole galaxy of video features at your disposal as well, such as:
- Audio Magic Eraser
- Macro Focus Video
- Cinematic Pan
- Slo-Mo support up to 240 fps
- Timelapse stabilization
- Astrophotography timelapse
- Night Sight timelapse
- Optical image stabilization for video
The Pixel 9a records in HEVC (H.265), AVC (H.264) video file formats.
Of course, there's stereo recording and Speech enhancement and Wind noise reduction are there to make your clips sound even better.
Pixel 9a storage
Things are not different from the Pixel 8a and the Pixel 9a offers what many mid-rangers do.
Pixel 9a storage capacity:
- 128 GB
- 256 GB
Pixel 9a design
When it comes to the design, this is where the Pixel 9a is radically different from its predecessor. See, the Pixel 9a comes without Google's trademark camera bar on its back. This fresh new look is sort of an homage to the original Pixel "a" phone: the Pixel 3a.
The phone is sleek, minimalistic and with overall dimensions of 154.7 x 73.3 x 8.9 mm. It weighs 185.9 g (6.6 oz) and it comes with a IP68 dust and water resistance. Google says it's got a fingerprint-resistant coating, but we'll have to test this one in real-life usage. Google claims large portions of the phone are made out of recycled materials.
Colors
- Obsidian
- Porcelain
- Iris
- Peony
As you can see, the Aloe and Bay shades are being replaced by two new colors: Peony, which closely resembles the color option on the Pixel 9, and Iris, a soft bluish-purple tone.
Pixel 9a display
More differences ahead! The Pixel 6a, Pixel 7a and Pixel 8a all come with a 6.1-inch display that offers a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, a 20:9 ratio, and 431 PPI.
The Pixel 9a arrives with a 6.3-inch Actua display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1080 x 2424 at 422.2 PPI (pixels per inch). The screen experience should be solid with the 60-120Hz refresh rate that ensures smooth scrolling.
Gorilla Glass 3 by Corning is used as cover glass for protection, but don't drop it from too high.
The Pixel 9a's screen is no match for expensive flagships when it comes to screen brightness, but you shouldn't have that much of a trouble using it outside on a sunny day; it goes up to 1,800 nits of brightness (HDR) and up to 2,700 nits (peak brightness).
For reference, the panel on the Pixel 8a also supports HDR and has an always-on option. For it, Google has bumped up the brightness and cites 1,400 nits of HDR brightness and up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness. According to Google, this is 40% brighter than the Pixel 7a, so you can see that Pixel 9a is advancing.
Pixel 9a battery
The Pixel 9a battery is why this phone could turn out to be a hit: 5,100 mAh capacity for the win! That's approximately 13% larger than the Pixel 8a's and once you're into the 5,000 mAh+ territory, the fun begins.
| Phone | Battery size |
|---|---|
| Pixel 9a | 5,100 mAh |
| Pixel 8a | 4.492 mAh (-12%) |
| Pixel 7a | 4,385 mAh (-14%) |
Google says that's a 30+ hour battery, and it's definitely possible to use the Pixel 9a for more than a day, as long as you don't overuse it. With the Extreme Battery Saver feature, the company claims it's possible one can get up to 100-hour battery life.
Besides the 5,100 mAh capacity battery, the phone comes with 23W wired charging capabilities and up to 7.5W wirelessly with Qi-certified EPP chargers.
Pixel 9a features and software
What's great about the Pixel 9a is that this mid-ranger will be supported by Google for seven years, which means you'll get:
- 7 years of Android updates
- 7 years of security software updates
- 7 years of Pixel Drop updates
The Pixel Drop updates are exclusive feature updates released periodically for Google Pixel phones, adding new AI-powered tools, camera enhancements, and software improvements. These updates are more than just cool – they bring fresh capabilities, such as improved editing features, better call quality, and security upgrades, keeping Pixel devices ahead with the latest innovations.
The Pixel 9a is also presented as coming with Google VPN at no extra cost (but that feature is not available in all countries, so do check beforehand).
The phone is paying extra attention to protection with anti-malware and anti-phishing protection and spam protection in Google Phone and Messages, which is handy.
Differently abled people are not left behind and the Pixel 9a offers a range of accessibility enhancements, such as Hearing Aid compatibility, Guided Frame, Magnifier, Live Caption, TalkBack screen reader, Lookout, Voice Access, and more.
For example, TalkBack is an accessibility feature designed for individuals who are blind or have low vision, enabling them to navigate their Android devices through touch and spoken feedback. When activated, it highlights on-screen elements with a focus box and provides audio descriptions to assist with interaction.
However, the Pixel 9a might not provide the full AI experience that other, more expensive Pixels offer.
Pixel 9a hardware and specs
The phones comes with 8 GB of RAM on board and the Tensor G4 under the hood.
It's true that Tensor silicon is not a powerhouse like Apple's A chips, or Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon ones. But for an everyday use, the Tensor G4 will be more than adequate for most people: it gets things done.
Apart from that, there's the Titan M2 security co-processor on board, which is a nice addition.
The Titan M2 adds extra protection beyond Android's built-in security features. It helps keep sensitive data, like encryption keys and biometrics, safe from malicious apps by storing them in a separate, secure environment. Unlike most phones that rely on a built-in secure area within the processor, Google uses Titan M2 as an independent security module with its own memory and operating system. This design enhances protection, ensuring critical data stays isolated from potential threats.
There's a fingerprint unlock, as well as a face unlock to choose from, if you don't want to use a pattern, PIN, or a password.
Comparisons
- Google Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9 preview: Why would you go with the flagship anyway?
- Google Pixel 9a vs Pixel 8a preliminary comparison: Google might be turning things up to eleven!
- iPhone 16e vs Pixel 9a preview: which mini flagship to care about?
- Pixel 9a vs Galaxy S24 FE: The battle for the affordable flagship crown
- Pixel 9a vs Pixel 7a preliminary comparison: Just two years, but the evolution is massive
- Pixel 9a vs Pixel 8: Does the old flagship stand a chance?
- Pixel 9a vs Nothing Phone (3a) Pro: Nothing can stop the Pixel 9a
- Samsung Galaxy A56 5G vs Google Pixel 9a: Google might have a winner on its hands
Should you buy the Pixel 9a?
- You should get the Pixel 9a if you're planning on upgrading your phone and you think now is the time. This banger could be the one for you, if you're an Android fan, if you love getting the maximum for your money, and if you're love taking photos with your mobile.
- You should not get the Pixel 9a if you've just bought a new phone that's in the mid-range (or above) category. Also, if you dream of having a telephoto camera on your phone, you can pretty much forget about the Pixel 9a, as it doesn't offer such a snapper. For the telephoto fiesta, you need to buy the Pixel 9 Pro ticket, or wait for the Pixel 10 lineup to drop.
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