Google's Redesigned Pixel 9a Budget Smartphone Gets Pictured In The Wild

More photos of an actual Google Pixel 9a has emerged online, showing what the front and rear of the device look like. Overall, they confirm prior renders of a flatter and cleaner design for Google's low-mid-budget smartphone. As with all leaks and rumors, don't take this bit of news too seriously. Even if the photos are real, prototypes can and will change before hitting production stage.

Google Pixel 9a leaked. pic.twitter.com/XxP67PsY0D

— fenibook (@feni_book) December 5, 2024

Even as Google's Pixel 9a is expected to hit pre-sales as early as mid-March next year, enough information regarding its specs has floated around to whet our appetites. We've even seen CAD renders and early prototypes of the device that indicate how Google might be trying to make an iPhone 7 Plus out of its next A-phone. 

Backing those claims up are a couple of photos posted yesterday on X claiming to be front and rear views of the Pixel 9a. The display is flat-edged, no curves to be seen, which would make buying and installing screen protectors a breeze. The rear is interesting in that we see a placeholder symbol in place of Google's logo plus how the 9a camera island is practically flush with the body (as far as we can tell from the image). The latter is an intentional approach to differentiate the standard Pixel 9 from the lesser model. 

We can tell that this is a prototype not just from the placeholder symbol and markings on the back, but also by the "EVT" label on the sticker, denoting engineering validation test.

So far, what we know about the Pixel 9a is limited to core specs with pricing still remaining a mystery. The phone is expected to have a 6.3-inch Actua AMOLED, a Tensor G4 with 8GB RAM, and a choice of either a sad 128GB or 256GB of onboard storage. Charging speeds are bound at 18W wired and 7.5W wireless paired with possibly a 5,000mAh cell, which are really slow speeds, to be honest. 

As the photos indicate, there will be a triple camera setup—the rear will have 48MP primary and 13MP ultra-wide sensors, while the front will carry a 13MP unit. There will be a slight size bump, but apparently the weight will reduce to 186g from 188g of the Pixel 8a.