Google Pixel 9a — Google’s new mid-range phone, which comes with a lot of new things. This time Google has made many changes from design to battery, and an attempt has been made to match it a bit with the Pixel 9 series . But whether all these changes are really interesting or not, let’s see!
Google Pixel 9a Launch Date in India, Price and Availability
According to GADGETS 360, Google Pixel 9a was officially launched in India on March 19, 2025. According to the company, this phone will be available for sale in India from April 2025. However, the exact sale date has not been announced yet.
The starting price of Pixel 9a in India has been set at ₹49,999. This price is for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. Apart from this, a 256GB storage variant is also available, which can be priced at ₹59,999. This phone will be available in four colors: Iris, Obsidian, Peony and Porcelain.
New Design — Goodbye Camera Housing!
First of all, let’s talk about the design. If you look at the back, this time the Pixel 9a does not have a camera visor, which was the hallmark of previous Pixel phones . Instead, it has a flat dual-camera setup.
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Google has said that this design is inspired by “water droplets”, but to be honest, it seems that they did not get time to put the camera housing and just left it like that. However, there is an advantage to this as well — now this phone lies flat on the table, no wobble!
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Camera and Macro Focus — Amazing in close-up shots!
Now let’s come to the camera, because the cameras of Pixel phones have always been great. Pixel 9a has two cameras – a 48MP main camera (f/1.7 aperture) and a 13MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2 aperture). Although there is not much change in the hardware, but this time Google has added a new feature – Macro Focus .
In Macro Focus , the phone itself detects that you are close to something, and then automatically turns on macro mode. The special thing is that the main lens is used for macro mode, which gives you more detail and clarity. And yes, you can also shoot 4K videos in macro mode!
But one thing is bothering – instead of the ultra-wide camera, I wish it had a telephoto lens, which would have made zooming more fun. Yes, Google has given 8x Super Res Zoom in it, which gives you clean zoom shots with the help of AI, but that thing will not be as sharp as optical zoom.
Hey, it’s AI — no shortage of smartness!
The Google Pixel 9a has all the same AI features that were seen in the Pixel 9 series . Such as – Magic Eraser (with which you can remove unwanted things from the photo), Audio Magic Eraser (which removes background noise in videos), and Best Take (which creates photos with good expressions of everyone in group photos).
Also, if you have a Gemini Advanced Subscription , then you can ask live questions to Google’s new AI assistant Gemini by showing things through the camera. But one thing is a little disappointing – in Pixel 9a you will not get any free trial of Gemini Advanced , which came free for 12 months with Pixel 9 and 9 Pro.
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Bigger Display, Even Bigger Bezels — The screen has grown, even the edges!
Now let’s talk about the screen – this time the Pixel 9a has a 6.3-inch pOLED display, which is slightly larger than last year’s Pixel 8a and equal to the Pixel 9 . The brightness has also now reached 2,700 nits, which will help in seeing the screen clearly even in sunlight.
But… its bezels are a bit thicker. Yes, this has become the identity of the A-series, but still, when other brands are making almost bezel-less phones, the thick bezels of the Pixel 9a look a bit old-fashioned. The good thing is that the screen has become 120Hz, which makes scrolling and gaming smooth.
Same Tensor G4 as the Pixel 9s? — No compromise in performance!
Now the interesting thing is that the Pixel 9a has the same Tensor G4 chip as the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro . Meaning it will be top-notch in terms of performance. However, some reports are saying that its modem is a bit weak, due to which the network performance can vary a bit.
Apart from this, it has 8GB of RAM and two storage options – 128GB and 256GB. However, 128GB seems a bit less these days, especially when you take high-res photos and record 4K videos.
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Biggest Battery EVER (for a Pixel) – Big bang in battery!
Now coming to the biggest upgrade – Pixel 9a has the biggest battery ever! It has a 5,100mAh battery, which Google claims can last this phone for up to 30 hours. And if you put it on Extreme Battery Saver Mode, it can last up to 100 hours.
But one thing is bothersome – charging speed. This phone only supports 23W wired charging, which is a bit slow by today’s standards. And if you want to charge it with wireless charging, it’s only 7.5W — even slower!
A Few Disappointments — Not everything is perfect!
Not everything is perfect. There are a few things about the Pixel 9a that might disappoint:
- Storage : Only 128GB in the base variant — that seems a bit less these days.
- Fingerprint sensor : It still has an optical fingerprint reader, while the Pixel 9 had an ultrasonic sensor, which is faster and more accurate.
- Charging : 23W wired and 7.5W wireless charging — that’s pretty slow compared to today’s fast charging phones.
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Final Thoughts
Now the last and most important thing — the price. Google has priced the Pixel 9a at just $499, which seems pretty fair, especially when you’re getting the same performance as the Pixel 9 , the same AI features, and a bigger battery.
If you want a phone with a great camera, great battery life, and Google’s pure Android experience — the Pixel 9a is a really good option. And best of all — this phone is going to get software updates for seven years, which makes it pretty future-proof.
So, did you like the Pixel 9a ? Would you prefer it over the Pixel 9 ? Let us know in the comments below!