Google Pixel 9a Officially Unveiled: Tensor 4 SoC, AI Features, 7 Years of Updates

After a series of leaks that have left almost nothing unknown about Google’s next mid-range smartphone, the Pixel 9a has officially been unveiled. Priced starting at $499 (approximately ₹43,177), the Pixel 9a supports Google’s Gemini suite of AI features and promises to bring the Pixel 9 series’ promise of camera quality to a wider audience. Other selling points include all-day battery life and guaranteed software updates for seven years.

The Pixel 9a has a 48-megapixel primary camera and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera on the back. The front camera has a 13-megapixel resolution. Macro photos are possible for the first time on one of Google’s lower-priced Pixel A-series phones. The company also touts the Pixel 9a’s astrophotography, night photo and video, and realistic skin tone reproduction.

AI features for photography include Add Me, which lets people generate group shots from individual exposures, Photo Unblur to fix poorly taken shots, Magic Editor for automatic reframing including background generation, and Reimagine to add AI-generated elements. Google’s Gemini AI also includes tools to rewrite and edit text, and the interactive voice assistant can follow conversations with context. Gemini AI can be used to execute instructions using information and tools in multiple apps. 

Google has gone with a simple design, using a metal frame and matte glass rear panel. The cameras barely protrude from the rear panel, for a sleek look. The display is made of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 which is said to be scratch-resistant. This phone comes in four colours: Obsidian, Porcelain, Iris and Peony. An IP68 rating indicates protection from dust and immersion in water. This phone weighs 185.9g and is 8.9mm thick.

The Pixel 9a has a 6.3-inch full-HD+ pOLED screen with a 120Hz maximum refresh rate. There’s a 5100mAh battery, for a claimed 30+ hour battery life. Google has used its own Tensor G4 SoC, the same used for the more expensive Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro models. There’s 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. You also get Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC. In addition to a single Nano-SIM, one eSIM is also supported. The USB Type-C port works at USB 3.2 speed. 

Google ships this phone with Android 15, and has promised seven years of major version updates and security patches. Periodic Pixel Drop feature updates will bring new capabilities and tweaks over time.