Google’s Pixel phones tend to be nearly revealed long before the company gets to actually announce them. These leaks, which often come from social media accounts purporting to have seen units in development, are often quite close to the phones Google does reveal.
Just today, 9to5Google spotted two videos that reportedly unbox and review the unannounced Google Pixel 9A. These videos show a phone that does look like a sequel to last year’s Pixel 8A, continuing the lower-cost phone line’s tradition of keeping the newest Tensor processor and camera features while making aesthetic trade-offs like thicker screen bezels.
Google’s Pixel A phones, however, are usually announced around the company’s I/O developer conference, which this year starts on May 20. But regardless of whether we’re truly seeing the device early right now or the Pixel 9A appears later this spring, here’s what I hope does come true about the company’s next lower-cost phone.
The Pixel 8A was priced at $499, and hopefully the Pixel 9A can keep the same price.
Keeping the price steady
With the news around US tariffs and the cost of eggs, there’s a concern that the cost of tech could rise over the course of 2025. Apple has already discontinued its $429 iPhone SE and made the $599 iPhone 16E the lowest-cost way to buy a new iPhone from the company.
On the bright side, Pixel 9A rumors do appear to point towards a $499 price for the phone, which would keep it consistent with last year’s Pixel 8A and 2023’s Pixel 7A. That price came from Android Headlines in February, which listed the US price as $499 for a model with 128GB of storage.
A bigger battery than the 8A (but I don’t know about Qi2)
The Pixel 9A might be getting a bigger battery than last year’s 8A, according to an Android Headlines report that says it will have a 5,100 mAh capacity. If so, that will be bigger than the Pixel 8A’s 4,492 mAh and the Pixel 9’s 4,700 mAh. Battery life is always a top concern for a phone, especially as more power-intensive applications like on-device Gemini AI become widespread.
While the bigger battery will be nice, I’m unsure if the Pixel 9A will be the first Pixel to get 15-watt Qi2 magnetic wireless charging support. Even though Google announced its intention to support the standard, it’s unusual for the A phones to get a feature that isn’t already included in their more expensive counterpart. Regardless of whether the 9A supports the original Qi standard or Qi2, I hope Google does start selling cases that provide support for magnetic accessories, which would match the support that Samsung and OnePlus are providing for their newer phones.
The Pixel 3A came in a “Purple-ish” model.
The purple Pixel
Google’s color choices get quite wild for many of the cheaper Pixel phones. After dabbling in peony pink and winter green for the Pixel 9, an unboxing video from Sahil Karoul, below, appears to show a purple edition of the 9A.
It’s not quite as bold as the colors seen on the Pixel 9, and you could fairly compare it to the “purple-ish” color seen on the Pixel 3A back in 2019. But seeing the Pixel line return to purple could be well received, as it’s a look that has pleased phone fans in the past. For instance, back in 2019, Apple raised quite a bit of attention for the iPhone 11 by releasing a purple edition.
Maybe this is the start of purple’s comeback in the phone scene following many phones in 2023 and 2024 highlighting Barbie pink.
As we wait for the official unveiling of the Pixel 9A, you can check out all the rumors we’re finding about the phone in our Google Pixel 9A rumor roundup.
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