Google's Pixel 9a smartphone could arrive in early 2025 with an upgraded display, chipset, and a larger battery.
Pixel 9a is tipped to arrive without the rear camera 'visor' design from the Pixel 9 (pictured)
Google Pixel 9a is not expected to debut for several months, but details of the purported handset have already surfaced online on more than one occasion. It is expected to arrive as the successor to this year's Pixel 8a model, which is the company's latest midrange smartphone. A publication has now leaked several key specifications of the Pixel 9a, which could be unveiled by Google in early 2025. The handset will reportedly be equipped with a larger battery and the firm's current-generation Tensor G4 chipset.
An Android Headlines report citing multiple sources claims that the Pixel 9a will sport a 6.3-inch Actual display, with a refresh rate that ranges between 60Hz and 120Hz. This is slightly larger than the 6.1-inch screen on the current-generation A-series model, and will bring the midrange phone on par with the standard Pixel 9 model.
If the Pixel 9a comes with a bigger screen, the size of the handset is also expected to increase. The company will use the additional space to include a larger 5,000mAh battery, according to the publication — a considerable improvement over the Pixel 8a, which arrived earlier this year with a 4,500mAh battery.
Google typically equips its Pixel A-series phones with its current generation chips, and the upcoming handset is expected to follow the same trend. The report states that the Pixel 9a will be powered by a Tensor G4 chip, along with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage.
Meanwhile, the company will reportedly equip the Pixel 9a with a 48-megapixel primary camera — previous reports suggest that it will be the same sensor used on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It is also said to feature a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera, in a horizontal layout on the rear panel. On the front, the purported Pixel 9a is said to feature a 13-megapixel selfie camera.
The Pixel 9a is expected to arrive with Android 15 and is likely to receive 7 years of OS upgrades and monthly security updates, just like the Pixel 8a and other recent smartphones. According to a recent report, the company could launch the smartphone in early 2025 instead of unveiling it at Google I/O in May.
For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2025 hub.