Rumors suggest the Pixel 9A will arrive early this spring, with a March launch rather than one timed closer to Google’s I/O developer conference in May, the annual event during which previous A-series phones have debuted.
We’ve also seen plenty of leaks and reports about what the budget phone could look like and which specs it’ll feature, from a redesigned camera module to improved battery life — and, undoubtedly, plenty of new AI features.
Here are all the latest rumors on the Pixel 9A and when it could launch.
When will the Pixel 9A come out?
With Google bumping the release of its flagship Pixel 9 lineup to August instead of October last year, it’s likely we’ll see its budget phone come out sooner too — likely in mid-March, according to Android Headlines.
This isn’t too surprising, given that Google has essentially transformed I/O into an all-things-AI session during which hardware is hardly mentioned. Even last year, the Pixel 8A was unveiled a week before the company’s big event.
How much will the Pixel 9A cost?
According to Android Headlines, the Pixel 9A will maintain the 8A’s $499 starting price for 128GB of storage. If you bump storage up to 256GB, you’ll reportedly pay $599.
Keeping prices the same, especially with a budget phone, can be advantageous. But fresh off the heels of Apple’s iPhone 16E release, which starts at a not-so-bugdet-friendly $599, a lower starting price could give the Pixel 9A a leg up.
What will the Pixel 9A look like?
The biggest change, according to leaks, is the loss of the Pixel’s signature camera bar. Instead, Android Headlines suggests, the 9A’s wide and ultrawide cameras will sit flush with the back of the phone.
Renders from Sudhanshu Ambhore on X also show a more minimal camera design, with the two lenses sitting more subtly on the back-left side of the device.
Google Pixel 9a renders thread (without watermark) pic.twitter.com/WpFU6MTeBe
— Sudhanshu Ambhore (@Sudhanshu1414) February 17, 2025
The main camera will reportedly be 48 megapixels (down from 64 megapixels on the 8A), while the ultrawide and selfie cameras could maintain their 13-megapixel sensors. Megapixels aren’t everything, and it’s likely Google will tout other ways it’s improved its cameras this year (my money’s on AI being mentioned plenty here).
Renders show another thing: the purported colors of the new phone. The Pixel 9A will reportedly come in porcelain (white), obsidian (black), peony (pink) and iris (a purple-y hue).
In a video claiming to show the Pixel 9A, the phone’s sides and back appear flatter. The volume buttons also seem more subdued.
It’s possible the new budget phone will have a larger 6.3-inch screen (versus the Pixel 8A’s 6.1-inch display) and be slightly thinner than its predecessor.
An unboxing video from YouTuber Sahil Karoul posted on Saturday appears to show the Pixel 9A in iris, seemingly confirming rumors about the phone’s general appearance — adapted camera module and all. Another video from The Mobile Central posted on Sunday similarly looks to show the device in white, with a similar appearance.
Processor, AI features and battery
If Google sticks to the script, its budget phone will share the same processor as its flagship devices, meaning the Pixel 9A would be powered by a Tensor G4 chip, the same silicon that powers the Pixel 9. But Android Authority reports that instead of using the same Exynos Modem 5400, the 9A will feature the 5300 found on the Pixel 8 series. This is likely a measure to keep prices low, but it could mean Google’s budget device will have to do without the flagship Pixel 9’s Satellite SOS feature, since that’s powered by that 5400 modem.
On the other hand, the presence of the Tensor G4 chip means we’ll likely see the same AI features from the flagship Pixel 9 series on the 9A, like Add Me and Pixel Studio. With Apple Intelligence arriving on board the iPhone 16E and Galaxy AI being baked into the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, it’s pretty much a given now that even budget phones will flex the latest AI features.
Lastly, Android Headlines suggests the Pixel 9A will feature a 5,100-mAh battery, which would be a boost over the 8A’s 4,492-mAh battery. If the 9A does end up being slimmer than its predecessor, having longer battery life to boot would certainly be the cherry on top.
We’ll have to see how many of these rumors shape up to be reality — and it looks like we could know sooner rather than later.
Watch this: iPhone 16E Review
