GOOGLE has officially revealed its latest budget-friendly smartphone with a number of key upgrades.
The Google Pixel 9a features a refined new look from previous generations, with the camera neatly embedded into the device rather than poking out.
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Improvements have been made to the dual rear camera system, with a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera to fit everyone in the shot and a 48-megapixel main camera.
Macro Focus for professional looking shots of small details has also been introduced, which is the first time for Google’s budget A-series devices.
As well as a boost to the camera, the battery has also been upped, measuring bigger than Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Google says the battery lasts up to 30 hours in standard mode but can be stretched to over 100 hours when in extreme battery saver.
As for features, some of the new tricks seen on the main Google Pixel 9 have made their way to the cheaper line.
This includes Add Me, an AI tool that allows the person taking a group photo to magically add themselves on after.
There’s also Best Take so you can pick the perfect shot of your face in group images too.
And Google continues to commit to seven years of Android updates as well.
This year, the firm is offering a bunch of added freebies – though there’s no Gemini Advanced as we saw with the Pixel 9.
Instead, there are more than £90 worth of free perks on offer.
This includes three months of Google One storage with 100GB to keep your photos and videos safe.
In addition, there’s three months of free YouTube Premium so you no longer have to sit through ads.
And users get six months of Fitbit Premium as well.
The Google Pixel 9a starts at £499 with four colours available:
- Obsidian
- Porcelain
- Peony
- Iris
Who offers free updates longest?
The longer you receive updates, the longer you can safely continue using your smartphone – with the latest features thrown in too for free.
Samsung
Since the Galaxy S24 series, Samsung said it would provide at least seven generations of OS updates and seven years of security updates.
OnePlus
At the launch of the OnePlus 12, OnePlus committed to at least four years of Android updates and five years of security updates.
Xiaomi
Xiaomi offers four years off Android updates and five years security updates.
Google
For the Pixel 9, Google said that devices would receive at least seven years of support.
