The iPhone 17e handed the Pixel 10a its biggest L — and Google did it to itself

Apple had a big lineup of announcements last week. Of all the news, what particularly caught my eye is the iPhone 17e, which came on the heels of the Pixel 10a — its direct competitor. Call it incredible timing, but it almost felt like Apple was closely trailing Google and launched its own budget phone with one terrific feature I’ve been sorely missing on the Pixel 10a: MagSafe.

The entire iPhone lineup, from the cheapest iPhone 17e to the most expensive iPhone 17 Pro Max, has magnets for more convenient charging. In stark contrast, the weakest link in the Pixel 10 lineup is the new Pixel 10a, which already feels outdated just a few days after its launch.

What makes you call something convenient? I’d say it’s getting the same or even similar results with reduced effort. MagSafe fits that statement perfectly — it lets you wirelessly charge your phone without worrying about placing it correctly on the charging mat. Without it, wireless charging can sometimes get so frustrating that you’d want to plug in the phone instead.

Between MagSafe with slower charging and fast but non-magnetic wireless charging, I’d pick the former without second thoughts — the convenience is that addictive.

Beyond addiction, it’s also about what device works better with your existing hardware setup. Smartphone purchase decisions aren’t based only on which camp you’re in — iOS or Android — but also on what existing connected devices you own; you wouldn’t pick up an iPhone if your car only supports Android Auto.

The same goes for MagSafe accessories. If you already have a MagSafe charger on the nightstand or as a car mount, you’ll likely go with the handset that works with those accessories. Qi2 is now a critical feature I now look for while shopping for accessories or when upgrading my family’s handsets. I’d specifically avoid the Pixel 10a because it wouldn’t work with all the MagSafe devices spread around my house.

Calling MagSafe universal may sound like an overstatement when most Android flagships, including the newly launched Galaxy S26 series, still haven’t fully embraced magnetic Qi2 charging. But one simple search on Amazon will give you a list of MagSafe accessories so long that your fingers will get tired of scrolling. That’s the iPhone effect.

When iPhones add a feature, it instantly goes viral among consumers and, as a result, accessory makers. We’ve seen that with MagSafe and previously with the Lightning cable, when the market exploded with compatible accessories.

And those magnets have found far more interesting ways to shine besides charging. You can attach a small wallet to the phone’s back, a ring for better grip, interchangeable lenses, laptop mounts, or even stick a portable SSD on the back while it’s connected.

Unfortunately, you can do exactly zero of those things directly on the Pixel 10a. You’d need a case with a magnetic ring to make it work, but such patch jobs come with several compromises, including never being quite sure whether the phone’s charging properly. Moreover, if Google releases a new Pixelsnap accessory, the Pixel 10a will be glaringly missing from the compatibility list.

This may seem like a rant against the Pixel 10a, but it’s actually one against Google for skipping MagSafe. In other areas, the Pixel 10a actually beats the iPhone 17e to the punch.

Have you seen that hideous notch on the iPhone 17e? It feels like a smartphone from a bygone era. And when you flip it over, a single camera lens stares right back at you. In both those areas, the Pixel 10a looks far more modern with its slick hole-punch front camera and a dedicated ultrawide lens on the back — all while flaunting a flat rear with absolutely no camera bumps.

Moreover, the budget Pixel comes with a brighter display — one that refreshes at 120Hz vs. 60Hz on the iPhone — and offers a larger 5,100mAh battery with faster 30W charging. And not to forget, you get a much richer suite of AI apps powered by Gemini, which Apple itself is borrowing as the underlying tech for Siri. All of this makes the Pixel 10a an overall better phone than the iPhone 17e.

The fact that the Pixel 10a costs $100 less than the iPhone 17e is a valid excuse for ditching magnetic charging (and using an older-gen Tensor processor). Quite frankly, the Pixel would still be a strong handset even if it were priced closer to the budget iPhone — at that price, it would’ve been easier to justify adding Qi2 charging.

Google knows how much magnetic accessories matter, which is why the rest of the Pixel 10 lineup has Qi2 support. Perhaps this is Google’s “iPhone 16e” moment, where it’s trying to cut costs to keep prices in check. So, there’s a good chance it will course-correct next year with the Pixel 11a, following in the footsteps of the iPhone 17e.

In the meantime, if you must buy a phone right now, make sure to snag a deal on the Pixel 10 to get much better value for your money instead of trying to make MagSafe work on the Pixel 10a using a case.