Leaked Pixel 9a Renders Reveal It’s Ready to Ditch the Camera Bar

Oct. 1, 2024

The Pixel 9 (review) series has made quite the name for itself thanks to the improved hardware and AI features. Like each year, it’s time to shift focus toward the A-series Pixels, which usually launch mid-year. It looks like we already have high-quality leaked renders of the Pixel 9a that give us a good look at what to expect. Here’s everything you need to know.

The renders come fromAndroid Headlinesand are in line with thereal-world imagesof the Pixel 9a that leaked a few months ago. One of the first major differences you will see right away is the completely flat camera module. There’sno camera baror island like the Pixel 9 series.

It is atypical for an A-series device to not possess the design elements of the same year’s Pixel models, but here we are. Accompanying the dual cameras is an LED flash, but the rest of the back is pretty clean.

Besides, thefront looks identicalto the vanilla Pixel 9; the bezels are prominently thick, though. The volume rocker and power buttons are on the right side. Additionally, the SIM card slot is at the bottom, along with the Type-C port and downward firing speaker.

Specifications-wise, we may not see a major leap from the Pixel 8a. We expect it to have the same 6.1-inch 120Hz display, 8GB RAM and 128GB base storage as its predecessor. However, the 9a could feature the latest Tensor G4 (benchmarks) instead, albeit an underpowered one. That’s because of the IPoP (Integrated Package-on-Package) tech instead of FOPLP (Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging).

The Pixel 9a could be the last Pixel to use Samsung Foundry’s manufacturing process, as Google is moving to TSMC’s manufacturing node for the Tensor G5. Besides, expect the Pixel 9a to come withAndroid 15out of the box,unlike the Pixel 9 series.

We were under the impression that Google may abandon the Pixel A series altogether asOnLeakshad previously suggested “this may be the last Pixel Xa series device”. While we hadour reasons to believe so, we now know that’s not happening.

What are your thoughts on Pixel 9a? Do you like the different design approach Google is taking, or would you have preferred to see a Pixel 9-like camera island? Let us know in the comments.