Google announced the Pixel 9a a few weeks ago, but a key detail was missing – the date we would be able to get our hands on the phone.
After a period of silence on the subject, Google has announced that the phone Google hopes will be the best mid-range phone around will hit shelves on April 10 in the US, UK and Canada – that’s next week.
Some UK networks have also said they will be stocking the Google Pixel 9a from that date too, with O2 confirming pre-orders are open for delivery next week. It’s also available to order from Amazon.
Oddly, Google’s UK store still lacks full release information and there’s no way to pre-order the 9a there yet, however this could change as we get closer to release.
Why was it delayed?
Shortly after the phone’s launch, it was reported that it was being delayed briefly due to a component quality issue on a small number of devices. We knew something was up, as Google typically launches its mid-range phone with a release date right away, so this move was odd.
A further report stated that “rumors and speculation regarding this delay are false” and “A passive component in Pixel 9a didn’t meet our rigorous quality standards for device longevity and rather than ship it, we made the difficult decision to delay the on shelf and take corrective action on the small number of affected units.”
With the new confirmation of a release date, it seems like those issues have been sorted, and all is ready with the new phone.
Will the Pixel 9a be worth it?
We haven’t had the chance to properly test the $499/£499 Pixel 9a out yet, so we can only go on the spec sheet until we’ve got the phone into our labs for full testing. But on the surface at least, there’s a lot to like.
It’s powered by the same Tensor G3 chip as the Pixel 9 Pro, has a 120Hz display, IP68 water resistance and 8GB of RAM. It also has two cameras, one more than the iPhone 16e, which is a direct competitor to the Pixel 9a.
There will also be some AI features onboard, however ArsTechnica has reported that the AI skills won’t be quite as substantial as those on the flagship Pixel devices. Due to the 9a’s 8GB RAM, rather than 12GB in the other models, the Gemini Nano model being used won’t run continuously in the background and is only loaded when required. This will likely mean it’s a little less responsive, although we’ll have to confirm this ourselves when the phone arrives.
The Gemini Nano XXS model also works only on text requests, and it means the 9a will miss out on some handy features like the fantastic Pixel Screenshots app, as pictures can’t be processed.
Anything else worth knowing?
Until we’ve fully reviewed the Pixel 9a, you can check our other coverage of the device below.
