When the Google Pixel 9a arrives — possibly as soon as this month — it will face stiff competition from other mid-range phone rivals.
The new Nothing Phone 3a Pro delivers a remarkable Android phone for just $479, and while pricier the iPhone 16e is a powerful device with Apple Intelligence for $599.
To compete, the Pixel 9a will almost certainly lean into AI features. But much of the focus will be on the phone's cameras. There's a good reason for that.
Google has a well-earned reputation for producing the best camera phones, especially among its lower-cost offerings. I continue to think the Pixel 8a turns out the best pictures of any sub-$500 phone, and I'm eager to see if its successor lives up to that standard.
Here's what we've heard about the Pixel 9a cameras based on rumors about the new phone and how other low-cost camera phones are raising the stakes for Google's upcoming release.
The Pixel 9a's competitors
We've seen a flurry of midrange phones come out in recent weeks, with two in particular posing potential challenges for the Pixel 9a. That would be the iPhone 16e on the high-end and the recent batch of Nothing devices — the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, in particular — on the low-end.
In theory, the iPhone 16e should be of little concern to Google. Apple's least expensive iPhone has spiked in price, going from $429 with the iPhone SE (2022) to $599 with the iPhone 16e. As a result, Apple has priced itself out of consideration to be the best cheap phone, leaving the Pixel 9a to rule over that category once it arrives.
Furthermore, Apple is sticking with just one camera on the iPhone 16e, even if it is an upgraded 48MP one that can also provide 2x zooms. With both a main camera and ultrawide lens on the Pixel, you'd expect Google's phone to easily handle the iPhone in any face-off.
And yet, when my colleague John Velasco conducted a 200-photo face-off with the iPhone 16e and the Pixel 8a, Apple's phone came out on top. Improvements to low-light photography and zooming helped the iPhone 16e make up ground on Google's current low-cost Pixel, and the iPhone displayed the better dynamic range in its shots. Clearly, the Pixel 9a is going to have work to do to top that, even if it does have the advantage of an extra rear lens.
Meanwhile, the $379 Nothing Phone 3a and $459 Nothing Phone 3a Pro cost less than the Pixel 8a (and presumably the Pixel 9a if Google keeps the same price as people expect it to.) Yet, you wouldn't realize that looking at the camera specs, as both Nothing devices come with dedicated telephoto lenses. In the case of the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, it's a periscope-style telephoto lens that supports a 3x optical zoom.
When reviewing the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, John shot some photos with both that device and the Pixel 8a. And while Google's current phone handled color better, the Nothing Phone showed off greater dynamic range. Take the lower price into consideration and the fact that this is also an Android device, and you've got quite a compelling alternative if the Pixel 9a's camera performance isn't up to snuff.
Rumored Pixel 9a camera specs
There haven't been a lot of Pixel 9a camera rumors, but the ones we've heard have been pretty consistent. Leaked camera specs suggest the phone will have a 48MP main camera and 13MP ultrawide, with another 13MP camera up front.
On paper, that main camera has fewer megapixels than the 64MP lens on the Pixel 8a. But there's more to life than megapixels. Apparently, this is the same 48MP sensor Google uses for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. That 1/2" image sensor is larger in size than the Pixel 8a's main camera sensor, which would give the Pixel 9a more area for capturing light.
The field of view is also slightly larger for this 48MP sensor — 82 degrees versus 80 degrees for the sensor on the Pixel 8a. Potentially, that means the Pixel 9a would be able to capture a few more details in its shots compared to its predecessor.
Hardware isn't the only reason Google's cameras perform so well. Google also offers excellent photo processing, which we expect to see in evidence on the Pixel 9a. What's more, the new phone should adopt the Tensor G4 silicon found in the Pixel 9 series, which means a new set of AI features for the lower-cost phone.
In terms of AI-powered photo features migrating from the Pixel 9 to the Pixel 9a, we'd expect support for Add Me. That's the tool that lets you insert yourself into group photos even when you're the one taking the shot. When I reviewed the Pixel 9 Pro last year, I found Add Me to be a little hit or miss — the feature's only as good as the photography skills of the person you hand off your phone to — but it's still likely to be a nice addition to a sub-$500 phone.
Another Pixel 9 photo-editing feature is Reimagine, which joins the suite of tools in Magic Editor. With Reimagine, you can use text prompts to describe the changes you want to make to a selected area of a photo, and AI does the rest.
Pixel 9a camera outlook
Assuming the Pixel 9a is on track for a spring release, it's coming to the market at a time when other device makers' low-cost camera phones are producing impressive results. But rumors about the Pixel 9a have us convinced the next Google phone should be able to take on these challengers, with AI playing a key role in the face-offs.
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