Google's Pixel phones are amid an identity crisis as the company seeks to rejuvenate its style after ditching the handset's iconic camera bar design with the release of the Google Pixel 9 series.
The visor-like camera bar has been a staple of Pixel phones since the release of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, giving the devices a unique stand-out look that unmistakably set Google's devices apart from the competition.
However, judging by a recent leak sourced by one well-known and credible leaker, the upcoming budget-focused entrant to the Pixel 9 series, the Pixel 9a, will look closer to the competition than ever — sporting a new look resembling an Apple iPhone 16 prototype.
Google Pixel 9a: A first look at Google's mid-range megastar
While we don't expect to see the official unveiling of the Google Pixel 9a until spring 2025, we've been granted an early look at its design thanks to @OnLeaks — a tipster with a history of accurate predictions surrounding upcoming smartphones, via Android Headlines.
As previously stated, the camera bar is no more. However, what's more interesting is how closely this new smartphone's layout resembles Apple's latest iPhone 16.
The recently launched iPhone 16 received a fresh new look after adopting a vertically stacked, pill-shaped camera island, replacing the previous diagonal layout and squared design that dated back to the iPhone 13.
The Pixel 9a, which appears naked without its iconic camera bar, offers a similar layout, though with its almost-flush to the back panel, pill-shaped camera array sitting horizontally flanked by a lone camera flash (as with the iPhone 16).
While it's by no means a 1:1 carbon copy of Apple's latest handset, it is eerily similar, especially when you factor in the Pixel 9 series' flat frame. If we removed the Google logo from the back of this phone and pulled its camera array slightly further out, I'd not rule out the possibility of this being a prototype of the iPhone 16 designed to shoot spatial video in portrait orientation.
While you can't say that the Pixel 9a is by any means an ugly device to look at, it's not unfair to say that the loss of the Pixel's camera bar has a big impact on its overall aesthetic. While this might be Google's next mid-range megastar on price, features, and performance, it certainly lacks in visual pizazz and identity.
Google Pixel 9a: What else do we know?
It's still early days on the Pixel 9a rumor front, but that doesn't mean we're short of early words about how Google's handset will be outfitted.
Judging by the leaked images, design aside, the Pixel 9a looks roughly similar to the Pixel 8a we already have available, and will potentially feature a similar 6.1-inch, FHD+, OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
While it's likely that the Pixel 9a will retain the 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage of its predecessor, we would expect it to adopt the new Tensor G4 chipset of the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro/XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Google Pixel 9a: When can we expect it?
Based on previous Pixel A-series releases, we don't expect to see the Pixel 9a in 2024. The most likely window for release will be May 2025, mirroring the release of the Pixel 7a and Pixel 8a from 2023 and 2024 respectively.
There's a lot of time to pass from now until then, and (as always with rumors like these) there's still the potential for things to change or further information to come out that clashes with today's news. We'll keep a close eye on the Pixel 9a in the news cycles ahead to provide the most up-to-date information as it's available.
