The Google Pixel 9a redesign is arguably the most drastic change we’ve seen to the Pixel lineup since the 2021 Pixel 6 added a camera bar — not counting the foldables. What made Google choose this new water-drop camera cutout, and is it the new normal for Pixels? Google gave us several justifications for the change and a hint of what to expect from the Pixel 10.
As our Pixel 9a hands-on shows, this new budget phone has ditched the camera bar and rounded edges for a flatter, machine-cut look. The dual rear cameras jut out from the plastic matte back in a teardrop shape inspired by the Pixel Watch 3 display aesthetic instead of resting inside an aluminum bar.
When asked during our Google Pixel 9a briefing whether Google made this decision out of logistics or aesthetics, Pixel product manager Soniya Jobanputra answered, “We did not start with the presumption that it had to be flat.”
Instead, the Pixel team’s priority was to “eliminate battery anxiety” and “improve our thermal solution.” And while they didn’t say it outright, their secondary concerns seemed to be keeping the Pixel 9a skinny and more distinct from the mainline Pixel 9.
Why Google flattened the Pixel 9a and killed the camera bar
One of the biggest Pixel 8a-to-9a upgrades is a battery capacity boost from 4,492 mAh to 5,100 mAh, larger even than the 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL’s capacity. This helps it hit a “30+ hour battery life.”
Asked about this battery life boost, product manager Shenaz Zach Mistry explained that “this user segment has also been very sensitive to the battery life,” suggesting that budget Pixel buyers prioritized longer battery life over other factors.
“We had grown the battery, we had grown the vapor chamber to improve the thermals,” Jobanputra said, and on top of that, “we were looking at a new camera module that had better capabilities” than the Pixel 8a camera.
Despite that, Google managed to keep the Pixel 9a and 8a at the same thickness (8.9mm). To do that, they had to look at solutions like shrinking the camera sensor and switching to a pOLED display that was “a lot thinner” than what they typically use in “this tier of product.”
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“The confluence of all that got us pretty darn close,” said Jobanputra. “And so our mechanical team did a little bit of magic, working directly with our industrial design team to pull off this just absolutely fabulous looking new design with that flat back.”
No one said it flat out, but after adding the thicker battery, the Pixel 9a engineers must have thought that the typical camera bar, rounded back, and OLED would’ve made the Pixel 9a too thick and ugly. So, rather than abandon the battery upgrade to make the 9a more distinct and exciting, they pivoted and treated a new, flat design as a positive challenge.
Jobanputra says it was a “culmination of a bunch of different factors” that got the Pixel 9a “within shooting distance” of a flat design. “And then once we were close, we were like, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s make this happen. Let’s give it its own personality, yet still be part of that Pixel family.'”
A new direction, but not a universal one
Earlier this month, we saw the first Pixel 10 Pro leaked renders. Whether they’re real or not, it’s all but guaranteed that Google seemingly has no intention of ditching its signature camera bar on all future Pixels, just the Pixel A-series, removing the overlap between it and the flagships.
The point of this “new flat design profile” was “setting [the Pixel 9a] apart from our other Pixel 9 phones,” Jobanputra said while still “remaining true to the iconic Pixel look.”
Making the Pixel 9a more distinct and turning the camera bar into a perk for mainline phone buyers is a solid branding decision if nothing else. Pixel fans will either adjust to the new look or upsell themselves to the Pixel 10 for the familiarity.
That said, I’m genuinely curious if the next Pixel foldable will adopt this new camera look simply to make it easier to fold into your pocket.
Trying something new
Aside from its noticeable design changes, the Pixel 9a adds the Tensor G4 chip, a 120Hz display with up to 2,700 nits of brightness, improved water resistance, a slight wired charging boost, a new 48MP sensor with a larger aperture, and the largest battery on any current Pixel.