I was wrong with Google Pixel 9a

Ever since we got our first glimpse of Google Pixel 9a In September last year I have looked at Google’s next Midtranger with contempt. To remove the camera lab, go for a generic camera body in its place and leave any sense of character from previous pixel a series of phones left a bad taste in my mouth.

Do I think it’s the best look or best designed phone I’ve ever seen? No. But my first visceral reaction may have been too early. I gradually warm up to Pixel 9a’s new appearance for a few reasons.

Colors can make or destroy a phone. Although it has the finest hardware and the classified camera design, it does not matter if the colors are all sad and dull. Samsung recently proved this point of Galaxy S25 Ultra. It is a well -made phone with excellent hardware, but Samsung’s uninspired and similar colors put a large damper on things.

This latest Pixel 9a leak peas the phone’s color options, and if they are accurate, they can make a lot of heavy lifting.

according to Android headlinesPixel 9a will be available in the usual obsidian (black) and porcelain (white) colors, but they will be together with much more conspicuous pioneers (pink) and iris (purple) shades. If the colors look like what we see in Android headings’ Renders, Google has knocked it out of the park.

I am especially fond of the iris color. It strikes a lovely balance between getting the phone to pop without going overboard. Pastel shades like this are difficult to get right, but it looks like Google nailed it. I also love how light and living Peony seems to be. It seems like a more saturated version of Peony Google Pixel 9, and I’m all for it.

Google usually does a good job of offering fun colors for Pixel a series, and it is reassuring to see that the trend will continue with Pixel 9a. The colors also help to retain some of the character that is missing with the new camera design – which leads me to my next point.

I didn’t love Pixel 9a’s camera-lab-less design when we first saw it in September, and I still don’t love it today. However, I don’t think it’s the Dealbreaker I originally thought it would be.

We have become accustomed to camera lines on pixel phones since the Google Pixel 6 Series, so watching a pixel without the design feature naturally looked strange and abominable. But to be fair, we also thought the same about the Pixel 6 series when it first leaked. The camera line was originally met with a lot of criticism, but after we got our hands on the phones and got used to it, it felt “normal.”

Although it is not exactly the same scenario, I think we see something similar with Pixel 9a. This is a new look for the Pixel series. It is a bit strange and foreign, and we only see it through leaked reproductions. When the phone is in nature and in people’s hands, I have the feeling that we all get used to it pretty quickly. It is not a nasty camera design. It’s just different.

There is also a pretty significant advantage for the camera that we overlook: it is almost flush with the rest of the phone. I love a clever and unique camera design as much as the next guy, but I also miss the days when my phone could be perfectly flat on a desk or table. We get it again with Pixel 9a, and I’m everything for it.

Finally a word on the Pixel 9as rounded corners and flat frame. Yes, there is a great departure from Google Pixel 8a. Yes, it looks a lot like an iPhone. But I don’t think this is a bad thing at all.

Google debuted this new design language with Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 ProAnd it turned out to be very effective on these phones. The Pixel 9 series is comfortable to hold and incredibly well built. Google may have drawn some inspiration from Apple, but if the end result is a phone that looks and feels good, why should we complain? And if this Glass sandwich design makes the phone more repairableSo the better.

The real challenge for Google will be to deliver a similar large construction for a phone that is likely to be much cheaper than the other siblings from Pixel 9. Google did a fantastic job with $ 799 Pixel 9 and $ 999 Pixel 9 Pro, but can it Do it for a $ 499 or $ 549 pixel 9a?

All this comes with the big warning that I base these opinions on leaked reproductions. Nothing is official until Google says it in itself, but given traces and history with previous Pixel leaks, there is reason to believe that these latest Pixel 9a renditions are an accurate representation of the final product.

If that is the case, I am glad to admit that I was wrong with the knee printing reaction to Pixel 9a. It is not a perfect smartphone design, but I also think it is far from terrible or devastating. And provided the rumor specifications and the price are accurate, the value Google can offer this year be more than enough to get someone on board with this new look.

Google Pixel 9a is expected to be announced March 19.