[LOS ANGELES] Alphabet’s Google launched a redesigned version of its budget Pixel phone, upgrading the chip and battery life weeks after Apple’s lower-end iPhone 16e went on sale.
The new Pixel 9a, announced on Wednesday (Mar 19), costs US$499, in line with the price of last year’s Pixel 8a. That compares with the US$599 starting price of the iPhone 16e, which went on sale in February and is being positioned as a lower-end alternative to the iPhone 16. The Pixel 9a will be available in stores in April.
While Google’s Pixel phones have won over some customers with their artificial intelligence capabilities and integration with Google services, the devices have never made a significant dent in the premium segment dominated by Apple and Samsung Electronics. But the lower-end products have helped the company slowly expand its overall market share, with IDC saying Google recorded its “highest-ever smartphone volumes” in the third quarter last year.
The new iPhone 16e presents Google with fresh competition in the lower-end phone space. At the current price points, the Pixel 9a device is only US$100 cheaper than the 16e, with both products offering similar specifications – other than the superior camera on the Google handset.
In addition to upgraded internals, the Pixel 9a brings a new design with flat edges instead of curved, matching the general look of the higher-end Pixel 9 introduced last year.
It also has a flat back, removing the camera bump from prior models. The back of the phone has two cameras: a 48-megapixel main sensor and a 13-megapixel option for ultrawide photos. The main sensor’s megapixels are a downgrade from the 64 megapixels on the 8a, but Google said the system has actually been improved to let in more light. It also adds a macro focus mode.
The 9a has a slightly larger screen than the 8a, moving from a 6.1-inch display to a 6.3-inch one. By comparison, the iPhone 16e has a smaller 6.1-inch size. The 9a’s panel can also reach 2,700 nits of brightness outdoors, compared with a 2,000-nit limit on the 8a. The battery life is now rated at 30 hours on a single charge, up from 24. With a battery saving mode, it can last as long as 100 hours, Google said, an improvement over the previous claim of 72 hours.
The new model comes in black, white, light blue and pink. The 9a is being offered with the same 128 gigabytes of internal storage at the starting US$499 price or 256 gigabytes of storage for US$599. However, it replaces the in-house Tensor G3 processor with a new Tensor G4. Other changes include improved water and dust protection, moving from the IP67 standard to IP68.
The Pixel 9a was originally scheduled to go on sale this month, but Google pushed back the release as it works through a component issue that it said is impacting a small number of units. BLOOMBERG
