Google Pixel 9a: Enhanced AI meets camera compromises

Photo: Google Google has announced its latest budget smartphone, the Pixel 9a, which does away with the iconic camera bar by making the cameras smaller. The tech giant claims the new model offers an ideal balance of features and price. Despite that, the team acknowledged that the camera is what draws people to the Pixel lineup, so Google says it aimed to provide quality image-making features on the budget-focused device, claiming it is the best camera in its class. Resolution Sensor size Aperture Field of view Wide rear camera 48MP Type 1/2 (6.4 x 4.8 mm) F1.7 82° (25mm equiv) Ultra wide rear camera 13MP Type 1/3.1 (5.0 x 3.7mm) F2.2 120° (12.5mm equiv) Front camera 13MP Type 1/3(4.7 x 3.4mm) F2.2 96.1°(∼19mm equiv) Like the Pixel 8a, the 9a features a wide-angle main camera and an ultra-wide. Those who want a dedicated telephoto camera will need to upgrade to the Pro lineup of Pixel phones. While the dual camera layout remains consistent, Google opted for a different main camera sensor in the new model. Instead of the 64MP wide-angle main camera on the 8a, the 9a uses the same 48MP Quad PD Dual Pixel sensor as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Main camera resolution Main camera sensor size Main camera aperture Main camera field of view Pixel 8a 64MP Type 1/1.7 (7.3 x 5.5mm) F1.89 80° (26mm equiv) Pixel 9a 48MP Type 1/2 (6.4 x 4.8 mm) F1.7 82° (25mm equiv) This move to a smaller effective sensor is interesting since it's a bit of a downgrade from the 8a in terms of resolution, sensor size and aperture. Granted, due to pixel binning – the process of combining adjacent pixels together to function as a larger pixel – the dip in resolution isn't quite as significant as it may initially seem. The Pixel 8a typically produces 16MP images, while the main camera of Pixel 9a uses pixel binning to produce 12MP images. Even though the difference isn't massive, it is still less, and it's not typical to see lower resolution in a newer model. This, combined with the slightly smaller sensor and aperture, means the computational photography and processing will need to work that much harder. While all smartphones rely on computational photography, it seems that the hardware downgrade in the 9a makes it even more dependent on AI image processing. While all smartphones rely on computational photography, it seems that the hardware downgrade in the 9a makes it even more dependent on AI image processing. Those computational photography tools involve image processing for every image you take in the standard camera modes, along with some specialized options currently found on the Pixel 9 Pro. One such feature is the Macro Focus setting, which is coming to a-series phones for the first time. This mode allows users to get as close as 2cm (0.8") to create pseudo-macro images or videos without a dedicated macro lens. It uses AI to detect when you are close to a subject and automatically switches to the main lens (due to its higher resolution) and macro focus setting instead of requiring a manual switch to a macro mode. The Pixel 9a's main camera also provides optical and electronic image stabilization, though the ultra-wide rear and selfie camera do not. The main camera uses Google's Super Res Zoom, a form of digital zoom that relies on software and machine learning algorithms to crop and upscale, offering up to 8x magnification. It's no replacement for dedicated telephoto cameras, but it is better than nothing. As we've seen with other Pixel phones, there are plenty of AI-based editing tools at play on the 9a. Google AI promises the ability to fix blurry images with Photo Unblur. The Magic Editor can automatically crop your image for you or expand the image to invent what's beyond the edges of the frame, much like you can in Photoshop. The Reimagine tool in Magic Editor can even completely change the image using AI, such as making grass green or adding entirely new items to a photo to change the scene. Image: Google Of course, the most obvious change with the 9a is the new design that ditches the protruding "camera bar" that has become synonymous with Pixel phones, in favor of a flatter design. Google says this design is inspired by "nature and water droplets," which seems like a stretch, but it is certainly more minimal. It's also slightly more durable than previous models, with a bump from IP67 to IP68 protection and a new scratch-resistant Actua display. The Pixel 9a steps up to the Tensor G4 chipset, which is the same chip that's in the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. It also features the largest battery in the a-series, promising up to 30 hours of battery life or 100 hours in Extreme Battery Saver mode. When it needs a charge, the phone supports fast charging and wireless charging. Google has also promised seven years of OS and security updates, prolonging the life of the phone. Image: Google The Pixel 9a will be available for purchase beginning in April for $500. It comes in 128GB or 256GB s

Mar 19, 2025 - 15:13

Google Pixel 9a: Enhanced AI meets camera compromises

Photo: Google

Google has announced its latest budget smartphone, the Pixel 9a, which does away with the iconic camera bar by making the cameras smaller. The tech giant claims the new model offers an ideal balance of features and price. Despite that, the team acknowledged that the camera is what draws people to the Pixel lineup, so Google says it aimed to provide quality image-making features on the budget-focused device, claiming it is the best camera in its class.

	Resolution	Sensor size	Aperture	Field of view
Wide rear camera	48MP	Type 1/2 (6.4 x 4.8 mm)	F1.7	82° (25mm equiv)
Ultra wide rear camera	13MP	Type 1/3.1 (5.0 x 3.7mm)	F2.2	120° (12.5mm equiv)
Front camera	13MP	Type 1/3 (4.7 x 3.4mm)	F2.2	96.1° (∼19mm equiv)

Like the Pixel 8a, the 9a features a wide-angle main camera and an ultra-wide. Those who want a dedicated telephoto camera will need to upgrade to the Pro lineup of Pixel phones. While the dual camera layout remains consistent, Google opted for a different main camera sensor in the new model. Instead of the 64MP wide-angle main camera on the 8a, the 9a uses the same 48MP Quad PD Dual Pixel sensor as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

	Main camera resolution	Main camera sensor size	Main camera aperture	Main camera field of view
Pixel 8a	64MP	Type 1/1.7 (7.3 x 5.5mm)	F1.89	80° (26mm equiv)
Pixel 9a	48MP	Type 1/2 (6.4 x 4.8 mm)	F1.7	82° (25mm equiv)

This move to a smaller effective sensor is interesting since it's a bit of a downgrade from the 8a in terms of resolution, sensor size and aperture. Granted, due to pixel binning – the process of combining adjacent pixels together to function as a larger pixel – the dip in resolution isn't quite as significant as it may initially seem. The Pixel 8a typically produces 16MP images, while the main camera of Pixel 9a uses pixel binning to produce 12MP images.

Even though the difference isn't massive, it is still less, and it's not typical to see lower resolution in a newer model. This, combined with the slightly smaller sensor and aperture, means the computational photography and processing will need to work that much harder.

While all smartphones rely on computational photography, it seems that the hardware downgrade in the 9a makes it even more dependent on AI image processing.

While all smartphones rely on computational photography, it seems that the hardware downgrade in the 9a makes it even more dependent on AI image processing. Those computational photography tools involve image processing for every image you take in the standard camera modes, along with some specialized options currently found on the Pixel 9 Pro.

One such feature is the Macro Focus setting, which is coming to a-series phones for the first time. This mode allows users to get as close as 2cm (0.8") to create pseudo-macro images or videos without a dedicated macro lens. It uses AI to detect when you are close to a subject and automatically switches to the main lens (due to its higher resolution) and macro focus setting instead of requiring a manual switch to a macro mode.

The Pixel 9a's main camera also provides optical and electronic image stabilization, though the ultra-wide rear and selfie camera do not. The main camera uses Google's Super Res Zoom, a form of digital zoom that relies on software and machine learning algorithms to crop and upscale, offering up to 8x magnification. It's no replacement for dedicated telephoto cameras, but it is better than nothing.

As we've seen with other Pixel phones, there are plenty of AI-based editing tools at play on the 9a. Google AI promises the ability to fix blurry images with Photo Unblur. The Magic Editor can automatically crop your image for you or expand the image to invent what's beyond the edges of the frame, much like you can in Photoshop. The Reimagine tool in Magic Editor can even completely change the image using AI, such as making grass green or adding entirely new items to a photo to change the scene.

Image: Google

Of course, the most obvious change with the 9a is the new design that ditches the protruding "camera bar" that has become synonymous with Pixel phones, in favor of a flatter design. Google says this design is inspired by "nature and water droplets," which seems like a stretch, but it is certainly more minimal. It's also slightly more durable than previous models, with a bump from IP67 to IP68 protection and a new scratch-resistant Actua display.

The Pixel 9a steps up to the Tensor G4 chipset, which is the same chip that's in the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. It also features the largest battery in the a-series, promising up to 30 hours of battery life or 100 hours in Extreme Battery Saver mode. When it needs a charge, the phone supports fast charging and wireless charging. Google has also promised seven years of OS and security updates, prolonging the life of the phone.

Image: Google

The Pixel 9a will be available for purchase beginning in April for $500. It comes in 128GB or 256GB storage capacities and is available in four colors: Obsidian, Porcelain, Peony and Iris (the black, cream, pink and blue colors pictured above).