Google’s Pixel-A series went through an identity makeover in April, but more importantly, the wallet-friendly offering from Google was pretty well-received. The clean design, paired with snappy performance and a reliable camera, all running atop an AI-boosted pristine flavor of Android, made the Pixel 9a an easy recommendation.
Naturally, the expectations of a warm reception weigh heavily on its successor. Unfortunately, it seems fans are primed for a bit of letdown. The Pixel 10a has already appeared in a healthy few leaks — which is par for the course given the history of Pixels — and it seems the next Pixel-A phone will be playing it a little too safe.
What is it going to look like?
Well, simply put, the Pixel 10a might end up looking like a replica of its predecessor. The folks over at AndroidHeadlines have shared what they claim to be CAD-based “official renders” of the Pixel 10a. There are no surprises about what’s happening here.
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Google is sticking with the same formula that Apple has mastered over the years, which is using the same fundamental design language on its phones for a few years, while swapping out a few innards with each new generation. In hindsight, that’s not necessarily bad news.
I am quite fond of the clean and minimalist look of the Pixel 9a. It’s one of those rare smartphones that dodge the trend of big camera bumps at the back. And assuming Google doesn’t change the build materials, we can expect an aluminum frame paired with a plastic-made back panel that tries to pass off as glass.
More importantly, the phone’s build is IP68-certified for dust and water exposure, which is fairly mainstream for the smartphone industry. I am just hoping that Google uses a tougher grade of plastic or polycarbonate material on the Pixel 10a, and also pays attention to the air gaps underneath the shell.
The latter was a bit of a drawback on the Pixel 9a. “Although the plastic back looks like glass, there’s too much flex and an unpleasantly hollow sound to it for anyone to be fooled for long,” said our review of the phone.
Though the leaked renders depict the Pixel 10a in a brilliant blue shade, the report mentions that it’s a concept version and that the official color palette will be different. Google has typically played an adventurous game with picking the hues on its Pixel phones, and I am expecting a few bubbly and vibrant colors to appear on the upcoming phone.
The rest of the package, it seems, is going to remain unchanged. The thick bezels will stick around, as per the leak, and so are the familiar button placement, a contrasting pill-shaped outline for the rear camera lenses, and a wireless charging coil hidden under the plastic shell.
What could it bring to the table?
Now, this is where the situation for the Pixel 10a gets a tad interesting. Google usually equips its Pixel-A phones with the same processor as its mainline Pixels launched within the same calendar year. But it seems the upcoming Pixel-A phone would dig into the parts bin of the Pixel 9, instead of the Pixel 10 series phones.
As per leaks, the Pixel 10a will reportedly come equipped with the Tensor G4 silicon, which was fitted inside the Pixel 9 series phones, including the Pixel 9a. In a nutshell, Google could repeat the same processor for its next, which is reportedly in development under the codename “stallion.”
The Tensor G4 is not exactly a bad processor, though it still has a lot of catching up to do in terms of raw processing and graphics output when compared against the likes of Apple’s A-series and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon series processors for flagship phones. Then there are the lingering problems with performance throttling and poor thermals on the Pixel phones, something that remained unsolved atop the Tensor G4.
On the flip side, it still packs enough punch, especially with its neural processor, to handle on-device AI chores. And as Google keeps pushing more AI capabilities (some of which stay exclusive to its Pixel lineup, at least briefly), the Pixels continue to offer a rewarding software experience.
But we’re not just talking about the usual generation-over-generation gap between the Tensor G4 and G5 processors. Google turned to TSMC, the same company behind Apple and Qualcomm’s processors, to make the Tensor G5. It hasn’t quite set the benchmarks leaderboard on fire, but it runs cooler, ticks faster, and offers the best AI performance, to date, on Pixel phones..
When seen from that lens, the Tensor G4 is like a triple-whammy of bad news. It’s pretty evident that Google is doing some cost-cutting by equipping the Pixel 10a with a Tensor G4 processor. But do keep in mind that we are still roughly six months away from the phone’s launch, and it’s plausible that Google changes course.
It is also being speculated that Google is using the older Tensor G4 silicon because the Tensor G5 is a physically larger chip, and using it would require changing the internal architecture of the Pixel 10a. It is unclear whether this will be a binned version of the Tensor G4 SoC, or the same trim that was fitted inside the mainline Pixel 9 series phones.
As for the rest of the hardware, don’t expect any fireworks. Leaks suggest a familiar 6.3-inch full-HD OLED panel with 120Hz refresh rate, 8GB of RAM, 256GB onboard storage, 5,100 mAh battery, and a dual camera setup. Owing to the older processor, some of the next-gen AI-powered experiences, particularly for the cameras, might also be missing from the Pixel 10a.
What I’d love to see?
So far, it seems like the Pixel 10a is going to be a modest iterative upgrade. Some might even call it lazy. I dearly hope Google serves a few changes on this one to make it meaningfully stand out from its predecessor, and also make a splash against rivals such as the iPhone 16e and the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE.
To begin with, a bigger camera sensor would be a welcome upgrade. The Pixel 9a offered a fairly capable 48-megapixel main camera, but the 13-megapixel ultrawide camera wasn’t quite up to the mark. I am hoping to see a bigger 48-megapixel or 50-megapixel sensor deputed for ultrawide capture.
That appears unlikely, however, as the Pixel 10 is still stuck with a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera, even though it added a dedicated telephoto lens this year. I would love to see faster charging and magnetic wireless charging (with Qi2 support) landing on the Pixel 10a.
Another area where the Pixels have often fallen behind is the heat management and connectivity experience. Social forums are brimming with reports of connectivity issues. I wish Google would upgrade the antenna on the Pixel 10a, and if it’s feasible, redo the thermal pipeline to make sure that the phone runs cool.
Finally, I am hoping that Google keeps the price unchanged, and given the thin scope of upgrades available on the Pixel 10a, it would make sense. The next budget warrior from Google should arrive in the March-April window next year, and we are almost certainly going to see more leaks as the official launch draws closer.
