Google Pixel 9a leak suggests it’ll fix a design quirk of its predecessor

Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing pink patterned wallpaper
The Google Pixel 8a (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

  • A render showing the front of the Google Pixel 9a has leaked
  • It provides a clear look at the bezels, which appear more uniform than the Pixel 8a's
  • The front-facing camera appears bigger than the Pixel 8a's

The Google Pixel 8a isn’t a bad-looking phone overall, but one thing we’re not so fond of is its bezels – not only are they big, but the bottom bezel is quite a lot larger than the others, making the phone look a bit unbalanced and cheap. However, a new leaked image suggests this might not be the case with the Google Pixel 9a.

The image below was shared by Evan Blass, a leaker with a great track record, via 9to5Google, and it looks like it could be an official Pixel 9a marketing image, albeit a low-resolution version.

You can only see the front of the phone here, but we get a clear look at the bezels, which while still large do appear more uniform than on the Google Pixel 8a. The top bezel is possibly a tiny bit bigger than the others, but it’s a negligible difference if so.

A leaked render of the Pixel 9a

(Image credit: Evan Blass)

The other notable detail in this image is that the punch-hole camera on the front looks as though it might have a larger lens than the Pixel 8a’s. It looks more in line with the Google Pixel 9’s 10.5MP selfie camera, so perhaps that’s what we’ll get here.

An iPhone SE 4 alternative

We’ll probably find out soon, as leaks suggest the Google Pixel 9a could be announced on March 19. If it is, then it will probably be in direct competition with the similarly mid-range iPhone SE 4, which is rumored to be landing this week.

Going by the image above and other leaks, the Google Pixel 9a could have a more modern design than Apple's upcoming phone despite those big bezels, as the iPhone SE 4 will probably have a large notch.

That said, the back of the Google Pixel 9a might not impress so much, as leaks suggest that Google is ditching the camera bar found on other recent Pixels, and the lenses instead sitting almost flush with the back of the phone, making for a more generic albeit sleeker appearance. It's an odd change if so – and we should find out how accurate all these leaks and rumors are soon.

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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

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