Google’s Pixel 9A looks destined to ditch the camera bar

Illustration: The Verge

There’ve already been renders of Google’s yet-to-be-announced Pixel 9A and one real-world sneak peek. Now we’re getting yet another look at an early prototype of Google’s next mid-range phone. X user fenibook has posted two shots of the phone, and it’s got the company’s usual markings that designate this as a still-under-development device.

These latest images offer yet more proof that Google plans to ditch the camera bar — a visual hallmark of recent Pixels — on the 9A in favor of making the camera flush with the back of the phone. That’s a bit surprising to see, but Google’s Claude Zellweger told us back in August that designers were likely to reevaluate the ratio of camera hardware to phone hardware thanks to advancements in computational photography.

The Pixel A-series might be the ideal phone for Google to test whether it can get away with a smaller sensor and camera housing without sacrificing too much in the way of image quality. It’s logical to expect the company’s very best photo capabilities from the flagship models, but as my colleague Allison Johnson can attest, “pretty good” is often enough for the mid-tier Pixel. That said, this phone looks rather bland as is, so hopefully Google will give us a good selection of colors to pick from.

Rumors indicate the 9A will have a larger 6.3-inch display with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz and the same Tensor G4 used in the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro Fold. But there have also been reports that Google will saddle it with an older modem, which would be a shame since the Pixel 9 lineup really made strides in cellular performance this year.

Google could announce the Pixel 9A as early as March, so the rumors claim. The series has traditionally stuck to a spring release timeframe, but after Google changed up the schedule this year, anything’s possible. Android 16 will be rolling out earlier than usual, so the two might line up nicely.