Leak reveals the Pixel 9a's release date, and it is closer than you think

The Pixel A-series have mostly always been announced at Google I/O each year with availability weeks or sometimes months after the announcement. However, it appears that won't be the case with the Pixel 9a this year, as a new report says buyers will be able to get their hands on it much earlier than anticipated.

The Pixel 9a's early arrival seems to be a continuation of a revised launch that started with the Pixel 9 series. Rather than the usual October release date, the Pixel 9 series was unveiled two months earlier i.e. August 2024. Now, Google will do the same when it unveils the Pixel 9a in March instead of May, according to a report by Android Headlines.

Citing an unnamed source, the Pixel 9a will be available for pre-order starting on March 19, 2025 and it will begin to ship the following week as from March 26. It will also be available on store shelves on March 26 for those who prefer walking into a brick and mortar store to purchase a phone.

A previous report had revealed the pricing details for the Pixel 9a — a 128GB version priced at $499 and a 256GB variant that will cost $599. The latter is a $40 increase when compared to the price of the Pixel 8a with the same configuration. Fans are definitely not going to be pleased to pay $100 more just for double storage. Those who purchase the mmWave version from Verizon will be paying an additional $50 on top.

The Pixel 9a will pack a 6.2-inch OLED display (Actua Display) with a 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It will be powered by the Tensor G4 processor, paired with 8GB of RAM. It will also have a 48MP primary rear camera paired with a 13MP ultrawide angle camera while another 13MP camera sits in front.

Google will ship the phone with a 5,100mAh battery with support for 23W fast wired charging, both of which are an improvement over the 4,492mAh battery and 18W fast wired charging of the Pixel 8a. Sadly, wireless charging will remain a disappointing 7.5W. The Pixel 9a will be available in Obsidian, Porcelain, iris, and Peony colors.

The Pixel 9a will be going up against a handful of challengers which are also due to launch in March such as the Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro and the Samsung Galaxy A56.