I hope the Pixel 9a brings an end to Google’s never-ending price debate

As we’re on the apparent eve of the Pixel 9a, I fear we could be seeing a pattern develop. It seems like every time Google launches an A-series smartphone, the Android community collectively tries to re-examine just how much sense its price makes. With the Pixel 9a, I’m hoping enthusiasts and regular users alike can take a more even-headed approach, especially considering Google’s heavily-discounted Pixels aren’t a mistake, but part of the company’s ever-evolving mobile strategy.

The Pixel 9a is sounding pretty promising on paper

Especially if Google sticks to that $500 price point

Leaked Pixel 9a renders from February.

The Pixel 9a might not be official yet, but we know practically everything there is to know about it. We’ve seen leaked renders — again and again and again — alongside a detailed specs sheet. We’ve seen leaked real-world photos, and even spotted the phone alongside an early hands-on capture of the also-unreleased Galaxy S25 Edge. This thing is clearly coming sooner than we might think, with the long-rumored March release date potentially set to arrive at any moment.

On paper, it’s about as promising — if not particularly exciting — as any other rumored phone launch this year. Unlike in previous generations, Google seems to be adopting an all-new look for the Pixel 9a, sticking to the flat edges and curved corners of the regular Pixel 9 while completely dropping the camera bar altogether. Obviously, we’ll have to wait and see what the final design looks like, but to my eyes, it looks pretty good in a throwback sort of way. Hell, I called for exactly this back in December.

But an ever-shrinking camera bump is not why I’m excited for the Pixel 9a. Rather, it’s all about Google’s pricing — a fresh look is simply the cherry on top. If rumors are true, it’s sticking to that $500 price point for the 128GB model. That’s a mark we have yet to see the Pixel 9 breach, even if it’s starting to come close.

The Pixel 8a next to the Pixel 7a.

More on that in a moment, though. Instead, I want to take the MSRPs of these phones at face value, as I assume Google would want you to. If the $500 price point is correct — and for the rest of this article, I will be assuming that it is — we’ll see a $300 price difference between the Pixel 9a and the Pixel 9. $300 is a lot of cash, and the Pixel’s A-series phones usually deliver a pretty rock-solid experience overall. The Pixel 8a, in particular, was really only missing out on that larger main camera sensor and faster wireless charging; even the screen, a sore point for me on the Pixel 7a, was perfectly enjoyable in daily use.

If anything, that price difference might overvalue the $800 Pixel 9, though that all depends on the corners Google ends up cutting this year. The lack of a camera bump might imply a smaller sensor this year, but the Pixel 8a took excellent photos in its own right, and despite my current feelings on Google’s image processing, I have no reason to doubt that’ll change this year. If you walk into your local Verizon store in a post-Pixel 9a world, I wouldn’t be surprised to see people reaching for the cheaper — yet no less competent — smartphone.

Pixel 9 sales don’t overwrite the potential value of the Pixel 9a

Consider it an early adopter tax

Of course, this brings us to those sales. The Pixel 9 has stayed pretty consistent since the holidays, moving back and forth between its full $800 price and $650 on discount. At the start of March, though, it did finally drop to $600 on Amazon for the very first time, a deal that you can still find as of writing if you’re willing to buy it in pink or white. I can practically hear the comments from here: “Why buy the Pixel 9a when you can just wait for a Pixel 9 sale instead?”

I don’t disagree, but I still think this year could offer a more obvious choice between the two phones than ever before. Again, the lack of a camera bump could be a big deal to some buyers, making the phone immediately feel more comfortable in pockets or when typing on a desk (though, admittedly, rocking back and forth on a desk hasn’t been a problem in the Pixel’s Tensor age). If Google decides to keep the entire device matte, as it did with last year’s Pixel 8a, it could be a much more comfortable device to hold than, say, the glossy Pixel 9.

Really, though, I think it’s best if we all start thinking of the Pixel 9’s months-long lead as an early adopter tax. The Pixel 9a isn’t a weird smartphone that sacrifices some features for the sake of “just” saving $100. It’s the device that arrives six months after the mainline device, a phone that takes everything enthusiasts liked about the more expensive option and packs it into a cheaper product. And considering that it’ll live on well after the Pixel 10 debuts, it makes that much more sense.

The Pixel 9a won’t be a replacement for the Pixel 9

It’ll just be a cheaper alternative

At the end of the day, these pricing conversations are mostly moot anyway. Let’s not forget that most US shoppers are buying their smartphones through carriers, and right now, Verizon will give you a Pixel 9 or Pixel 9 Pro for free on a 36-month payment plan (albeit on a new line). In the world of trade-ins, pre-order discounts, and carrier plans, comparing smartphone prices is as difficult and as headache-inducing as ever. Trust me, I live in this space.

Whenever the Pixel 9a does show up, I’m expecting a pretty serious case of déjà vu. Any sales Google is currently running on the Pixel 9 will dry up, giving its new smartphone the space to make a big impression on anyone not actively tracking prices on Amazon. Fans will ask why this device exists, only for the upcoming Pixel 10 to eventually boost flagship prices back towards the four digit mark. And if Google does stick to its $500 price point for another generation, I think people will absolutely bite.