Google may be introducing an interesting change with the upcoming Pixel 9a, inspired by the technology in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, as reported by Android Headlines.
According to the report, the Pixel 9a will sport a 48-megapixel sensor, a departure from the 64MP sensor found in its predecessors, the Pixel 7a and Pixel 8a. This sensor is likely to be similar to the one featured in Google’s second-generation foldable Pixel device. The report suggests that despite the lower resolution, the use of larger megapixels should result in improved photo quality.
The report also mentions that the Pixel 9a is expected to maintain a 13MP ultrawide camera and a 13MP front-facing sensor, similar to the previous model.
The report explains: “While the ultrawide and front-facing cameras remain unchanged, the major upgrade lies in the primary camera sensor. Despite the lower resolution, the larger megapixels are expected to enhance the overall photo quality.”
As previously reported, the Pixel 9a’s rear camera setup is expected to undergo a redesign, moving away from the protruding camera island module to a flush dual camera system. While there may be a slight protrusion around the camera module, it is anticipated to be less prominent than the previous camera bar design on Pixel devices.
When it launches next year, the Pixel 9a is likely the final Pixel device to feature a Samsung processor. Google intends to introduce custom-designed chips by TSMC in the Pixel 10 series in 2025. The current Pixel 9 series smartphones utilize Google Tensor G3 chipsets produced by Samsung.
The Pixel 8a was released in May of this year, with the Pixel 7a arriving in May 2023. Barring any schedule changes, it is reasonable to expect the Pixel 9a to launch around the same time next year.
