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Phone Arena
4 days ago
- Phone Arena
I may not be able to resist the Pixel 9 Pro Fold at a $600 discount, and neither should you
Look, I'm not made of money, and I'm sure many of you dear readers and friends out there have become more and more careful about your mobile tech spending in recent years or at least in recent months. But while I've never even come close to a $1,000+ smartphone purchase, I see myself faced with one of the toughest buying decisions of my life today. Can I turn down the opportunity to slash 600 bucks off the $1,799 list price of last year's Pixel 9 Pro Fold? I don't think I can, and those persistent rumors calling for a tardy Pixel 10 Pro Fold release this fall only strengthen my confidence that this is the right call to make at the perfect time. 5G, Unlocked, 256GB Storage, 16GB RAM, Google Tensor G4 Processor, Android 15, Gemini, 8-Inch Foldable LTPO OLED Display with 2152 x 2076 Pixel Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate Technology, 6.3-Inch OLED Cover Screen with 2424 x 1080 Pixel Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate, 48 + 10.8 + 10.5MP Triple Rear-Facing Camera System, 10MP Front-Facing Camera, 10MP Cover Camera, 4,650mAh Battery, Obsidian Color Buy at Amazon Obviously, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn't getting any younger, but if there's one thing that history has taught us, it's that Google knows how to keep its in-house products modern and stable from a software standpoint for years and years in a row. In the hardware department, this bad boy is undeniably still sophisticated enough (especially for its new record low price), with no less than five super-capable cameras in tow, a more than respectable Google Tensor G4 processor under the hood, and 256 gigs of internal storage space (in the entry-level configuration discounted by a whopping $600 on Amazon) that sounds more than generous enough to keep up with my digital hoarding needs. That glorious foldable screen is one of the big reasons why I don't think I can resist the Pixel 9 Pro Fold right now. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena While the Pixel 10 Pro Fold certainly sounds even more tempting, with a big battery size upgrade, modest charging technology improvement, and added "Pixelsnap" support, I don't think I'm willing to wait until October and pay and extra 600 bucks for that overall lackluster list of changes and add-ons. Now, I'll admit I haven't had the chance to spend a lot of time with a Pixel 9 Pro Fold unit myself, but I only had to take one look at those massive 8 and 6.3-inch screens in a store a little while back to realize I would buy this thing in a heartbeat at the right price. Well, that time seems to have arrived now (curiously enough, after Prime Day and months before Black Friday and Cyber Monday), and after checking out my colleague Preslav Kateliev's comprehensive Pixel 9 Pro Fold review, I'm about 99.99 percent certain that this is the best foldable for me... and many cost-conscious buyers just like me today.
India Today
27-04-2025
- Business
- India Today
Pixel 9 gets big discount
Pixel 9 gets big discount By Divya Bhati The Google Pixel 9 (256 GB – storage) is now available at a discounted price on Flipkart. Discount on Flipkart Originally priced at Rs 79,999, it gets a flat 6- per cent discount, bringing the cost down to Rs 74,999. 6 per cent discount Buyers using the Flipkart Axis Bank card can avail an additional discount of Rs 3,750. Bank offers With both offers combined, the final effective price drops to Rs 67,999. Final price The phone packs 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of internal storage for smooth performance and a 4,700 mAh battery. Under the hood It features a 6.3-inch display and is powered by the Google Tensor G4 processor. Display and processor Camera specs include a 50 –megapixel + 48– megapixel dual rear setup and a 10.5– megapixel front camera Also Read: Google Pixel 9 review: AI AI captain! Camera setup
The Hindu
25-04-2025
- The Hindu
Google Pixel 9a Review: Packs flagship power, great cameras and clean software in elegant chassis
Google has finally launched the Pixel 9a in India after the slight bump at the start of its journey due to a 'component quality issue.' The new phone is tagged as a 'budget phone' from the company, priced at ₹49,999 in India. The new Pixel 9a packs the power and performance of its flagship siblings as it is powered by Google Tensor G4, the same processor seen in the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. That being said, let's find out if the new Pixel 9a justifies being labelled a 'budget phone.' Design One of the most impressive aspects of the Pixel 9a is its clean and understated design. The phone feels compact and lightweight in the hand. Google has kept the design minimal, and one of our favorite things is the absence of the typical camera bumps seen on other Pixel 9 series devices. The rear camera module is housed in a plain capsule design that doesn't protrude, which means the phone doesn't wobble when placed on a flat surface. From the front, the phone has a strong resemblance to an iPhone, a sentiment echoed by several people who saw me using the device. The flat display with its slightly curved corners gives off a modern vibe, but the wide bezels around the screen are a surprise, especially in 2025. That's the only area where the design feels like a step back. The rear is made from a composite matte material that feels nice to the touch, and the satin metal frame adds a touch of sophistication. However, the back does feel slippery, so I'd strongly recommend getting a case for a better grip. The IP68 certification ensures durability against dust and water, which is a great addition at this price point. All the ports and buttons are well-placed, responsive, and tactile as expected. The dual rear cameras and LED flash are positioned just outside the pill frame, keeping the back sleek and balanced. Overall, the design is one of Pixel 9a's strongest suits—clean, elegant, and practical. (For top technology news of the day, subscribe to our tech newsletter Today's Cache) Display The Pixel 9a sports a 6.3-inch Actua display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and an OLED panel that delivers a crisp 1080x2424 resolution. With a pixel density of 422.2 ppi, everything from scrolling through web pages to watching videos looks sharp and detailed. The support for HDR and full 24-bit color depth means content comes alive on the screen, offering vibrant colors and deep contrast with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The refresh rate ranges between 60–120 Hz, which keeps animations smooth and interactions responsive. The brightness tops out at 2,700 nits (peak) and up to 1,800 nits in HDR mode, which means outdoor visibility is not an issue at all, even under harsh sunlight. Whether you're watching Netflix or editing photos, the display ensures a delightful visual experience. OS and AI The Pixel 9a comes with Android 15 right out of the box, and it continues Google's tradition of offering a clean, bloat-free experience. The interface is smooth, intuitive, and clutter-free, just as you'd expect from a Pixel. But where it really stands out is the long-term support: Google is promising 7 years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates—a level of commitment that's unmatched in this segment. AI is deeply woven into the OS experience—from intelligent suggestions to on-device features like Magic Eraser, Best Take, and Photo Unblur, which make photo editing a breeze. Google's AI-driven features like Emergency SOS, Crash Detection, and Crisis Alerts add another layer of usability, especially in real-life scenarios. Performance Powered by the same Tensor G4 chip that runs the flagship Pixel 9 and 9 Pro, the Pixel 9a delivers solid performance across the board. Paired with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, the phone handles daily tasks like multitasking, browsing, streaming, and casual photography effortlessly. The UI flows smoothly, apps open quickly, and there's no noticeable lag in everyday use. Gaming and graphic-intensive tasks are handled well, too. Titles like Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt 9 run comfortably at high settings. The GPU score of 7743 on benchmarks reflects this, and you can feel the performance bump over older Pixel A-series models. It's not meant to be a gaming beast, but for its range, I will say that it is good. On the Geekbench side, the Pixel 9a scores 1667 (single-core) and 3786 (multi-core), which are very respectable numbers. These numbers translate well into real-world use, where the phone maintains its composure under load, even with multiple apps running in the background. Camera The new Pixel 9a brought back memories of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3—the kind of camera experience that just clicks, pun intended. Straight out of the box, the camera delivers a familiar Pixel magic. The rear setup consists of a 48 MP wide lens and a 13 MP ultrawide lens. The front has a 13 MP selfie camera with an ultrawide 96.1° field of view. Daylight photography is where the Pixel 9a shines bright. The colours are natural, shadows are well-balanced, and the overall dynamic range is on point. Even without tweaking, the photos come out looking Instagram-ready. The wide lens with OIS and Super Res Zoom up to 8x helps in capturing sharp and detailed shots, while the ultrawide lens is perfect for landscapes and group photos. Portrait mode delivers good edge detection, and the background blur is tastefully done without being too aggressive. Whether it's pets, people, or objects, the subject separation is consistently accurate. It feels like the software and hardware work in perfect sync here. Night Sight continues to be a standout feature. Low-light photos are detailed with minimal noise, and the Night Mode kicks in just when you need it. Add features like Long Exposure and Astrophotography, and you have a versatile setup that punches above its weight. Selfies taken with the 13 MP front camera are wide, sharp, and full of detail. Whether it's a single shot or a group selfie, the front camera handles exposure and skin tones quite well. The Real Tone and Face Unblur features ensure your selfies always look their best, even in tricky lighting. Battery Battery performance is another area where the Pixel 9a scores big. The 5,100 mAh battery is the largest among the latest Pixel lineup and offers more juice than both the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. It easily lasts over 30 hours on regular use, and if you're in a pinch, the Extreme Battery Saver mode can stretch that up to 100 hours. Charging is fast and efficient. The phone supports fast charging as well as Qi-certified wireless charging, adding flexibility to how you top up your battery. While it may not charge as rapidly as some competitors, it's more than adequate for most users. Verdict The Google Pixel 9a is a solid, well-rounded phone that packs flagship power, great cameras, and clean software — all in a design that's both functional and elegant. It ticks almost every box for a budget flagship, and in many ways, it over-delivers. That said, the price tag is going to repel some users. If Google can reconsider the pricing and bring it down a notch, which it usually does sometime after the launch, I genuinely believe the Pixel 9a could become a crowd favorite. For now, it's one of the most interesting and capable phones in its category — if you're willing to stretch your budget just a bit.
The Guardian
15-04-2025
- The Guardian
Pixel 9a review: Google's cut-price Android winner
Google's latest cut-price Pixel offers the best bang for your buck in Android phones and is arguably better in many areas than some models costing twice the price. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The Pixel 9a starts at the same £499 (€549/$499/A$849) as last year's equally good value model. That makes it £300 or so less than Google's regular Pixel 9 and places it up against mid-rangers such as Nothing's Phone 3a Pro and Samsung's Galaxy A56. Google has stuck with its tried and tested A-series formula, packing the 9a with top-level specs, chips and cameras, cutting a few corners to bring the price down. The result is an extremely compelling package for the money. The 6.3in OLED screen is crisp, smooth and bright, looking better than many rivals costing far more. It has slightly thicker bezels around the edge than the Pixel 9, but keeps the premium-feeling aluminium band around the outside. The back is high-quality plastic rather than glass, but it's difficult to tell unless you know. The 9a has full IP68 water resistance, too, matching the best in the business. The big change is that the standout camera bar on the back is gone. Instead, the twin cameras sit almost flush poking through a small black oval. It means the phone sits flat on a desk and is a little sleeker, but it has also lost some of its charm looking far more generic than the rest of Google's phone designs. Screen: 6.3in 120Hz FHD+ OLED (422ppi) Processor: Google Tensor G4 RAM: 8GB Storage: 128 or 256GB Operating system: Android 15 Camera: 48MP + 13MP ultrawide, 13MP selfie Connectivity: 5G, Sim/eSim, wifi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3 and GNSS Water resistance: IP68 (1m for 30 minutes) Dimensions: 157.7 x 73.3 x 8.9mm Weight: 185.9g Inside, the 9a has the same top-tier Google Tensor G4 chip as the rest of the Pixel 9 line but with only 8GB of RAM rather than 12GB on the more expensive models. The chip is fast and performance is snappy. It won't win any raw performance awards but is markedly faster than most mid-range chips and played games just fine. The battery also lasts a long time: up to 57 hours between charges with general light use, including actively using the screen for nine hours and spending five hours on 5G. That is the longest of all the Google Pixels and means it should see out two days, rivalling some of the longest-lasting handsets on the market. You likely won't notice the smaller amount of RAM compared with the Pixel 9 in daily use, but it limits some of the potential for running Google's AI systems locally on the phone. The 9a has to make do with a smaller version of Google's Gemini AI tools that can only process text on-device, precluding some of the fancy audio or image-based tools such as the popular Pixel Screenshots and Call Notes apps from the Pixel 9. All the Gemini features that use the web to process things, such as Gemini Live, work great. As do the various photo editing and image generation tools. The 9a can also produce summaries of voice recordings, but only those under about 15 minutes as there is a maximum number of words it can process in one go. The rest of the Android 15 experience matches the other Pixel phones, which makes it one of the best in the business. Even better at this price is Google's seven years of software support for its Pixels, which means you can safely use the 9a for far longer than most in the mid-range market. Google's Pixels have some of the very best cameras, which includes the 9a. It has a new main 48-megapixel camera twinned with a 13MP ultrawide, which matches that from last year's model. The main camera is capable of shooting better photos than many full-price flagship phones, and is only a smidgen behind the regular Pixel 9 in low-light scenarios, taking longer to get the shot. Photos across a range of lighting conditions are full of detail and well balanced, while the ultrawide continues to be one of the better options available. The main camera offers a solid 2x zoom that can stretch up to 8x with more obvious digital artefacts. New for the 9a is a macrophotography mode that uses the main camera and can produce some great shots, though sometimes it struggles to focus and is only sharp in the centre of the image. The selfie camera is solid on the front, while video capture is equally good. The 9a has popular Best Take and Add Me AI features from the main Pixel 9, as well as various AI editing tools in Google Photos including Magic Editor, unblur and audio magic eraser. Google says the battery should last about 1,000 full charge cycles with at least 80% of its original capacity. The phone is repairable by Google and third-party shops with genuine replacement parts available direct from iFixit. The Pixel 9a is made with recycled aluminium, glass, plastic and tin, accounting for at least 23% of the phone by weight. The company publishes an environmental impact report for the phone and will recycle old devices free of charge. The Google Pixel 9a costs £499 (€549/$499/A$849). For comparison, the Pixel 9 costs £799, the Samsung Galaxy A56 costs £499, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro costs £449 and the Apple iPhone 16e costs £599. The Pixel 9a shows Google knows how to make a cut-price flagship phone at a mid-range price better than any other. The combination of top-tier chip, long battery life, great screen and a class-leading camera beats phones costing a lot more. Google's quality software and long seven years of support only sweeten the deal. A few corners have been cut to bring the price down, but they aren't noticeable in day-to-day usage. Missing things such as a lack of wifi 7, satellite messaging or spatial audio, or the use of a plastic back can all be forgiven at this price. While more expensive Pixel phones offer a few more bells and whistles, it's hard to overlook the Pixel 9a. It is the best mid-range phone by a wide margin and is the handset to buy for anyone looking for a quality experience that goes the distance for less. Pros: seven years of software updates, class-leading camera, great screen, top-tier chip, very long battery life, recycled materials, good AI features, undercuts high-end phones on price. Cons: design quite generic, no optical zoom for camera, raw performance short of best, plastic back, no built-in spatial audio, no wifi 7 or satellite messaging, older Gorilla Glass 3.
