Google just launched the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, all powered by the same Tensor G4 chipset. The only one missing in the family is the upcoming Pixel 9a, the most affordable option of the bunch, which is now rumored to arrive between March and May next year.
The Pixel 9a will, according to a new report, use the Tensor G4 SoC as well, but with an unfortunate twist. It will be paired with the Exynos 5300 modem, not the new 5400 model that is inside the other Pixel 9 devices and runs cooler and more efficiently.
Google Pixel 8a
This means satellite connectivity won’t be a feature for the Pixel 9a, and it also could mean that network performance in general won’t be on par with what the other Pixel 9 models can deliver with their newer modem. That’s the price you’ll need to pay for the relative affordability of the 9a, it seems.
This has been rumored once before, so it’s looking more likely now that the information has seemingly been ‘confirmed’ by this new rumor. There’s another tidbit to take into account – while the Tensor G4 chip is the same, the plastic package differs, with the Pixel 9a getting a thicker and hotter – but also cheaper – version.