With the release of the Google Pixel 10 Series, all eyes are now on the cheapest entry into the lineup, the Pixel 10a. Though its launch is reserved for sometime between late Q1 and early Q2 next year, rumours and leaks of the device have already claimed that it is more akin to the Pixel 9 than the Pixel 10.
The primary reason why leaks have made this claim is that the Pixel 10a will only have the Tensor G4 chipset which is found in the Pixel 9, rather than the new G5 chip. Despite this would-be downgrade, the handset is rumoured to still have most features from the Pixel 10 family; what these features are exactly remains to be seen.
The leaks originated from Mystic Leaks, a Telegram channel, and it further claims the Pixel 10a will also use the slower UFS 3.1 storage of yesteryear. This is a significant step down, especially since Google’s recent flagship lineup features UFS 4.0 NAND that is capable of faster read/write speeds without consuming too much power. Though the Pixel 10a is supposed to be the cheaper alternative, this is quite the drawback, especially since the device is expected to receive seven years of OS updates, according to Android Headlines.
Additionally, according to the leaks, the camera module of the Pixel 10a has also taken a hit. Despite Google adding a telephoto camera to the base Pixel 10 this year, the Pixel 10a will not have one. Moreover, Magic Cue, one of the brand new AI features for Google’s recent smartphone entries, is also reportedly absent from this device variant.
It is worth noting that there is a possibility that the Magic Cue feature may make its way to the Pixel 10a, especially since the device is months away from launch. However, this is unlikely, as the Tensor G4 may not have the performance chops needed for it.
The last set of leaks also alleged that the handset will have a modest brightness boost of 2,000 nits. Furthermore, Google has not stated if the Pixel 10a will receive an LTPO panel with 1-120Hz refresh rate support.
(Source: Android Headlines)
