Google has unveiled the budget smartphone Pixel 10a. Priced at $499 (about 660,000 won), it brings down the Tensor G4 chipset and Gemini-based AI features from the flagship Pixel 9 series to accelerate its push into the mid-to-low-priced market.
Google said on the 18th (local time) via its official blog that it is announcing the new Pixel A series and will begin sales on Mar. 5.
The biggest change is the removal of the rear camera bar, once dubbed "camera bump," in favor of a flat back design. The frame uses 100% recycled aluminum, and some recycled cobalt and copper were also applied to underscore sustainability.
The 6.3-inch Actua display is 11% brighter than its predecessor and supports up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. It is rated IP68 for water and dust resistance, and the front glass is reinforced with Gorilla Glass 7i. While keeping the battery at 5,100 mAh, wired charging speed and wireless charging performance were improved.
The cameras are a 48-megapixel main and a 13-megapixel ultrawide. Camera Coach, which provides real-time guidance on lighting and composition while shooting; Auto Best Take, which chooses the best cut for group photos from a single take; and a Google Photos feature that lets users edit images conversationally are included for the first time in the A series. Quick Share has also been enhanced to support compatibility with AirDrop, Google said.
After-sales support is also a strength. Google promised seven years of OS and security updates, and it applied Satellite SOS to the budget lineup for the first time to prepare for situations without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. The industry views it as a move to bring the flagship experience below $500 to broaden the Gemini ecosystem, while also noting criticism that the hardware configuration, similar to the previous model, is "conservative."
The design change removing the camera bar is also cited as a key differentiator from the iPhone SE and Galaxy A.