Leaked Pixel 9a images reaffirm a curious design change

What you need to know

• Google's upcoming mid-range Pixel 9a surfaces again with real-life images.
• The device appears to be carrying a new design, as seen in earlier leaked renders.
• The Pixel 9a features dual cameras almost completely flushed on the back, unlike the predecessor models.

Google Pixel leaks way ahead of launch have become quite common over the past couple of years. After seeing the possible renders of Pixel 9a already, we now have a good look at the prototype as well — thanks to a new leak.

The working prototype of the Pixel 9a has been spotted in the wild (via OnLeaks), revealing the familiar design we have seen in the earlier leaked renders of the upcoming mid-range handset from Google. It includes a taller screen with a punch hole cutout paired with flat sides and a new, flatter camera housing — an unexpected departure from the iconic bar camera module design, which has been the norm since the Pixel 6 series and has even received a redesign with the latest Pixel 9 models.

As seen in the prototype, the new camera housing includes dual cameras nearly flush to the back of the phone, coupled with an LED flash that also resides flat to the back of the phone. The prototype handset further includes a matte finish and can be quite a fingerprint magnet, as seen in the images.

It isn’t the first time we have seen hands-on images of the Pixel 9a. Even before the leaked renders, the alleged Pixel 9a handset prototype was spotted on Facebook, and it looks nearly identical to the latest leaked prototype images. All this evidence points to Google circling out the new design element for the upcoming Pixel 9a, which will perhaps see the light of day sometime around Q2 2025 if previous Pixel A series releases are any indication.

The release is still significantly far away, but recent leaks have pointed out what to expect, including the color options and supposed battery capacity of the Pixel 9a. The device is likely to comprise four colorways, including the previous Porcelain and Obsidian colors, next to the new Peony and Iris. The Peony is the latest addition to the Pixel 9 series, and it is an all-new pink color.

On the other hand, the Pixel 9a is rumored to measure 154.7 x 73.2 x 8.9mm, making the device slightly taller and wider than the previous iteration, the Pixel 8a. However, the Pixel 9a's battery capacity should be close to 5000mAh — a significant 11% overall increase over the predecessor.

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