I’m hyped about the Pixel 10a—leaks point to a bigger battery and serious camera power.

When Google dropped the Pixel 9a, I kept telling anyone hunting for a budget Android that this phone beats some models that cost twice as much. Looking back, I wasn’t wrong. The Pixel 9a nails the camera, packs a strong chip, lasts forever on a charge, runs smart AI features, and delivers smooth software that leaves other midrange phones behind. Now, with Google Pixel 10a leaks popping up, I wonder if I’ll feel the same way.

Google only cracked the top five premium phone brands in early 2025 after five years of trying, but its cheaper phones have quietly grown its market share. That’s the A-series formula: top-notch specs, strong chips, great cameras, and a few smart cuts to hit a lower price. Will the Pixel 10a keep the balance right? Let’s dig into everything we know so far.

Design and display

Rumors around the Pixel 10a are just starting to swirl, so details are still scarce. What we do know—it’ll match the Pixel 9a in size.

The 10a packs a 6.2-inch screen and measures 153.9 x 72.9 x 9 mm. It’s thicker than most phones out now, but that’s not a dealbreaker for me. I care more about comfort and long battery life than chasing a thinner frame. The extra thickness hints at a bigger battery too, maybe around 5,100 mAh—which is promising, considering the 9a already lasted up to 57 hours on light use.

The back is glass again, though you’d never know unless someone pointed it out. Google’s sticking with a dual-camera setup, with the lenses sitting in a small black oval instead of the trademark camera bar. Without that bar, the 10a loses some of its Pixel identity. The bar gave it character—I could spot a Pixel from across the room, even through a case.

Camera

The Pixel 10a features just two lenses on the back, so it skips the telephoto lens that the base Pixel 10 includes. That’s a bummer for me because I love zooming in with telephoto lenses. If you don’t use telephoto much, it won’t matter. Missing it comes down to how you shoot, but right now it feels more like a nice-to-have than a must-have. What’s important is that the main camera still beats many full-price flagship phones and comes close to the Pixel 9 in low light, though it takes a bit longer to get the shot.

Up front, the 13 MP selfie camera shows the same cutout as before. Even in dim lighting, the Pixel 9a’s selfies look surprisingly sharp. Selfie cameras can’t match the main lens, but Google has narrowed the gap more than most other brands. That gives me hope for the 10a.

Beyond hardware, the Pixel 10 introduced Camera Coach in the camera app. My dad loves taking pictures but has no clue what he’s doing. He just points, clicks, and hopes for the best. If Google brings Camera Coach to the 9a, people like him can get tips on framing, camera modes, lighting, or new angles. I think they will, since the 9a already got features like Best Take, Add Me AI, and Google Photos tools like Magic Editor, unblur, and audio magic eraser from the main Pixel 9.

Performance

Word on the street is that the Pixel 10a might stick with the Tensor G4 from the Pixel 9a instead of moving to the Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10 series. The G5 costs more since TSMC makes it (a change from longtime partner Samsung), so going with a “boosted” G4 might make sense.

Still, Google could surprise us. The company just made a deal with Anthropic to supply up to a million TPUs, so the Pixel 10a might still get a Tensor G5, with tens of billions of dollars fueling the Google ecosystem.

I also expect 7 years of software support, which means you can use the 9a far longer than most midrange phones.

Bottom line

I’m curious if the Pixel 10a will match the Pixel 10a’s camera in low light and battery life on long days. I want a phone that handles AI features without slowing down and still lets me snap sharp photos fast. With a thicker build than most competitors, including the iPhone 16e, I think Google has plenty of room to pack serious battery and camera power.

If Google again nails the balance, the Pixel 10a could be the best midrange smartphone on the market.