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 from the family is the upcoming Pixel 9a, the cheapest option of the bunch, which is rumored to launch between March and May of next year.
According to a new report, the Pixel 9a will also use the Tensor G4 SoC, but with an unfortunate twist. It will be paired with an Exynos 5300 modem, rather than the new 5400 model found in other Pixel 9 devices, and it will run cooler and more efficiently.
Google Pixel 8a
This means that satellite connectivity won’t be a feature on the Pixel 9a, and it also could mean that overall network performance won’t be on par with what other Pixel 9 models can deliver with their newer modem. That seems like a price to pay for the 9a’s relative affordability.
This rumor has surfaced before, so now it looks like the information has apparently been “confirmed” by this new rumor. There’s one more tidbit to consider – while the G4’s Tensor chip is the same, the plastic casing is different, and the Pixel 9a gets a thicker and hotter – but also cheaper – version.
Source
