Google launches $499 Pixel 10a with AI camera features

Google on Wednesday introduced its latest entry-level smartphone, the Pixel 10a. Priced at $499, the new device is available for preorder now, with shipments scheduled to begin on March 5. The launch brings new AI software capabilities and minor hardware updates to the entry-level device.

The Pixel 10a features a completely flat back, meaning the camera bar blends into the rear of the phone and lies flat when placed down on a surface. Key hardware specifications for the new device include:

• Display: A 6.3-inch Actua display—Google’s display technology brand—which is 11% brighter than the predecessor Pixel 9a.
• Processor: The Tensor G4 chip, Google’s proprietary mobile processor, which is the same chip that powered the Pixel 9a.
• Cameras: A 48 MP main camera alongside a 13 MP ultrawide camera. Google claims the main lens is the best camera on a phone under $500.
• Battery and Charging: Faster charging than its predecessor, offering more than 30 hours of battery life, and up to 120 hours when the Extreme Battery Saver setting is turned on.

Google is bringing several AI-powered camera features to its A-series for the first time, following their debut on the higher-end Pixel 10 series. These include Auto Best Take, which captures multiple frames in a single shutter press and automatically selects the best version so everyone looks good in a group photo, and Camera Coach, which provides step-by-step guidance on lighting and composition. Additionally, the company is introducing Satellite SOS to the A-series for the first time, allowing users to connect with emergency services even when they do not have Wi-Fi or cellular service.

The Pixel 10a will come with seven years of software and security updates. However, the device does not have the PixelSnap magnetic Qi charging feature found on the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Alongside the phone, Google announced the Pixel Buds 2a accessory in two new colors, Berry and Fog. The smartphone’s arrival comes just ahead of Apple’s upcoming entry-level phone, the iPhone 17e, which is expected to cost $599, matching the price of the previous iPhone 16e.

Why it matters

Google is expanding its entry-level smartphone lineup with the Pixel 10a, which introduces new AI-powered camera features and Satellite SOS capabilities to the A-series for the first time.