But why wasn’t it available earlier?
Traditionally, Google begins accepting pre-orders right after announcing a new phone. That didn’t happen this time. Instead, the Pixel 9a’s rollout was quietly pushed back. The official reason Google gave was a component quality issue that impacted “a small number” of units. But leaks and early benchmarks suggested a different story.
Tech Auntyji, a tech leaker, stated that the Pixel 9a could be experiencing overheating issues, particularly around the camera area. Benchmark tests carried out on a wrongly released unit revealed that the phone had throttled to only 61% of its maximum performance – not great.
That said, while the delay might be frustrating, it is probably a precaution to prevent a repeat of the customer complaints that Google has seen in the past, like with the Pixel 6a, for example. Still, it is a bit of a worrisome situation—one that might hurt Google’s sales of the Pixel 9a if it doesn’t manage to fix its issues before launch.
Despite the rocky start, the Pixel 9a still has a shot at becoming one of the most competitive mid-range Android phones this year. With a larger battery, high-refresh display, and updated design, it brings a lot to the table for $499. But between limited AI tools and concerns over thermal throttling, it’s clear this isn’t a straightforward launch.
Once units start landing in users’ hands in April, we’ll have a better idea of whether Google’s gamble on holding back was worth it.
