Google Just Showed The Pixel 10a Early - Here Are 5 Things It Must Nail Before I Upgrade

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Preorders for nan Pixel 10a unfastened connected Feb. 18.
Don't expect a awesome redesign, arsenic it looks a batch for illustration nan 9a.
The telephone is expected to person specs akin to its predecessor.

The Pixel 10a is astir here, and we conscionable sewage our first charismatic look astatine Google's newest midrange phone.

Google officially pulled backmost nan curtain connected nan instrumentality pinch a 15-second teaser video that dropped this morning. The video shows flashes of nan telephone successful a powder bluish colorway earlier ending pinch a day of Feb. 18, 2026 -- nan day you tin preorder.

Also: Why I urge this $400 Google Pixel complete competing models from Samsung and OnePlus

At first glance, nan Pixel 10a looks astir identical to past year's Pixel 9a (which ZDNET's Kerry Wan called "so adjacent to being my cleanable fund phone"). If there's 1 creation change, it does look for illustration nan camera bump has been wholly removed, making nan backmost of nan telephone wholly flat.

There's been a batch of speculation that nan 10a won't connection awesome upgrades, and Google mightiness beryllium pushing backmost connected that pinch its tagline for nan telephone -- "A telephone pinch much successful store."

The 8a did supply respective upgrades complete nan 7a, including a larger screen, a brighter display, and an upgraded processor. Not overmuch has leaked successful nan measurement of specs, though, truthful it's difficult to gauge wherever nan 9a will land.

Here's a look astatine immoderate rumors astir nan upcoming telephone and immoderate things I'd for illustration to spot that could thief Google enactment up of nan competition.

1. An affordable value point

When nan Pixel 9a debuted, it was priced astatine $499 for nan 128GB exemplary and $599 for nan 256GB model. Early leaks propose nan 10a's value successful Europe will beryllium astir $640 for nan guidelines type and $755 for nan upgraded model.

Also: How to clear your Android telephone cache (and why it makes specified a large difference)

I haven't seen specifics connected pricing for nan United States, but nan official preorder page from nan Google Store promises an exclusive connection erstwhile you motion up for emails by Feb. 13, possibly a chance to prevention from nan start. If Google tin support nan value competitory pinch nan iPhone 16e, which comes successful astatine $599, and nan Samsung Galaxy A56 5G, priced astatine $499, it's a triumph (especially fixed constituent value increases).

2. More RAM (or astatine slightest an option)

With on-board AI-powered features becoming progressively prevalent and different features for illustration built-in photograph processing becoming nan norm, we're asking our phones to do a batch more. The Pixel 9a and different phones successful this abstraction person 8GB of RAM, and if you wanted more, your only action was to upgrade to a much premium model.

If Google could compression a small much RAM into its fund phone, aliases astatine slightest springiness users nan action to salary for more, it would spell a agelong way.

3. Room for premium features?

Limiting immoderate features to premium devices is thing caller for Google, but it looks for illustration nan 9a mightiness break this trend, astatine slightest a little. A leak showing disconnected immoderate colour options besides indicated that nan Pixel 9a mightiness get a fewer usually premium features for illustration Call Assist and Gemini Live. If Google does fto immoderate of nan amended features trickle down, it would beryllium a large trading point.

4. A artillery that genuinely lasts each day

If you usage your telephone often, you'll astir apt find it difficult to past done nan full day. If rumors are true, nan 9a will characteristic a 5,100mAh battery. That's a hairsbreadth bigger than nan 5,000mAh artillery of nan Galaxy A56, but a decent measurement supra nan 3,561mAh artillery of nan iPhone 16e. A ample artillery wouldn't needfully beryllium an upgrade (the 9a had it too), but it would beryllium amended than what different companies offer.

Also: I compared nan 2 of nan champion Android camera phones correct now - there's a astonishment winner

While immoderate leaks declare nan telephone will deed unit successful mid-February, I deliberation that mightiness beryllium a spot early. If we're getting preorders connected Feb. 18, nan telephone will apt deed nan marketplace successful precocious February aliases early March. At slightest for now, it looks for illustration nan 10a mightiness not beryllium a immense upgrade complete nan 9a.