Pixel 9a’s New 48MP Camera is a Surprising Mix of Upgrade and Downgrade

By Mehtab Ansari • Updated On Oct 24, 2024

Like
Comment
Share

TL; DR

The Pixel 9a will feature a 48 MP main camera with possibly improved aperture and field of view but a smaller sensor size at 1/2.0 inches. This is the same sensor found on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
The ultra-wide and the selfie camera are expected to remain unchanged.

The Google Pixel 9a is set to ship with a 48 MP camera, a change from the previously expected 64 MP sensor. It will feature the same camera sensor found on the Google Pixel 9 Pro, but it still lacks a telephoto camera. Instead, it will retain the 13 MP ultra-wide lens, which is expected to remain unchanged. The report comes from Android Headlines.

While the switch to a 48 MP main camera might seem like a downgrade from the 64 MP originally intended, there are some improvements. The aperture is expected to increase from f/1.9 to f/1.7, allowing more light to reach the sensor, and the field of view will widen slightly from 26 mm to 25 mm.

ALSO READ: Pixel 9 Pro XL Review: Google’s AI-Powered Flagship Charts a New Course

However, there’s one major downgrade. The sensor size will decrease from 1/1.73 inches to 1/2.0 inches, which may impact image quality, especially in low-light. This 1/2.0-inch sensor is similar to those found in smartphones priced under ₹20,000.

For reference, the Pixel 9 (review) has a sensor size of 1/1.3-inch, which is much larger than the rumored 1/2.0-inch sensor for the Pixel 9a. The Galaxy S24 FE, for example, also has a larger sensor at 1/1.56 inches.

ALSO READ: Pixel 9a Leaks Reveals Design Changes; Release By The End of 2024

The Pixel 9a will adopt a new design, departing from the iconic visor look. It features flat edges similar to the Pixel 9, with slightly smaller bezels compared to the Pixel 8a.

The Pixel 9a is expected to offer 7 years of major software updates, a new G4 chipset, and possibly an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. Improvements in battery life and charging speeds are also anticipated. The Pixel 9a is expected to launch in mid-March 2025.

ALSO READ: Pixel 9a is Indeed Getting Rid of the Iconic Camera Visor

You can follow Smartprix on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google News. Visit smartprix .com for the latest tech and auto news, reviews, and guides.

Mehtab Ansari

Mehtab Ansari is the Assistant Editor – Features & Reviews at Smartprix, where he writes about smartphones, laptops, audio gear, and everything in between. A computer science student by degree but a tech nerd by heart, he’s been into consumer tech for years and started reviewing products professionally in February 2024. He’s especially into photography and audio, often spending more time testing a smartphone’s camera than he probably should. For him, tech isn’t just work, it’s what he’s always thinking about.

Expertise

Smartphones, laptops, tablets, monitors, smartwatches, photography, and audio gear. I’ve reviewed over 60 products across these categories on Smartprix in the past year and a half.

Education - Bachelor of Computer Applications – Nizam College, Hyderabad (2022–2025) | Joined Smartprix -February 2024 | Published Reviews & Stories - 723

Upcoming Smartphones to Launch in August 2025 in India

As the monsoon season brings refreshing rains, smartphone brands are set to shower the market with exciting new releases. Following a series of launches in July, August will bring more devices from brands like Motorola, Google, vivo, and OPPO. If you’re planning to upgrade your phone this month, here’s a detailed look at the most …

14 Best Optical Zoom Camera Phones To Buy in 2024

Stacking wide-angle, depth, and zoom cameras on phones is the trend, but unless we’re talking premium flagships, these extra lenses can feel more like afterthoughts. The good news? Camera quality is getting a major boost, thanks to smarter image processing and chipsets that effortlessly manage these computational tasks. Among the various lenses in 2024 phones, …

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Leaks Hint at Major Ultrawide Camera Upgrade (The Only Upgrade?)

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra is already making waves ahead of its expected January launch at the Galaxy Unpacked event next year. According to well-known leaker Ice Universe, one of the biggest upgrades to watch out for is the ultrawide camera. Currently, the Galaxy S24 Ultra (review) sports a 12 MP ultra-wide camera with a 1/2.55” …

Google Pixel 10 Camera Specs Leak: A Surprising “Upgrade” with Major Downgrades

As anticipation builds for the Google Pixel 10 series, new leaks have surfaced, revealing key changes to the camera system across the lineup, as revealed by Android Authority. While Google is introducing a dedicated telephoto lens to the base Pixel 10 for the first time, this comes at a significant cost—downgraded main and ultrawide sensors …

iPhone 17 Pro Roundup: New Back Panel, A19 Pro Chip, 48MP Telephoto Camera, And Everything Else We Know

The Cupertino-based tech giant is gearing up to unveil the next iPhone lineup this September. It will comprise four models: the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Out of these, we’ll be discussing both the Pro models in this roundup, as they’re the ones rumored to come with …