UPDATE: Google has finally reached out with further comment on the Pixel 9a delay, saying:
“Rumors and speculation regarding this delay are false. A passive component in Pixel 9a didn’t meet our rigorous quality standards for device longevity and rather than ship it, we made the difficult decision to delay the on shelf and take corrective action on the small number of affected units.”
The Google Pixel 9a was announced in mid-March, but Google almost immediately delayed the sale of the phone, telling us it would be available sometime in April. We finally have the exact day the Pixel 9a should appear on shelves, and it will arrive in the US, UK, and Canada first on April 10. Then, it will go on sale in Europe on April 14th, followed by Australia and Asia on April 16th.
The new Pixel 9a will cost $499 / £499 / AU$849, and for that price, you get 8GB of RAM with 128GB of storage. The phone will be available in four colors: Obsidian black, Porcelain white, Peony pink, and Iris lavender. I got to spend thirty minutes with the new phone in a brief preview, and I’m hoping to have a full review up on TechRadar as soon as possible.
@techradar
♬ original sound – TechRadar
The Pixel 9a was mysteriously delayed and Google would only say there was a component issue with the phone. Recent rumors have suggested that the Pixel 9a could have had problems with the camera overheating. Those rumors say the problem will be fixed with a software update, which fits the short timing of this delay. Google has since completely denied that these rumors concerned the Pixel 9a, and you can read it’s full comment above.
Had there been an actual hardware component that needed to be replaced, we could have been looking at weeks or even months of waiting before the Pixel 9a hit shelves.
I’ve reviewed most of the best phones you can buy, and frankly, camera overheating is a very common issue these days. I’ve had overheating problems with my iPhone 16 Pro, Google Pixel 9 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra that required the phones to all shut down during intense outdoor photo sessions. It’s great that Google caught this problem, and hopefully, the Pixel 9a won’t have the same issues as those flagship phones.
Of course, Google has not officially confirmed any specific reason for the delay, so we can only speculate. We hope to have a full review of the Pixel 9a on TechRadar shortly, and we will certainly put the camera – and every other component – through thorough testing to make sure it can stand up to our intense expectations.
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