Pixel 9a flaw uncovered before it even hits shops

Google has delayed the launch of the Pixel 9a due to an unnamed component issue.

You’ll no doubt have noticed a whole heap of Pixel 9a-related content appearing on the web, including on these very pages. That’s because Google has officially launched its new mid-range phone.

Rather strangely, however, there’s no sign of a launch date for the phone itself, nor can you even pre-order it from Google.

If something seems amiss here, you’re spot on. Google has confirmed that the Pixel 9a launch has been delayed.

What’s the problem with the Pixel 9a?

According to a Google representative, the company is “checking on a component quality issue that’s affecting a small number of Pixel 9a devices”.

Google has informed us that the Pixel 9a will now be launching at some unspecified point in April.

Given that the Pixel 9a release date was originally meant to be March 26, we could be looking at a delay of up to a month.

It seems likely that this decision to delay the Pixel 9a came extremely late in the day, given the way it has clashed with the phone’s carefully planned debut, and the lack of accompanying pre-order or release date information.

Which Pixel 9a component could it be?

More concerning to us is the nature of this “component quality issue”. Which component are we talking about here?

From the spec list provided to us, the Pixel 9a appears to be culling most of its components from previous Pixel phones. It runs on the same Tensor G4 SoC as the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, and that 6.3-inch FHD+ Actua Display looks decidedly Pixel 9-like too.

Elsewhere, the Pixel 9a’s 48MP main camera looks suspiciously like that of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

The company has recently confirmed to Android Authority that the Pixel 9a is using an older modem, the Exynos Modem 5300. We’ve seen this component before, however, in older Pixel devices such as the Pixel 6, so it’s far from an unknown quantity.

Perhaps the headline component here is an all new 5,100mAh battery – the largest we’ve ever seen in a Pixel phone, no less. Might that be causing issues for Google?

More Pixel 9a questions

Aside from the obvious questions of ‘which component are we talking about here?’ and ‘when is the Pixel 9a release date?’, there are a couple of other things that need answering.

Just how many Pixel 9a handsets are affected here?

We know that Pixel 9a units are out there. This late in the day, you can bet that retailers will be all stocked up on what will doubtless be a popular phone. Is a recall going to be in order?

We’ll let you know the answers to these just as soon as we get them.