The Pixel 9a could outperform Google's latest flagships on one front

Google is expected to launch its next Pixel A series device around March next year, but we’ve already seen several leaks about the Pixel 9a. Over the last few weeks, we’ve learned that the next-gen budget phone from Google could feature a refreshed camera island design and pack the same 48MP primary camera as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Now, a new report suggests that the Pixel 9a could also pack a much larger battery.

Although Google has dramatically improved its Pixel A series devices in almost all aspects over the last few years, the devices haven’t received a notable bump in battery capacity since 2021. The Pixel 5a was the last model to pack a significantly larger battery than its predecessor, with all subsequent releases hovering around the 4,500mAh mark. That could change with the upcoming Pixel 9a, as sources familiar with Google’s plans have told Android Headlines that the device will feature a 5,000mAh battery.

The larger battery pack could make the Pixel 9a the best phone in the Pixel 9 series in terms of battery life. It will likely outperform the flagship Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, which feature smaller 4,700mAh battery packs, and could match the top-end Pixel 9 Pro XL, which has a 5,060mAh battery. However, given that the Pixel 9 Pro XL also features more power-hungry components, like a massive high refresh rate display, the Pixel 9a could end up as the battery champ.

At the moment, it’s not clear if Google also plans to improve charging speed on the Pixel 9a. The last three models in the Pixel A series lineup have offered 18W charging support, and a slight boost on that front would be a welcome change.