Google debuts mid-range Pixel 10a but keeps the price steady amid the global RAM shortage | Technology News
5 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Feb 18, 2026 08:31 PM IST
Google has launched an upgraded version of Pixel 10a, its budget smartphone, featuring improvements to the display and battery life. The Pixel 10a does not come with a price increase despite the global memory chip shortage; it still costs Rs 49,999, the same as its predecessor.
The new phone is Google’s most affordable Pixel model and sits below the Pixel 10. While the Pixel 10a may not be Google’s most advanced smartphone, the premium mid-range handset is important for reaching a wave of budget-conscious consumers who can’t afford its flagship, the Pixel 10.
The launch of the Pixel 10a comes before Apple’s anticipated March 4 product launch event, where the company is expected to unveil the iPhone 17e, its low-cost iPhone aimed at mainstream consumers. Pre-orders for Pixel 10a are now available, and the phone will ship on March 6 in India.
Brighter screen, largest battery
The Pixel 10a is a continuation of last year’s Pixel 9a. In fact, it looks similar to its predecessor, but Google says the design is “bumpless,” featuring a flat camera module. It still features a 6.3-inch Actua display, but it has been upgraded to a brighter screen, reaching up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. The screen retains its 120-Hz refresh rate, a feature you won’t find on the rival iPhone 16e (soon to be replaced with the iPhone 17e).
The Pixel 10a helps Google compete in the mid-range segment. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The phone has an IP68 rating, which means it can survive submersion underwater for extended periods. Google also says it used Gorilla Glass (GG7i), making it one of the toughest screens in its price range.
Google has also increased the Pixel 10a’s battery capacity, now featuring a 5,100 mAh cell.
That’s the largest battery ever seen in a Pixel A-series device, and Google claims it can deliver more than 30 hours of use on a single charge. It also supports 10 W wireless charging and 30 W wired charging.
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At the heart of the Pixel 10a is the Tensor G4, the same processor found in last year’s Pixel 9a, paired with 8GB of RAM. Google did not use the Tensor G5 processor in the latest Pixel 10 series, and the reason for this choice is unknown.
The new device will be available in Lavender, Obsidian, Fog, and Berry colour options.
From Add Me to Camera Coach
Perhaps what Google hopes will catch consumers’ attention with the Pixel 10a is a swathe of AI features. These include Add Me, which allows the person taking the photo to join the shot by switching places with the subject. The software stitches two images together so that both parties appear in the same photo, even though they weren’t standing next to each other at that exact moment.
The new model comes in Lavender, Obsidian, Fog, and Berry. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The phone also includes Camera Coach, first launched on the Pixel 10 series, which uses Gemini AI to provide step-by-step guidance on improving your photography before you press the shutter button. Gemini Live and other AI features seen on other Pixel phones will also be available on the Pixel 10a.
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The camera system on the Pixel 10a remains unchanged, with a 48-megapixel primary camera joined by a 13-MP ultrawide and a 13-MP selfie camera.
Eye on the market
In a way, the Pixel 10a isn’t Google’s most advanced Pixel smartphone. It neither features the most advanced capabilities, such as ProRes Zoom, nor does it have the top-grade camera optics found on the higher-end Pixel 10 Pro XL.
The Pixel 10a replaces the more prominent camera bump with a flat two-camera system. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
However, the latest Pixel 10a also serves as a way for Google to highlight its artificial intelligence services and subscriptions, as well as to expand its reach in markets like India. Google has an edge over Apple with its Gemini models, which are considered more advanced than the models underpinning Apple Intelligence, the iPhone’s built-in AI suite.
While Pixel holds less than 3 per cent of the global market — far behind brands like Samsung and Apple — devices launched under the brand allow Google to showcase marquee Android features without relying on third-party hardware makers sauch as Samsung and Motorola.
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The Pixel line also enables Google to demonstrate how it believes its Android software compares with that of the iPhone. Mid-range devices have helped Google gradually gain consumers, with Counterpoint saying the company has performed strongly in the $300 to $600 segment, which is dominated by its A-series smartphones.
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