Google Missed a Huge Opportunity With the Pixel 9A

Google's Pixel 9A takes the essence of what makes the company's Pixel 9 Pro so good and wraps it up in a more affordable package. We've always loved the Pixel A series for their balance of performance and value, but I do feel this time round that Google missed a big opportunity and it all comes down to size. Apple recently launched the iPhone 16E and in so doing, essentially marked the end of its iPhone SE line -- a line that included the last truly small phone you could buy. 

The 2022 iPhone SE had a 4.7-inch display which is tiny compared to the goliath proportions of the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max. The iPhone 16E -- arguably the SE's spiritual successor -- measures 6.1 inches. I've written already that this marks the death of small phones, and I stand by that. For years I've maintained a roundup of the best small phones you can buy and it's become increasingly difficult to fill as all phones have ballooned well over 6 inches in size. 

But many people do still want smaller handsets. Maybe it's because they have limited mobility in the fingers and using a huge display is more cumbersome. Maybe they love their skinny jeans and find a huge crotch-level bulge embarrassing. Maybe they just like using a smaller handset. I opted for the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro, not the Pro Max and I still find its size a bit awkward to use at times. Whatever the reason, small phones have always had their place, but it's a segment of the market not being served by anyone anymore. 

The Pixel 9A's Design: Google Takes Minimalism to the Extreme

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It's why I was disappointed to see that Google did not offer a smaller version of its Pixel 9A. At 6.3 inches the screen is a fair bit bigger than the 6.1-inch one on the Pixel 8A, and there's no way I'd have even called the 8A a small phone. When it comes down to actual dimensions, both the Pixel 9A and 8A are virtually identical and both likely a handful for someone wanting a tiny phone.

I trust that Google has done its market research here and as a result has decided that a larger phone is the better call for its business. But still, it would have been great to see the company experiment with a Pixel 9A Mini alongside the regular version, much like mobile companies used to do back in the day (both Apple and Samsung offered 'Mini' models for multiple generations, as did companies like LG, Sony, HTC and others).

A Pixel 9A Mini could have a 5.7-inch display which would offer a much neater overall package but still provide enough screen real estate to take advantage of all the AI functions Google is so obsessed with. It likely wouldn't need to compromise on the camera either, and while it probably wouldn't have space for the massive 5,100mAh battery of the Pixel 9A, the smaller display would require less power to run so your battery life would probably end up being on par anyway.

But Google didn't do this, and those of us wanting smaller handsets have to just continue readjusting our threshold for what's considered 'small'. Maybe if we all collectively cross our tiny fingers on both our diminutive hands, Apple will bring back a proper iPhone SE.