The Pixel 10a could solve one of my biggest complaints about the Pixel 9a

It’s only been about two months since Google launched the Pixel 10 series, but it’s already time to start talking about Google’s next Pixel phone: the Pixel 10a.

The first renders of the Pixel 10a were shared online on October 28, and they look a lot like the Pixel 9a. Considering that the Pixel 9a was a radical redesign over the Pixel 8a, it’s no surprise that Google is keeping this design for another year.

However, the Pixel 10a features a key design change that you may not have noticed, and it could solve one of my biggest issues with the Pixel 9a.

The Pixel 9a is a fantastic phone. For $500, the combination of reliable cameras, excellent software, seven years of updates, and long battery life is really hard to beat, especially since the 9a’s biggest drawbacks are minor flaws like slower charging and a few missing software features.

Another tricky point concerns the Pixel 9a’s bezels. While far from a deal breaker or serious reason not to buy the phone, the bezels are unsightly. Especially compared to more expensive models like the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, the Pixel 9a’s larger bezels stick out a bit. The screen itself is high quality, but the large black bars surrounding it are an eyesore. You definitely get used to them after a few days, but I definitely wish they were smaller.

Luckily, if these Pixel 10a renders are true, I might very well get my wish.

Looking at the Pixel 10a render side-by-side with the Pixel 9a, you can immediately see the difference in bezel size. While the Pixel 9a’s bezels are almost the first thing you notice, the Pixel 10a’s bezels are so small that they almost disappear. This is a dramatic year-over-year reduction, to the point where the bezels look as thin as the regular Pixel 10.

Of course, leaked renders are never a definitive indication of a phone’s design (especially this early), so it’s possible that the Pixel 10a’s bezels aren’t. enough as thin as we see here. Leaker @OnLeaks suggests, tweet that “the glasses depicted are a little thinner than they actually are.”

Still, all signs currently point to at least some reduction in frame size, and that’s a win in my opinion.

Do the Pixel 9a’s frames make it a lower quality smartphone? Are they ruining what is otherwise a great Android device and making it unworthy of your money? Of course not. If the Pixel 10a launches with the exact same bezels as the Pixel 9a, it will likely remain one of next year’s best Android values.

However, the bezels are one of the few features of the Pixel 9a that sets it apart as a “cheap” phone compared to its flagship siblings. The thinning of the bezels is certainly a small change in itself, but it’s a notable step towards making the Pixel 10a feel more like a value flagship than a low-cost phone. Besides, it looks like a plot better.

If this is the direction Google is taking with the Pixel 10a, I think it’s a wise direction. Google just had a big year with the Pixel 9a. With a refreshed design and considerable improvements to the screen, battery and durability, Google is working on a great foundation that doesn’t need many changes. This theoretically means that Google can use the Pixel 10a to focus on details – not just smaller bezels, but also newer screen glass and maybe even built-in magnets like the rest of the Pixel 10 series.

But hey, it’s a question of the big picture. I’m only focusing on the thinner bezels at the moment, and I’m crossing my fingers that what we see in these renders will carry over to the final product. If so, Google may deliver the best-looking Pixel A-Series phone yet.