Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Over the last few years, we’ve gotten used to a pretty reliable formula for Pixel launches. Every fall, Google rolls out its flagships, followed by the mid-range Pixel A launch a few months later in the spring. Usually, that mid-ranger takes most of its cues (and all of its internals) from the flagships, giving us a great chance to recommend the full Pixel experience without the full Pixel price.
This year, though, the Pixel 9a tried something new. It picked up the biggest battery on any Pixel to date and ditched the iconic camera bar because the great minds at Google figured out how to slim everything down. The result is a mid-range Pixel with its own identity, and it already has me thinking about what’s next.
So, I thought it seemed a good time to assemble my Google Pixel 10a wishlist. Here’s what I’d like to see from the next generation.
Hey Google, give glass a try
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
The first thing I would love to see out of the Pixel 10a is for Google to refresh its materials. Yes, I appreciate that the current Pixel 9a has an aluminum frame—most of its mid-range rivals sport plastic—but Google’s front and back panels have long lagged behind. In fact, I can remember making jokes about using “3D thermoformed composite” for the back of the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7a, which is more affectionately known as plastic.
So, with Google slimming down its Pixel 9a to the point where it’s no longer split by a full camera bar, I think it’s time to ditch the plastic, too. I mean, Samsung’s Galaxy A26, which costs just $300, puts Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on its front and back, which beats the Pixel’s Gorilla Glass 3 display any day. Maybe Google doesn’t have to go quite that far on account of having to balance a flagship chipset while keeping the cost in check, but there has to be a better solution than plastic.
The Pixel 10a’s charging needs an upgrade
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
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