- Google’s new Pixel 9a has virtually eliminated its camera bump, to no small controversy.
- The company earlier shared how the phone’s larger battery helps balance out camera component thickness.
- Now Google’s talking directly about its design priorities for a playful, minimalist camera.
The Pixel 9a has finally arrived, but not without a measure of controversy. We’re not talking about its mysterious delay, either; lots of Pixel fans seem to have some strong thoughts about Google’s decision to eliminate the raised camera bar on the Pixel 9a. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion here, but if you’re curious to learn a little more about how we got to this point, Google’s sharing a bit of insight into its design journey with the Pixel 9a’s camera.
With the Pixel 9a now available at carriers, Google is opening up about how the phone took shape in the way it did, talking about things like its not-quite-purple, not-quite-blue “Iris” colorway, or the choice to go with a 120Hz pOLED display. But like so many of you, it’s the choices that led us down this path to remove the camera bar that we’re most curious about.