Earlier today, I introduced you to Google's Pixel 9A, a mid-range smartphone version that would have competed with Apple's iPhone 16E, while offering cost-effective entries in the Pixel lineup. But by the time I poured my coffee, Google reportedly delayed the shipment of the Pixel 9a until April.
Typically, when manufacturers reveal new smartphones, sales day follows the announcement day. This does not happen with pixel 9a. Forgot to book. You can only notify when your phone is available. Google has not disclosed an official release date yet, although it did make a statement. “We are checking for a component quality issue that affects a few pixel 9A devices,” a Google spokesperson said in an email to Gizmodo.
The Easter Bunny won't put a pearl iris or peony-colored phone in anyone's basket this holiday season, at least not looking like it. Delay – When Pixel 9a was officially announced as a fact that was not revealed at the moment – it wasn't a great look for Google, which has been in some kind of hardware hell lately. The Pixel 4A battery firmware update that happened recently reminds us all that there was a time when smartphone batteries could explode. Then there is a traditional Chromecast issue that messes up some stale living rooms. What happens when you combine hardware and software teams and want everyone to be consistent on the same thing?
It's nice to know that Google is backing off instead of releasing hardware with “component quality issues.” But it's frustrating for those of us who are impatient, as the drama “Pixel 9A vs. iPhone 16e” is about to come out. (I will write one too).
