The Pixel 9a should be Google’s design future if there’s no ‘Air’

The Pixel 9a should be Google’s design future if there’s no ‘Air’

By Abner Li
Publication Date: 2025-11-24 20:35:00

If Samsung or Apple can’t sustain a market for ultra-thin phones, Google is certainly not entering the space. I find that a real shame, but if the Pixel needs an aspirational design direction, might I suggest the flat Pixel 9a.


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I’ve been dual-wielding the iPhone Air (and Pixel 10 Pro) since launch. Without hyperbole, it feels like the future every time I hold this 5.64 mm device. Specifically, a future where technology is near invisible and weightless. I’m wowed every time I take it out of my pocket and grip the front/back with my thumb and forefinger. 

It just feels different from any other piece of technology I interact with on a daily basis. While it’s only been a few weeks, I don’t think I’ll lose the sense of wonder that is a thin slab of glass and an expansive screen. One thing that surprised me…