Googles next Pixel phone, the Pixel 9a, has finally been announced. And for the first time in a Pixel since 2020s Pixel 5, it ditches the camera bar. Its also, as expected, a little cheaper and comes with a few additional AI tricks not available on the Pixel 8a, but really, its the new look thats the biggest surprise here.Thats because the 9a, unlike the 8a before it, really doesnt look much like the Pixel 9 or 9 Pro. Dimensions are roughly equivalent to the standard Pixel 9 (although it is a little more lightweight at 6.6 oz vs. 7 oz) and the screen has almost pound-for-pound the same specs except for a halved contrast ratio, but people familiar with the past half-decade of Pixel phones might not realize its even part of the same family at first. Pixel 8a (left) vs. Pixel 9a (right) Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Without the camera bar, the Pixel 9a instead looks much more like an iPhone than arguably even a Samsung Galaxy, with two rear lenses in the top-left corner inside a small ovular black bump next to a flash. This makes for a much thinner and flatter profile overall, even if the body itself hasnt changed much, and Im excited to both get my hands on it and see how the cases turn out. Ive never loved the camera bar, but this has me considering the Pixel again. Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt As for the specs on those cameras, theyre part of a trend of internal specs that dont really compare well to either the Pixel 9 or the Pixel 8a. The rear camera lenses are 48MP and 13MP, respectively, while the front is 13MP, although the various aperture details and field-of-view settings dont cleanly map onto an existing Google phone. Im also curious to see how shots turn out once I get my hands on this phone. Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt Similarly, another detail that doesnt have an outright comparison with an existing Google phone is battery life, which Google promises is 30+ hours on the Pixel 9a, a little longer than on either the 8a or the Pixel 9. RAM and storage is equal to the 8a at 8GB and a starting value of 128GB, respectively, although the processor has been bumped up to the Google Tensor G4, the same as on the Pixel 9.All of that adds up to make for a unique release with what could have simply been a pared-down Pixel 9, perhaps giving you additional reasons to get it over its more expensive cousin than simply saving a few dollars. That said, even with the lower cost, which is $500 vs. the Pixel 9s $800, Google is promising some extra software here than on the Pixel 8a. These include a Macro Focus mode and unique Pixel AI features like Add Me (which can put you into shots you werent present for, albeit with mixed results). Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt While youll get the usual options for black, white, and pink, theres also a new purple color, which hearkens back to the Pixel 8's light blue color that I missed so much on the base Pixel 9.All in all, its shaping up to be a surprisingly exciting release for an A-series model, and Im hoping its a hint at bigger things in store for the Pixel 10 when it inevitably comes out later this fall. An official release date is still TBA, so keep an eye on this space for more down the line.