I didn’t understand all the hate for the Google Pixel 10a at launch. Sure, Google didn’t materially upgrade the spec sheet from the Pixel 9a, but it also didn’t raise the price. Google recognized that the $499 sticker price was significantly more important than any slight performance bumps, and it was the right call.
While Google got criticized for it at the time, the Pixel 10a strategy has aged well. We’ve seen Motorola and Samsung raise prices in the interim, making the Pixel 10a seem like a much stronger deal. But I was still waiting for a discount. I hoped that by keeping older hardware in the Pixel 10a, Google would be able to put the phone on sale faster.
