The Pixel 9a has been officially revealed, and while it’s an eye candy, there are some visible cutbacks over the more premium Pixel 9 and 9 Pro series phones. The other cutbacks we don’t see include lower RAM than the Pixel 9 phones, which can limit the new mid-ranger’s ability to run AI applications, despite running the same Tensor G4 chipset.
Google’s decision to limit the RAM to 8GB, compared to the 12GB on the more premium Pixel 9 phones, sacrifices its ability to run certain AI tasks locally. ArsTechnica has reported that as a result of the cost-cutting, Pixel 9a runs an “extra extra small” or XXS variant — instead of the “extra small” variant on Pixel 9 — of the Gemini Nano 1.0 model that drives on-device AI functions.
Fundamentally, this is the same Gemini Nano XXS model that Google released for the Pixel 8 last year after initially limiting it to the 8 Pro. Like the Pixel 9a, the Pixel 8 also shipped with 8GB of RAM, which resulted in Google initially deciding to limit certain on-device AI routines to the Pro model.
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The larger RAM on the Pixel 9 phones, as well as the older Pixel 8 Pro, allow the Gemini Nano model to occupy a part of the RAM. This allows it to run persistently and spring into action immediately when needed. On phones with limited memory, such as the Pixel 9a, the model is required to load and unload so it doesn’t continuously hog the RAM, and this leads to some delay in responses.
Another limitation, as ArsTechnica cites, is that the XXS model is not multi-modal, which means it can only process text. Now, that means while the Pixel 9a will be able to run certain Gemini Nano tasks, such as Smart replies in apps that use Gboard for typing, it most likely won’t be able to work with others that use voice or other forms of media.
The report already confirms Pixel 9a doesn’t support one of Pixel 9’s best AI features — Pixel Screenshots, which let you search look up specific information from screenshots in response to a simple text or voice-based query. At the moment, AI summarization supposedly also works in the Recorder app, but that is primarily because voice element are first transcribed into text before processing, which gives the XXS model data to process.
While (lack of) applications — and their implications — may be limited, it would amount to serious performance issues for the Pixel 9a in the future, when AI dominates even the most basic activities on our phones. The decision to limit RAM on Google Pixel 9a, therefore, seems ill-thought.
Stripped of the freebies too
Another way Google is ensuring the Pixel 9a is seen a tier inferior to the Pixel 9 phones is in terms of the freebies on offer when it comes to access to Google’s more advanced chatbot that works online. The Pixel 9 series comes with an entire year’s worth of Gemini Advanced subscription, with cumulative benefits of $240. Meanwhile, the Pixel 9a is only getting one free month.
What’s a little demotivating about the Pixel 9a’s one free month of access is that the trial period applies to anyone who wants, irrespective of their devices. So, in reality, Google rids the Pixel 9a of any special treatment.