Google quietly reveals new Pixel phone – but it's no big surprise to anyone

Almost like clockwork, Google has quietly revealed the Pixel 10a – precisely 364 days after the Pixel 9a's reveal – to fill the mid-range gap in its phone line-up.

While the previous A-series model was something of a revelation, given its near-flat camera design, the Pixel 10a doubles down on that design by going the extra mile to make sure it's entirely flat – with no protrusion whatsoever.

I've written about how the Pixel 10a adds five key feature upgrades compared to its predecessor, but none are a huge surprise – in the face of leaks, this particular Pixel reveal was no surprise to, well, anyone.

Nonetheless, Google's Pixel phones are among the best Android phones money can buy, should you be skirting the expense of a flagship in particular.

Aside from new colourways – with Berry, Fog and Lavender joining the staple Obsidian ('black', as most people call it) – the Pixel 10a does address some much-requested features.

Principal to which is the charging speed: the Pixel 10a ups this to 45W wired (up from 23W), so you can get 50% battery in around 30 minutes – should you buy the relevant plug anyway.

There's more, too, with Satellite SOS – the ability to contact emergency services in the event of no mobile signal – finally making its way to the A-series Pixel phone for the first time.

A tougher Gorilla glass (7i), more display brightness, and higher volumes of recycled materials make up the other main differences between 10a and 9a.

Otherwise, it's pretty much business as usual: that flat camera to the rear comprises a 48-megapixel main and 13-megapixel ultra-wide, replete with Google's Gemini AI features to excel your photographs even further via additional features.

The Pixel 10a also continues to use the Tensor G4 chip, just like its predecessor, rather than levelling up to the G5, as found in the main Pixel 10 family – such as the 5-star Pixel 10 Pro XL.

At the time of writing, I'm still awaiting pricing information, but believe the £/$499 tag will hold for this year's model. That still makes the Pixel 10a a remarkable mid-tier device, even if its annual upgrades aren't hugely significant.