Google’s next budget phone is no longer a mystery. Thanks to fresh retailer leaks, the Pixel 10a is apparently due out next month. It's nicknamed STA5. The launch is unusually early for Google, and nearly two months ahead of its predecessor.
But rumors have poured some cold water on the hype, pointing out that February is just for pre-orders and that real, in-store availability isn’t happening until March. The pricing isn't quite reassuring of the value, given that much of its features are still similar to the Pixel 9a.
This year's release might be Google tightening loose screws on their previous model, and nothing more.
Pixel 10a will start at $580 dollars
A leaker named Arsène Lupin (@MysteryLupin) posted on X that retailers have started listing the Google Pixel 10a. The listings suggest that the launch date is February 17, 2026.
That's two months earlier in the year from the Pixel 9a’s release in 2025. Evan Blass says that while pre-orders will start in February, you can't actually buy the phone in stores until the first week of March.
Pricing is expected to be around €500 (≈580) for the 128GB model, and around €600 (≈696) for the 256GB model. The 128GB version will come in the Obsidian, Berry, Lavender, and Fog colours.
The 256GB version will come in Obsidian only – or simply the “black one”, if we want to be less fancy about it. Both will support 8GB RAM but not MicroSD expansion.
Google has already made official cases for the phone, but they'll be sold separately. You can get them for €20 (≈23), and they'll come in the same colors as the phones.
These are the Pixel 10a's rumored specs
In December 2025, Evan shared leaks on the Pixel 10a. The phone will come with a 6.285-inch FHD+ Plastic AMOLED display that supports both 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rates. Brightness peaks at 2,000 nits.
The rear camera system includes a 48-megapixel wide lens with an 82-degree field of view and f/1.7 aperture, along with a 13-megapixel ultra-wide lens offering a 119.7-degree field of view at f/2.2.
The front camera is rumoured to be 13 megapixels with a 96.1-degree field of view and f/2.2 aperture. Power comes from a 5100mAh battery, supported by the Tensor G4 chip. These specs are largely the same as the Pixel 9a, so it seems Google didn't put a lot of effort into changing much.
CAD renders of the phone affirm it, as spotted on Android Headlines’ blog. The phone is still flat and squared-off with an almost iPhone-like appearance. The back is a matte texture with an almost powder-coated look.
The camera bar is a flattened and rounded square module pushed to the top-left, holding two lenses arranged side-by-side in a horizontal layout. The lenses sit inside a black pill cutout, which contrasts against the matte blue body.
A single LED flash sits alone outside the module, with the “G” logo perfectly centered and matched in a slightly darker shade of blue. On the front is a centered hole-punch camera at the top, and along the right edge is the power button and volume rocker.
Besides appearance, many of these features remain unconfirmed, and there's still time to put our minds at ease.
