Google's Next Budget Phone Virtually Eliminates the Camera Bump

Google appears to be tackling one of smartphones' most persistent design quirks – the camera bump. According to leaked renders published by Android Headlines, the upcoming Pixel 9A will feature an almost flush camera housing, which would be a significant departure from the bumper-sized camera bumps common in modern smartphones.

google pixel 9a
The mid-range device's camera module sits nearly level with the phone's chassis, based on side-view renders. That said, the design choice comes with at least one trade-off in camera specifications, as the Pixel 9A will reportedly feature a 48MP main lens, down from the 64MP sensor in its predecessor, the Pixel 8A. The phone will retain a 13MP ultrawide lens and a 13MP front-facing camera, according to the outlet.

Despite housing the camera components further inside the device, which will start at $499, Google has apparently managed to include what could be the largest battery ever in a Pixel phone. The 5,100mAh capacity battery exceeds even that of the premium $1,299 Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, suggesting Google has found innovative ways to utilize the internal space.

Could Future iPhone Camera Bumps Get Smaller?

The camera bump on iPhones has been a contentious design element since its introduction with the iPhone 6 in 2014. Apple adopted the protrusion to maintain device thinness while accommodating more advanced camera technology, although the design prevented phones from lying flat on surfaces – a complaint that has persisted as camera bumps have grown increasingly prominent.

Google Pixel 9a Renders
However, the trend toward slimmer profiles that is gaining momentum across the industry could see ever smaller camera bumps. Apple is reportedly developing an iPhone 17 Air model that will prioritize thinness over camera capabilities, according to rumors. The device is expected to feature a runway-style horizontal bar across the top of the phone, similar to the design seen on the Google Pixel 9 Pro.

To achieve the slimmed down design, the device is expected to have only one camera, as opposed to two or three. It's not clear whether that will reduce the extent to which the camera module protrudes from the case, but the Pixel 9A suggests the smartphone industry's new obsession with thinness could be coming after the camera bump next.

Popular Stories

ios 18 4 carplay

Apple Upgrades CarPlay in Two Ways

Wednesday March 12, 2025 6:05 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone includes a smaller but meaningful improvement for Apple's in-car iPhone mirroring system CarPlay. Specifically, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra with a...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Launch Now Just Months Away: Here's What We Know

Tuesday March 11, 2025 3:26 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Will Bring Biggest Design Overhaul Since iOS 7

Monday March 10, 2025 12:17 pm PDT by
Apple is planning for a major design overhaul of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac interfaces with the introduction of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 later this year, reports Bloomberg. The update will "fundamentally change" the look of Apple's operating system, introducing a more consistent cross-platform experience. Apple plans to update the style of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system...
Apple More Personal Siri Ad

John Gruber Says 'Something is Rotten' at Apple

Wednesday March 12, 2025 7:39 pm PDT by
Daring Fireball's John Gruber today shared some strongly-worded comments about Apple's delayed personalized Siri features. Gruber is a well-known Apple pundit who has been writing about the company for more than two decades. In a blog post titled "Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino," Gruber said Apple's credibility has been "damaged" by the delay:Keynote by keynote, product by...
Apple Maps vs Google Maps Feature

iOS 18.4 Adds a Highly-Requested Setting to iPhones — But Not in U.S.

Wednesday March 12, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
iPhones are finally getting a much-requested setting, but availability is limited. The upcoming iOS 18.4 update introduces an option to set a default navigation app, other than Apple Maps, but unfortunately this new setting is limited to users in the EU. There, you can now set an app like Google Maps or Waze as your default navigation app on the iPhone by opening the Settings app and tapping ...
iOS 18

12 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.4

Monday March 10, 2025 9:28 am PDT by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.4 in early April, bringing further refinements to Apple Intelligence features, a neat new capability to iPhone 15 Pro devices, new emoji, and more. While not quite as packed with new features as Apple's preceding iOS 18 point releases, iOS 18.4 still introduces enhancements that aim to make your iPhone smarter and more intuitive. Below, we've listed 12 new...
Apple One Apps Feature 2

Apple One's Best Plan Now Includes Two More Perks For Free

Monday March 10, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Apple One allows you to subscribe to up to six Apple services for one discounted monthly price. There are three Apple One tiers: Individual, Family, and Premier. Over the last month, the highest-end ‌Apple One‌ Premier plan has gained two additional perks. Here is what Apple One Premier already included, for $37.95 per month:Apple Music Apple TV+ Apple Arcade Apple News+ Apple Fitness+...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro Machined Parts Leak Reflects Camera Redesign Rumors

Thursday March 13, 2025 3:07 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to feature a significant design overhaul, and a new image apparently taken on an assembly line for the unreleased devices appears to confirm the biggest rumored change. Render of an iPhone 17 Pro model shared by Jon Prosser The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to adopt a horizontal camera bar reminiscent of Google's Pixel...
Sad Siri Feature

Kuo: Apple Knows Apple Intelligence is 'Underwhelming' and Won't Drive iPhone Upgrades

Thursday March 13, 2025 9:32 am PDT by
The Apple Intelligence features that Apple introduced with iOS 18 are not pushing people to upgrade their iPhones, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated today. Apple's recent Siri failures are also going to have an impact on 2025 iPhone shipments, which the market is beginning to realize. As early as last July, Kuo said expectations that Apple Intelligence could drive iPhone upgrades were...

Top Rated Comments

Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
4 weeks ago

You’ve got to handle it to Google: they don’t keep the same design for very long, which is a good thing and a bad thing in my opinion. This render makes for a very generic looking phone
Generic, but practical - and the latter is what really counts.

I think people forget just how nice to hold and pocket the iPhone 5S/7 was. They were so much lighter and thinner than the current phones, which made them more convenient to have in a pocket and hold for extended periods.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vertsix Avatar
4 weeks ago
GOOD. Hopefully it inspires Apple to do the same!!
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thefrost Avatar
4 weeks ago
Take note Apple.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vertsix Avatar
4 weeks ago
On a related note, Google has been going ham on their phone designs. They're doing a great job.



Attachment Image
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr_Ed Avatar
4 weeks ago
I’ve said before I would gladly accept flatlining or even regressing a bit on camera specs if it meant the stupid bump goes away. Surely a multi-trillion$ corporation should be able to accomplish this.

Oh, wait . . . What am I saying? They can't even figure out how to respect your settings choices across an update.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Premium1 Avatar
4 weeks ago
Google cooking apple in the design department. You love to see it. Maybe apple will get off their asses and quit with the same phone design for 6+ years.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)