Google is trying to reduce the production cost of the Pixel 10a phone

According to rumors, Google plans to abandon the use of high-end and new chips in order to reduce the production cost of the Pixel 10a phone.

While the Pixel 9a phone has not yet been officially unveiled, and according to rumors, we will probably see this event in the next few weeks, but currently most of the new news is around its successor, the Pixel 10a. Most likely, the Pixel 10a will be launched in early 2026. According to new rumors, apparently Google intends to drastically reduce the production cost of this model.

When it comes to costs, the chip definitely plays a major role. It is possible that Google will either choose a weaker version of the G5 tensor chip for the Pixel 10a or equip it with a G4 tensor. It should be noted that in this case, the weaker version of Tensor G5 will be used for all Pixel 10 series phones and Tensor G4 will be used for Pixel 9a.

In both cases, the tradition of Pixel a models using the latest Tensor chips is broken, and this definitely puts the Pixel 10a at a disadvantage compared to its competitors. Of course, Google can compensate for this problem by upgrading other parts of the hardware, but at the moment, no more details have been published.

The Tensor G4 chip was first used in the Pixel 9 series last August. Until 2026, when the lifetime of this chip will be almost two years, it certainly does not seem like a good option to use it in the Pixel 10a. In addition, it may also heavily affect the 10a’s AI functions as the G5 Tensor is reportedly capable of activating more AI capabilities.

Obviously, the reason for this is the costs. The use of the G5 tensor in the Pixel 10a may increase production costs compared to previous models. The interesting point here is that Google may use the G4 tensor in order to prevent the decrease in sales of the Pixel 10a due to the price increase, but the same use of the 2024 chip in the new 2026 model smartphone can itself lead to a decrease in sales.