Google Pixel 9a Reportedly Uses Downgraded Modem Compared to Flagship Pixel 9 Models

Google Pixel 9a was launched on Wednesday as the company’s latest affordable “a” series handset. The phone sits below the flagship models in the Pixel 9 lineup, sacrificing some of the premium features for an affordable price tag. As per a report, Google has confirmed that one of the trade offs is the modem used in the Pixel 9a. The phone uses an older model compared to the modem found in the other Pixel 9 models.

Older Modem in Google Pixel 9a

Google confirmed to Android Authority that the new Pixel 9a uses Samsung’s Exynos 5300 modem. Meanwhile, the flagship Pixel 9 lineup is equipped with the newer Exynos 5400 modem which supports higher peak downlink speeds and satellite connectivity courtesy of the 3GPP Release 17 standard, while also improving the battery life.

Despite the Pixel 9a being powered by the same Tensor G4 SoC as the top-of-the-line models, it varies when it comes to connectivity, the report suggests. This development was first reported in October by the same publication and it also claimed that the Pixel 9a’s modem would use IPoP (Integrated Package on Package) as opposed to the FOPLP (Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging) package of the flagship Pixel 9 models.

Notably, Exynos 5300 is the same modem introduced by the Mountain View-based technology giant with its Pixel 7 series in October 2022. It debuted as an upgrade over the Pixel 6’s Shannon A5123 5G modem which was widely criticised for suffering from common problems such as call drops and slow 5G speeds.

However, the Exynos 5300 wasn’t without its own issues. At the time, users reported facing high battery consumption and network breaks. Google has since rectified the problems with the latest Pixel 9 series and the Exynos 5400 chip, which supports a peak download speed of 14.79Gbps while also offering satellite connectivity. This has made Samsung’s modem a serious competitor to the Snapdragon X75 5G which is used in the Samsung Galaxy S24 series.