Google has just dropped the latest addition to their A-series lineup, and we are absolutely here for it! If you're looking for flagship-level features without the premium price tag, the brand-new Google Pixel 10a is stepping up to the plate. Packed with Google's latest AI smarts and a truly unbelievable camera setup, we reckon it's hands-down the best phone you can grab for under £500 right now.
Let's take a closer look at why the Pixel 10a punches so far above its weight, and how its clever new features will actually make your day-to-day life a whole lot easier.
Effortless, amazing photography.

The A-series has always been famous for its cameras, but the Pixel 10a takes the crown for the best camera under £500. Armed with a crisp 48MP main lens and a 13MP ultrawide lens, it takes breathtaking shots effortlessly. But the real magic is in the software, which solves all those annoying little problems we face when trying to capture a memory.
For starters, everyone really does look that good. We all know that trying to get the whole family looking at the camera at the same time is usually impossible. Auto Best Take fixes this by automatically finding and combining similar photos into one perfect shot. Blinks and lookaways? Gone. They're magically replaced with picture-perfect expressions.
If you're always the designated photographer, you'll love a clever new feature called Add Me. Now you can snap the group, hand the phone over, and seamlessly add yourself into the exact same picture. It even works for anyone who was just out of view, including the family dog! No one gets left out anymore.
You also don't need to be a pro to get gorgeous shots. The built-in Camera Coach acts as your personal assistant, using Gemini AI to read the scene in front of you. It finds the best angle and lighting, offering real-time suggestions so you snap beautiful photos with total ease. And if a photobomber happens to wander into your frame, photo editing is easier than ever. You can make edits in just a few taps right from Google Photos to remove objects or change backgrounds. For those who want to get really creative, the incredible Nano Banana tool in Gemini lets you completely reimagine your photos. You can seamlessly blend images together or apply striking new creative styles to make them completely your own.
Easier days and bigger ideas, with Gemini.

Powered by the custom Google Tensor G4 chip, the Pixel 10a feels super responsive and puts Google's Gemini AI right in your pocket to help declutter your day.
You can use Gemini Live to have natural, back-and-forth conversations, almost like chatting with a mate. You can even share your camera in these Live chats, letting Gemini see exactly what you're looking at so you can explore it together. Need to find something fast? Just use Circle to Search to highlight an image, text, or video, and Google will look it up instantly right from the app you're currently in.
Gemini can even handle your daily admin. You can ask it to do things across different apps, like scheduling your daily coffee breaks in your calendar and then automatically texting your friends to let them know. Throw in Call Assist features like Call Screen and Direct My Call, which block spammers and make voices sound crystal clear, and your days just got a whole lot smoother.
Durable by design. And super smooth.

There's nothing worse than a phone that feels fragile, but the Pixel 10a is built to handle the hustle and bustle. It features a refined, flat profile with rounded edges, meaning you can set it down flat on a table with zero wobble, and it slips easily into your pocket without snagging.
When you're out and about, the sharp 6.3-inch Actua display really shines. It's vibrant and incredibly bright, meaning you can see it clear as day, even in broad daylight. It's also built to hold up to everyday drops, spills, and scratches with IP68 water and dust protection and a seriously tough Corning® Gorilla® Glass 7i screen.
It looks the part, too. It's available in four fresh colours so you can keep it classic or go bold, and it's made with the most recycled materials of any A-Series Pixel yet! You can even add your personal touch by customising themes, colours, and icon sizes to make the phone truly yours.
Built for real life.
Perhaps the best real-world benefit of the Pixel 10a is its incredible longevity. It offers over 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, stretching up to a massive 120 hours with Extreme Battery Saver turned on. Plus, Google is promising an unbeatable 7 years of OS, security, and feature updates. This means your phone will keep getting fresh, useful updates and stay securely protected well into the next decade.
Check out the amazing Google Pixel 10a deals here!
What do you think?
We want to hear from you, iD Community! Which of the new Pixel 10a features are you most excited to try out in your day-to-day life? Is it the massive battery life, the clever Add Me camera trick, or having the brilliant Gemini AI right in your pocket?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below!