I replaced my Pixel 9 Pro with the 9a for a month - here's my buying advice now

• The Google Pixel 9a is the latest midrange phone from the company and retails for $499.
• It features a new Tensor G4 chip, helpful AI tools, an improved main camera, and the largest battery of any Pixel.
• You'll have to settle for some budget trade-offs, including the lack of a telephoto lens and slower charging speeds.

I'm inclined to think that the folks behind the latest Google Pixel 9a are from the future because if there's one thing that the phone gets right, it's timing.

The latest Pixel 9a retails for $499, making it a stellar phone investment in today's -- and the foreseeable future's -- unpredictable economy. Of course, the recent tariff news I've been tiptoeing through has been in discussions since January.

Also: Google Pixel 8a vs. Pixel 9a: We tested both midrange phones, and the winner is not so obvious

But with ...