Google’s new Pixel 9a just dropped, and while it looks like a solid mid-range contender, it’s also a case study in how hardware limits can quietly shape the software experience. Most notably, the phone doesn’t get the full Gemini Nano AI model that’s now central to Google’s Pixel strategy.
Instead, the 9a runs a pared-down version called Gemini Nano 1.0 XXS—and yes, that name says a lot. The reason? RAM. With just 8GB, the 9a doesn’t have the headroom to handle the more robust Gemini Nano XS found in higher-end Pixel 9 devices, which come with 12GB of memory.
So what does that mean in practice?
Well, while users can still access Gemini through the usual methods—the power button shortcut or the app—the AI under the hood isn’t quite the same. The 9a’s version of Gemini doesn’t run constantly in the background, and it’s limited to text-based processing. That means some of the flashier new Pixel AI tricks won’t show up at all.
For example, Pixel Screenshots, which lets you build a searchable image database from your screenshots? Not here. Call Notes, which summarizes phone conversations locally? Also gone. Another suspected missing features is the new Pixel Phone app’s scam detection feature. This hasn’t been confirmed, though, so there’s still a chance it could somehow work.
Interestingly, Google has been here before. Back when Gemini Nano first rolled out, the Pixel 8 was initially left out due to its 8GB of RAM—until Google quietly pushed a developer preview version. Turns out, that early test build is essentially what’s shipping now on the 9a. So yes, technically the phone runs Gemini Nano… but it’s a heavily compromised build designed to conserve memory and stay out of the way unless explicitly called upon.
Still, some features do survive. Recorded call summaries are reportedly supported, but only because the phone first transcribes the audio and then hands the text off to Gemini, which sticks to what it knows best: summarizing plain text.
All of this highlights a deeper trend in Google’s AI push. The company is clearly doubling down on on-device AI, and phones with less RAM are going to feel that divide more and more. The 9a may come with the same badge as its flagship siblings, but under the surface, it’s speaking a very different AI dialect.