Feed aggregator

• Apps delivering malware to users to steal crypto found on iOS app store
• Some of these apps have thousands of installs across iOS and Android
• The 'SparkCat' campaign has been active since March 2024

Crypto-stealing malware dubbed ‘SparkCat’ has been discovered on iOS and Android app stores, and is embedded with a ‘malicious SDK/framework for stealing recovery phrases for crypto wallets’.

A report from Kaspersky has identified malicious apps, some with upwards of 10,000 downloads, that scan the victims gallery to find keywords - if relevant images are found, they are then sent to a C2 server.

This is the first time a stealer has been found in Apple’s App store, and this is significant because Apple reviews every entry to ‘help provide a safe and trusted experience for users’ - so these malware-infected apps show that the review process is not as robust as it should be.

Although aimed at stealing cryptocurrency wallet recovery phrases, Kaspersky notes that the malware is ‘flexible enough’ to steal other sensitive data from victim’s galleries - here’s what we know.

Multiple malicious apps

The ‘SparkCat’ malware campaign was first discovered in late 2024, and is suspected to have been active since March 2024.

The first app Kaspersky identified was a Chinese food delivery app, ComeCome. The app had over 10,000 downloads and was based in Indonesia and the UAE. The app was embedded with malicious content, and contained OCR spyware which chose images from the infected devices to exfiltrate and send to the C2 server.

This wasn’t the only infected app though, and researchers found that infected apps available in Google Play had been downloaded a combined total of over 242,000 times. In 2024, over 2 million risky Android apps were blocked from the Play Store, including some which tried to push malware and spyware - so although Google is improving its protections, clearly some still make it through.

In the app store, some apps ‘appeared to be legitimate’, like the food delivery services, while others had apparently been built to ‘lure victims’. An example of this, researchers outlined, is a series of similar AI-featured ‘messaging apps’ by the same developer, including AnyGPT and WeTink.

It’s not clear whether these infections are deliberate actions by developers, or are a result of supply chain attacks, but the report does note that the “permissions that it requests may look like they are needed for its core functionality or appear harmless at first glance.”

“What makes this Trojan particularly dangerous is that there’s no indication of a malicious implant hidden within the app” Kaspersky adds.

Mitigating malware

If you have one of the infected apps installed on your device, Kaspersky of course recommends removing it and steering clear until a fix is released - the list of infected apps can be found here.

There is software that can help protect your device, like antivirus software - and as a key part of this malware in particular is the exfiltration of sensitive data through screenshots, the best advice is to avoid storing passwords, confidential documents, or sensitive information in your gallery.

Instead, check out the best password managers to securely store your information, as these present a much safer and convenient option to keeping your passwords in your photos. Make sure you don’t reuse passwords on multiple sites, and change your passwords regularly to avoid a breach.

There are some tricks to avoid malware apps, and considering that dangerous malware apps have been found to have been installed millions of times, it’s always best to be safe.

First of all, be wary of the warning signs. Go through the feedback and reviews - especially the negatives, as it's likely someone else will have already flagged a bug. Be very suspicious of an app which asks for your existing social media credentials - as this could be criminals looking to hijack your account.

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Experts say a fifth of U.K. meat consumption is by pets, not people. If Fido eats lab-grown meat, they say, it could cut the country's carbon footprint.

(Image credit: John Keeble)

• A hiring company has reportedly left millions of CVs in a publicly accessible AWS bucket
• Foh&Boh has partnerships with leading food and hospitality services
• The dataset is now closed, but users may still be at risk

A dataset containing a staggering 5.4 million files has been discovered by researchers online, and is believed to be primarily CVs (resumes) from hiring giant Foh&Boh.

Researchers from CyberNews discovered the publicly accessible AWS bucket containing the exposed records, and after ‘multiple attempts to reach the company’, the dataset was closed.

It’s not clear whether malicious actors have accessed the dataset, but cybercriminals often have automated tools to scan the internet for unprotected instances, and immediately download them, so victims still face very real risks - here’s what we know so far.

Plenty of personal data

The hiring platform, Foh&Boh, aims to ‘find and recruit talent for the hospitality industry’, and partners with independent restaurants, franchises, hospitality groups, and ‘some of the world’s largest hotel chains. The platform boasts partnerships with industry giants like Nobu, Taco Bell, and KFC.

Of course, CVs contain personally identifiable information (PII), and the research team claims this leak includes full names, phone numbers, email addresses, social media links, and employment and education histories, among others.

The data was available online for a fairly significant period of time, with discovery on September 16, 2024, initial disclosure on October 22 2024, and the leak closed on January 8 2025.

This, like all data leaks, leaves those exposed in danger. Primarily, the concern is identity theft, especially since a CV hands over a comprehensive set of personal details over to potential attackers.

“The leak significantly heightens the risk of identity theft, enabling cybercriminals to create synthetic identities or fraudulent accounts, leaving individuals exposed to a range of sophisticated cyberattacks,” the researchers said.

This might sound familiar to some, as just two days ago on the February 4 2025, a large dataset containing over a million CVs stored by Valley News Live was discovered, so it's a pretty lousy week for jobseekers.

Data breaches have unfortunately become a part of life for anyone on the web. In 2024, one single breach leaked the details of 100 million Americans (although the total is now reported at 190 million - so almost 75% of US adults) - which just shows that no-one is safe.

Also a risk with breached credentials, is social engineering attacks. These commonly come in the form of phishing campaigns, and are designed around the information hackers have obtained, often appearing to know the victim personally or preying on people in difficult financial situations by offering ‘get rich quick’ scams.

“Attackers could craft highly personalized emails referencing specific job details or interests from the resumes, making their phishing attempts ever more convincing” the researchers said. “This targeted approach could deceive candidates more easily, exposing them to further risks.”

How to stay safe

To protect yourself from the risk of identity theft, it’s crucial to keep a close eye on all of your accounts. Monitoring your cards, statements, and transactions for any suspicious activity means that you can quickly identify any issues.

If a service you use has suffered a data breach, make sure you change your password - and probably your passwords to any site that would hold sensitive information. If you’d like some tips on how to choose a secure password, we’ve listed some here.

In short, include capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters - and never reuse a password, especially for sites that carry important information like health or financial data.

If that all seems a little overwhelming, we’ve tested out all the best password managers and the best password generators to simplify the process.

Phishing attacks are most commonly delivered in the form of emails, so be very cautious of any email that urges you to take action, or one which rushes you to click a link or download a file.

Double check any domain names and email addresses, like supp0rt@google instead of support@google, as this is a big indicator that something may not be right.

We’ve made a comprehensive guide on how to spot a phishing email for anyone who wants to make sure they're wise to scammer’s tricks.

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• Windows 10 ESU will be available from November 2025 for three years
• It’ll cost $61 per year, with prices doubling annually thereafter
• Windows 10 is still preferred over Windows 11 by many users

With the official Windows 10 end of life deadline months away, Microsoft is still hoping users will opt to upgrade to its flagship OS, Windows 11, but it has also issued a series of notes detailing how users can continue to use the older software.

A newly-updated support document from the company has detailed the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, including costs and eligibility.

Microsoft promises its ESU will continue to provide “critical and important security updates” for a period after Windows 10 loses support - but this will come at the expense of an annual subscription.

Windows 10 ESU details revealed

In the post, Microsoft revealed devices running Windows 10 22H2 will be eligible to participate in the ESU program, but stressed this would only include important security updates and not new features, non-security updates, design change requests or general support.

Users can enrol on the ESU program via the Microsoft Volume Licensing Program, and it’ll cost $61 per device for cover between November 2025 and November 2026. From thereon in, costs will double annually, but ESU membership terminates after three years. In other words, Windows 10 fans can buy themselves another three years of safe usage before they’re ultimately forced to run a potentially insecure OS or upgrade to Windows 11.

The company also added ESUs are cumulative, so you’ll need to have bought year one before upgrading to year two. If you decide at the start of the second year to get security updates, you’ll be able to join retrospectively by paying for the previous year’s coverage.

“Windows 10 PCs will continue to work, but we recommend customers upgrade eligible PCs to Windows 11 using Windows Autopatch, Microsoft Intune, or transition to a new Windows 11 PC for the best, most secure computing experience," the company added.

The rose among the thorns is that Windows 10 virtual machines running in Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop will get Extended Security Updates free of charge.

However, even Microsoft’s best efforts haven’t deterred users from opting to stay on Windows 10 – the nearly-deprecated operating system accounts for 60% of all Windows installs (via Statcounter). Still, Windows 11 adoption has increased slowly in recent months to a 37% market share.

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• A new discovery highlights Microsoft's efforts in improving privacy while in incognito mode on Chrome
• The clipboard history is no longer saved on Cloud Clipboard
• Media previews of content viewed in incognito are hidden

Microsoft has been under pressure from many PC users (including myself) lately due to the litany of issues that Windows 11 24H2 has introduced - but for once it seems to have done something I, and others, approve of.

As highlighted by Windows Latest, one of Microsoft's previous updates disabled Google Chrome from saving clipboard history when browsing in incognito mode on both Windows 11 and Windows 10. It was previously possible to copy your content to the Cloud Clipboard, which allows you to cut and paste across devices on the same Google account, but this negated what incognito mode is used for.

While Chrome is Google's software, it didn't stop Microsoft from stepping in to make this change. If you're copying sensitive private data, it's not entirely ideal for users, especially since it's easy to forget you've done so.

The update also applies to viewing videos while in incognito on Chrome - normally, adjusting the volume from your keyboard (particularly on Windows 10) would display what content is being viewed with its title as a media preview. With this change, it now shows 'a site is playing media', making incognito work the way it's intended and allowing people to browse in privacy.

Now, just please fix Windows 11 24H2...

I'm pleased Microsoft has seemingly gone out of its way to ensure user privacy while using the clipboard - but I'm also hoping 24H2 can finally be rid of its issues soon.

I'm aware that it takes time to update and identify bugs , but I won't pretend it isn't frustrating when new patches seem to introduce new issues. Since it's clear Microsoft is slowly shifting its users away from Windows 10 for Windows 11, it's only right that the operating system is in top-tier shape.

For both desktop and handheld gaming PCs, we can only hope that this is the case - handheld PC gaming is quickly growing, and I'd hate to see more complaints and frustrations thrown around regarding Windows 11's functionality when Valve has SteamOS, which feels like it's getting more popular by the day...

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The hosts of Uncanny Valley chronicle the TikTok ban saga and ask: What makes the app so uniquely vulnerable?

• DeepSeek’s V3 and R1 models are available through Huawei’s Ascend cloud service
• They are powered by the Ascend 910x accelerators banned in the US, EU and UK
• The pricing is much lower than offered by Azure and AWS who have started trialing DeepSeek

DeepSeek recently massively unsettled global markets with the launch of its open reasoning LLM, which was built and trained for a fraction of the cost of models from much larger US competitors, although OpenAI has since accused DeepSeek’s developers of using its models to train theirs.

A new paper had claimed DeepSeek’s V3 LLM was trained on a cluster of just 2,048 Nvidia H800 GPUs - crippled versions of the H100 designed to comply with US export restrictions to China. Rumors around DeepSeek’s newer reasoning model, R1, suggest it may have been trained on as many as 50,000 Nvidia “Hopper” GPUs, including H100, H800, and the newer H20, although DeepSeek hasn’t - and likely won’t - confirm this. If true, it raises serious questions about China’s access to advanced AI hardware despite ongoing trade restrictions, although it’s no secret there’s a thriving black market for advanced Nvidia AI hardware there.

Now, in a move that’s going to further shake Western firms, the South China Morning Post reports Huawei Technologies’ cloud computing unit has partnered with Beijing-based AI infrastructure start-up SiliconFlow to make DeepSeek’s models available to end users for an incredibly low price.

Powered by Huawei hardware

This collaboration, which was worked on during the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays, provides efficient, cost-effective access to DeepSeek’s V3 and R1 models through Huawei’s Ascend cloud service, which is powered by Huawei’s own homegrown solutions, including the controversial Ascend 910x accelerators which are banned in the US, UK and Europe.

Huawei has made no secret that it wants to become the Chinese Nvidia, and Huawei Cloud claims its performance levels are comparable to those of models running on premium global GPUs.

SiliconFlow, which hosts the DeepSeek models, has come out swinging with some aggressive pricing, offering it for 1 yuan (approximately US$0.13) per 1 million input tokens and 2 yuan for output tokens with V3, while R1 access is priced at 4 yuan and 16 yuan.

Microsoft added DeepSeek to its Azure AI Foundry a few days ago, and Amazon swiftly followed suit, adding the LLM to its AWS’ Bedrock managed service. AWS showcased the AI model using an ml.p5e.48xlarge instance, powered by eight Nvidia H200 GPUs delivering 1128GB of GPU memory. It’s early days for both cloud offerings though, and they work out much more expensive than SiliconFlow’s super-low pricing.

The collaboration between Huawei, SiliconFlow and DeepSeek highlights China’s broader strategy to strengthen its domestic AI capabilities while reducing reliance on Nvidia hardware.

The South China Morning Post notes, “The move to launch DeepSeek’s models on a homegrown hardware backbone highlights China’s progress in cutting dependency on foreign technology and bolstering its domestic AI industry amid growing efforts by the US to choke off China’s access to high-end chips that the US government said could be used to advance military aims.”

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• Disney Plus lost 700,00 subscribers this past quarter
• This is the first time the service has posted a quarterly subscriber drop
• But the service is making more revenue than ever

Disney Plus has lost 700,000 users since September 28, 2024, likely due to price increases and its password-sharing crackdown, but I have bad news for you: that’s not going to stop Disney from raising prices again. In fact, Disney’s tactics have been a complete success.

At first, it doesn’t look like a Disney win; after all, this would mark the first time it has posted a quarterly subscriber drop since the Disney Plus platform was launched. But this negative milestone isn’t significant when you get into the numbers.

Firstly, the platform now sits at 124.6 million users, down from 125.3 million, so 700,000 represents just over 0.5% of users leaving between its quarterly reports. Meanwhile, those price rises – which saw Disney Plus with ads go from $7.99 to $9.99 and the ad-free tier going up to $15.99 from $13.99 – represent a 25% and 14% hike, respectively, for each tier, so the remaining subscribers would more than cover the cost of people leaving.

(Image credit: AFM Visuals / Shutterstock.com)

But the real kicker for people hoping we could somehow convince Disney, Netflix, and the rest that price rises and password-sharing crackdowns are a bad idea is this: in researching this article, I found that Disney’s subscriber drop was from international Disney Plus users – not those in the US or Canada where these significant price hikes happened. In fact, US and Canada Disney Plus numbers rose by 800,000 this past quarter despite the hike.

So according to Disney’s earnings report, in the US and Canada, Disney Plus went from making an average of $431.2 million a month to $453.83 million, and overall, it went from $902.16 million to $940.73 million per month.

All this is to say, as loud as we all are about hating price hikes and not being able to share our passwords for free, companies are incentivized to keep doing it because, financially, it’s a clearly successful strategy. So even though Disney is expected to lose even more subscribers by its next quarterly report, don’t expect it to change course any time soon – and as much as I hate to say it, expect 2025 to include plenty more price hikes across the best streaming services, and more password sharing crackdowns too.

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Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless: Two-minute review

The Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless is a lightweight wireless gaming mouse with a small size and a unique form factor for improved ergonomics and handling.

Aesthetically, the M64 Wireless keeps things rather simple. The black colorway with mint green accents that I tested looked sharp and understated. White and blue variants with green and orange accents respectively are also available. No model has any RGB lighting, though, which is something of a rarity in this sector.

The asymmetrical shape of the M64 Wireless fit my hand and grip style very well. It’s among the best gaming mouse in terms of ergonomics, with the long indentations of the side walls and downwards rake of the mouse buttons accommodating my thumb and fingers perfectly.

What may prove contentious, however, is the location of the USB-C port. It’s on the rear right side, which, depending on your particular gaming setup, may put play-and-charge beyond your reach – literally.

(Image credit: Future)

Thankfully, the included USB cable is very light and causes next to no drag at all. It’s also very long, so even if your PC is to your left, you still might be able to find some way to route it adequately. The recess of the port on the mouse body is also very deep, so I had no concern about accidentally knocking it out either.

The M64 Wireless has no accompanying software; rather, all adjustments are made via the power slider and selector buttons underneath, as well as a few combinations of the topside buttons. The power slider has three positions for selecting the CPI, polling rate, and debounce time. With one of these selected, the selector button cycles through the various settings for each of these parameters.

Despite not being able to fine-tune these settings via any software, I found the available presets to be sufficient. There are eight CPI settings, ranging from 400 to 26,000, four polling rates from 125Hz to 1000Hz, and four debounce times ranging from 2ms to 12ms. A small LED light flashes certain colors to indicate the setting selected, with the key detailed in the manual.

On paper, it’s a clever solution given the lack of software, but it can be quite fiddly, as it involves referring back to the manual to check what color indicates what setting, although it could be argued that after initial setup, you probably won’t be changing them regularly. Still, a software tool would’ve made on-the-fly adjustments simpler and quicker.

Various topside button combinations can be used to alter the lift-off distance between 1mm and 2mm, as well as toggle Motion Sync on or off. There’s also a combination for checking the battery level, with four different colors indicating the percentage range. Personally, I would’ve liked the more precise readout that software provides. Also, these button combinations are again quite fiddly and inconvenient to use quickly.

(Image credit: Future)

To game with, however, I found little fault with the M64 Wireless’ performance. The aforementioned form factor made it easy to grip and maneuver, further helped by the light 53g weight and ultrasmooth PTFE skates – although these are quite thin, so aren’t the best for unpadded surfaces. The precision and speed of the Pixart 3395 sensor is also great for a 1K mouse.

The Huano Transparent Blue Shell Pink Dot switches in the main mouse buttons are snappy yet controlled, and the same goes for the two side buttons. The scroll wheel is also notched just right, allowing for quick yet secure flicks. The scroll click strikes a similar balance, being responsive without causing accidental spins.

Cherry claims the M64 Wireless can last 75 hours on a single charge, and I’m inclined to believe this figure. After several days of use, I was still in the green, indicating a level between 76-100%.

Considering its price, the M64 Wireless sits a little too close to the M68 Pro, which offers a similar shape and performance, yet has an 8K polling rate for maximum pro-level performance, although only serious gamers will likely notice the difference.

It’s also about the same as the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed, which has the benefit of integrating with Synapse, Razer’s in-depth peripheral software, offering numerous tweaks and customizations, including button rebinds and HyperShift functionality.

So while the M64 Wireless is a great feeling and excellent performing wireless gaming mouse, there are equally capable pointers at this price point, yet offer more in the way of features and functionality.

(Image credit: Future) Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless: Price & availability

• $92 / £99 / AU$133
• Available now in various colors
• Same price as better-equipped rivals

The M64 Wireless costs $92 / £99 / AU$133 and is available now in black, white, and blue colorways. It comes with a USB-A-to-C cable for charging and wired play.

It sits a little too close to the M68 Pro Wireless, which is only about $30 more, yet has an upgraded polling rate of 8K. The ergonomic form is very similar too, although the mouse buttons slope even more, which might deter some.

The Cooler Master MM311 is one of the best wireless gaming mouse picks for those on a budget, thanks to its ultra-low price and great performance. It’s heavier than the M64 Wireless at 77g and requires a AA battery, but if you can live with these facts, it’s hard to beat for sheer value.

Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless: Specs Should I buy the Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless? Buy it if...

You want a lightweight mouse
At 53g, the M64 Wireless is on the light side of the spectrum, which makes it easy to maneuver.

You want great ergonomics
The unique shape of the M64 Wireless provided me with a comfortable grip, and the downwards slope of the mouse buttons was a natural fit for my fingers too.

Don't buy it if...

You want plenty of features
There’s no software for the M64 Wireless, which means no rebinding or macros options. There aren’t many on-board buttons either.

You want esport-grade performance
Since the polling rate only goes up to 1K, competitive players might need something even more precise.

Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless: Also consider

Cherry XTRFY M68 Pro Wireless
For not much more, you could get the M68 Pro Wireless instead, which ups the polling rate to 8K for unparalleled cursor precision and smoothness. It also has a similar shape to the M64 Wireless, although the rake of the mouse buttons is even steeper, which might not sit so well with some gamers.

Cooler Master MM311
As one of the best value gaming mice out there, the MM311 is a bargain considering its performance and comfort levels. It’s heavier than the M64 Wireless at 77g, and there’s no rechargeable battery, but if those drawbacks don’t bother you, you can’t do much better at this price point than the MM311. Read our full Cooler Master MM311 review.

How I tested the Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless

• Tested for several days
• Used for gaming, working, and browsing
• Over 10 years of PC gaming experience

I tested the M64 Wireless for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

To assess its performance, I played Counter-Strike 2 - a stern test for the speed and accuracy of gaming mice, as well as featuring certain settings that can reveal a pointer’s true potential. I also played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, another FPS title but one that involves more variation to the pace and range of mouse movements.

I have been PC gaming for over 10 years, and in that time I have experienced plenty of gaming mice. I have also reviewed a number of them, including another offering from Cherry XTRFY, the M68 Pro Wireless.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed: December 2024

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• Workbooks announces the integration of advanced project management directly into its CRM
• The goal is to simplify project management, optimize team efficiency, and more
• The company has new project management tiers for newcomers

Workbooks, one of the best CRM providers, has announced the integration of advanced project management tools into its CRM platform. With this latest addition, the company aims to help businesses experience streamlined workflows, better resource allocation, and optimize revenue tracking.

In a press release shared with TechRadar yesterday, Workbooks explained how the project management tools enable businesses to simplify project and task management (things like assigning budgets, monitoring efforts, or tracking progress), optimize team efficiency (by viewing resource availability and thus balancing workloads for maximum productivity), and enhance financial oversight (by allowing businesses to monitor projected monthly revenue).

Workbooks will be offering two project management tiers for newcomers - Project Management Core, and Project Management Pro.

Core will offer functionalities such as task creation and tracking, resource and budget allocation, customizable dashboards, and real-time reporting.

The Pro tier will include multi-company management, multi-currency documents, and enhanced security measures.

Addressing business challenges

Existing customers will get the Advanced Projects add-on, which will offer “seamless integration” into current licenses, making sure businesses can scale capabilities while maintaining cost efficiency.

For Dan Roche, Chief Marketing Officer at Workbooks, the new offering means “cutting through the BS that customers are facing right now.”

”They’re having to manage multiple vendors and disparate systems, while usually not seeing the results they want,” he said. “By integrating CRM with advanced project management, we’re providing a single platform that provides a direct benefit to CEOs, CFOs, COOs, and the consultants/project managers at mid-size services businesses.”

Roche says that early adopters are already seeing “significant business benefit”, adding that the company is seeing “strong interest from other customers and prospects.”

According to data from the company’s website, Workbooks serves over 1,400 mid-market customers across 30 different countries. It employs approximately 80 people and has an estimated annual revenue of $11.3 million.

For more information, make sure to read our in-depth Workbooks review.

Comment from the expert

Long gone are the days of CRMs being used exclusively to store contact details and track deals. Although these are certainly still a crucial part of what makes a great CRM, now we are seeing the expansion of CRM capabilities to support multiple processes across business.

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at Workbooks project management tools at a customer event last year. Talking to users, I found that the general consensus is that this will be a welcome addition, helping them minimize the time and resources spent on managing multiple business tools.

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The Google Pixel 9a could prove a compelling alternative to the Google Pixel 9, since this upcoming mid-ranger is likely to cost less, yet might not be much of a specs downgrade.

Nothing is known for certain yet, but the Pixel 9a has been extensively rumored, pointing to a phone with solid specs and a surprising redesign.

You’ll find everything we’ve heard about the Google Pixel 9a below, and we’ll update this article whenever we hear anything more.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next mid-range Pixel
• When is it out? Possibly March 19
• How much will it cost? Possibly $499 / £499 / AU$849

A March launch and an unchanged price

The Google Pixel 8a (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Reportedly landing on March 19
• The starting price might be the same as the Pixel 8a's

We can get quite specific about when the Pixel 9a might launch, as one source claims the phone will go up for pre-order on March 19.

Now, they don’t mention the actual announcement date, but given that the Google Pixel 8a went up for pre-order on the day of its announcement, there’s a good chance March 19 will be the announcement date too – if this source is right. They also claim that the Google Pixel 9a will start shipping on March 26.

Given how much we’ve now heard about the Pixel 9a, these imminent dates are believable, but it’s worth noting that the Pixel 8a didn’t launch until May of last year.

We also have an idea of how much the phone might cost, with one early Pixel 9a price leak pointing to a starting price of $499.

Since then, the same site reiterated that claim, but added some more details, saying that the $499 Pixel 9a model will have 128GB of storage, and that there will also be a 256GB version for $599.

If so, then the starting price – at least in the US – will be the same as that of the Pixel 8a. Assuming the price is the same elsewhere too, we’ll be looking at a starting price of £499 / AU$849.

However, $599 for 256GB would be $40 more than last year, which might mean a similar increase to perhaps around $599 / AU$999 elsewhere.

You will probably at least get some freebies thrown in with the phone though, with one leak saying the Pixel 9a will come with a six-month subscription to Fitbit Premium, a three-month subscription to the 100GB tier of Google One, and a three-month subscription to YouTube Premium.

Can you trust these rumors?

Given that the Pixel 8a only landed back in May, we’d take claims of a March launch with a pinch of salt, but as no sources disagree with this and the phone has extensively leaked, it’s believable.

We’re also inclined to believe the starting price might not increase – at least in the US, though until more sources chime in we can’t be at all sure.

Bigger and lighter, with a questionable redesign

The Google Pixel 8a (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• The Pixel 9a could have a 6.3-inch 120Hz screen
• Its cameras might look very different to the Pixel 8a's
• It could be lighter than the current model

We first got a look at the possible Google Pixel 9a design back in August, with photos of what’s likely a prototype unit.

These images – which you can see below – show a very different camera design to either the Pixel 8a or the Pixel 9. The camera bar of those phones is gone, and replaced by a glossy, almost flat ring around the lenses.

It’s not a design we love but it’s one we may well be getting, because since then we’ve seen photos of another Pixel 9a prototype and some Pixel 9a renders, all of which you can see below, and all of which show this same design.

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(Image credit: @VNchocoTaco)Image 2 of 3

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(Image credit: Android Headlines / @OnLeaks)

These subsequent images also gave us a closer look at the front of the phone, though not as much has changed there, with this having a flat screen and a punch-hole selfie camera.

We’ve also heard that the Pixel 9a might have dimensions of 154.7 x 73.2 x 8.9mm, which would make it slightly taller and wider than the 152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9mm Pixel 8a. Does that mean the Pixel 9a will have a bigger screen? Quite possibly, because another source agrees with those dimensions, and adds that the Pixel 9a’s display will be 6.3 inches – up from 6.1 inches on the Pixel 8a.

This second source adds that it will unsurprisingly be a 120Hz display, and that the Pixel 8a will weigh 186g, which is slightly surprising as the supposedly smaller Pixel 8a is a little heavier at 188g.

Finally on the design front, we’ve also heard that the Pixel 9a’s colors might include Porcelain (off-white), Obsidian (black), Peony (pink), and Iris (bluish-purple). Of those, only Iris would be particularly new for the Pixel line.

Can you trust these rumors?

Given how many sources have shared images of the Pixel 9a, we’d say it’s likely that this is the design we’ll see.

The dimensions are also probably accurate, since again they come from multiple sources, and as that makes the phone bigger than its predecessor it’s likely to also have a larger screen.

The colors and weight we’re less sure of though until we hear the same from other sources.

A new camera

The Google Pixel 8a (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Could have a new 48MP main sensor
• The other cameras might be unchanged

From the various leaked images we’ve seen it’s looking likely that the Google Pixel 9a will have a dual-lens camera, and beyond that, one source has claimed that the Pixel 9a will have a 48MP main camera and a 13MP ultra-wide one, along with a 13MP front-facing snapper.

The Pixel 8a also has 13MP ultra-wide and selfie cameras, so those sensors might be the same, but that phone has a 64MP main camera. In other words then, the main camera here might be upgraded, or at least changed.

Can you trust these rumors?

As only one source has spoken about the camera specs so far, we’d take them with a pinch of salt, but we’re almost certain that the Pixel 9a will have a dual-lens camera.

A Tensor G4 and a big battery

The Google Pixel 8a (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Likely to be equipped with a Tensor G4
• The battery could be 5,000mAh

According to one source, the Google Pixel 9a will have a Tensor G4 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM and a choice of 128GB or 256GB of storage. Another source has also claimed the Pixel 9a will have that chipset, which is no surprise, as the rest of the Pixel 9 line uses a Tensor G4. Those RAM and storage amounts would be the same as the Pixel 8a though, so there might not be any upgrades on that front.

That second source also claims to expect seven years of Android updates, and we’ve heard that the Pixel 9a might have a 5,000mAh battery with 18W wired and 7.5W wireless charging.

Those are the same charging speeds as the Pixel 8a, and a little lower than the Pixel 9, but at 5,000mAh its battery would be bigger than either of those phones.

Can you trust these rumors?

The Pixel 9a will almost certainly use a Tensor G4 chipset, since its predecessor uses the Tensor G3. Most of these other claims are believable too but we’re a bit skeptical that it will have a 5,000mAh battery, since leaks suggest it will be lighter than the Pixel 8a, and a bigger battery is sure to add some weight.

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