Pixel 4a: Two Years And Counting

I bought my Pixel 4a in September 2021 through the French electronics superstore Fnac - mainly because the 4a wasn't available in Sweden and I heard positive comments from Fnac customers. The purchase went smoothly and the phone was delivered without any hassle. The total price was EUR 354.

In the end it was a no-brainer for me, getting the 4a to replace my aging Pixel 2. I definitely wanted to stick with Pixel phones, if at all possible, and here are the main criteria I had before the purchase:

• Small phone a must-have; can't cope with the huge slabs that seem to be all the rage these days
• Reasonable power and a good screen. I don't play games but can't do without a smooth user experience either
• Decent battery life
• Preferably at least some protection against the elements
• Top of the line camera
• Headphone jack - yes, please!
• Price that doesn't break the bank

The 4a looked like a very decent overall compromise; perfect size, great camera, nice price - but, unfortunately, no weather protection. The headphone jack is truly a great bonus and the phone is also surprisingly light.

Looking back these two years I must say I've had no problems whatsoever with my 4a and I've been really happy with it. Obviously, I've been careful not to get it wet! Right from the start, I also bought a protective and super slim Spigen Thin Fit sleeve and it has definitely saved the phone and thereby my day on several occasions. From now on - meaning winter of 2023 - there are apparently no additional system or security updates available from Google and that is really too bad. This is actually my main gripe with Google and Pixel phones; looks like things will take a positive turn in the future though.

My Pixel 4a is still in pristine condition. I will absolutely keep using it, hoping that the AdGuard software will deal with most of today's abundant malware threats. Battery life, of course, is not stellar (it never was, actually) so I don't get anything close to a full day of use anymore. However, I'm fully aware that the always-on apps I'm using - AdGuard, Orbot, GravityScreen - also increase battery drain. My BT Pixel Buds A-series (my review here) and the 4a are a good match for sure but the headphone jack is also super, especially when hard wiring the phone to my Zoom PodTrak P4.

There is a problem on the horizon, however: how to find a good replacement for the 4a, when the time comes? It looks like there are no small form factor phones coming from Google any time soon and they are a rare breed from other manufacturers as well. Asus Zenfone is an interesting option but the price tag looks anything but nice to me.

The Cool Gear scale is just barely enough to accommodate the Pixel 4a. This is an old budget phone that still today in many respects matches the competition. That's Super Cool.