Taipei: Tech giant Google LLC announced Tuesday that its latest budget-friendly smartphone, the Pixel 10a, will go on sale in Taiwan starting March 5, highlighting the deep involvement of its Taiwan-based research and development team.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Pixel 10a is the eighth-generation device in Google's A-series lineup and is considered the most durable A-series model to date, thanks to close collaboration with local engineers. The phone will be available in four color options in Taiwan-lavender, berry, fog, and obsidian. The lavender, fog, and obsidian variants will come in 128GB and 256GB storage options, priced at NT$16,490 (US$525) and NT$19,990, respectively. Meanwhile, the berry color will be offered exclusively in a 256GB version.

The new smartphone is powered by Google's Tensor G4 chip and supports the Gemini personal AI assistant along with a suite of AI tools. These tools include Gemini Live, which enables users to have natural, back-and-forth conversations with the AI assistant. Additionally, all Gemini users can access the Nano Banana AI image generator for photo recomposition, image synthesis, and custom picture creation.

On the photography front, the Pixel 10a features a 48-megapixel main camera and a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera. Google has introduced several advanced photographic tools to the A-series for the first time, such as automatic group photo enhancement, shooting guidance, and collaborative photo features.

The phone's 6.3-inch Actua display is 11 percent brighter than that of the previous-generation Pixel 9a, allowing photos and videos to appear more vibrant even in direct sunlight. Battery performance has also seen improvements, with faster charging, more than 30 hours of typical use, and up to 120 hours when Extreme Battery Saver mode is enabled, the company noted.