# Google Pixel 4a Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/google-pixel-4a/ 9 people recommended Google Pixel 4a in Hacker News comments, 5 had mixed feelings and 12 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 12 months, in 8 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule. **Verdict:** More people criticize it than recommend it. People praise its light, compact size, one-hand use and LineageOS support. Common caveats are battery wear and updates ending early. Summary written by Claude from the comments below. ## What people warn about - Software update crippled battery (4 comments in the sample): "they shipped an update for Pixel 4a that crippled the battery" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48117528)) "A software update killed my friend's 4a" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47063347)) "If Google had not killed the battery." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47837265)) - Battery wears out fast (3 comments in the sample): "They intentionally make the battery life so short after 400 charge cycles" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48125079)) "the battery is pretty much dead and it's too much money to replace it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50041067)) "the battery problems that the Pixel 4a, 6a, and 7a have had" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46776458)) - Updates ended, security patches stopped (3 comments in the sample): "perfectly fine hardware, but crippled in functionality due to the lack of software updates" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47054870)) "Both were abandoned within two years of me buying" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46777794)) "well, it isn't receiving security updates" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47244575)) - Unpatched modem vulnerabilities (1 comment in the sample): "the modem and the baseband firmware have several unpatched vulnerabilities on that model" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50041915)) ## Why people recommend it - Light, compact, fits one hand (3 comments in the sample): "Light, screen exactly the right size to navigate with a single thumb whilst holding the phone in one hand" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47230645)) "So thin and light, and even a headphone jack." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50042640)) "love how light and compact the phone was" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50041097)) - Runs well on LineageOS (2 comments in the sample): "it works beautifully running a supported version of lineage it's very likely that the modem baseband has a significant vulnerability that Google isn't patching" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50220946)) "my Pixel 4a 5g (w/ LineageOS + microG) is still going strong" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49759674)) - Still fine for everyday use (2 comments in the sample): "it's still completely fine for all my purposes" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47609855)) "it’s a perfectly fine phone" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48525290)) ## Other smartphones people recommend - [Apple iPhone](https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone/): 438 recommend, 190 mixed, 789 criticize - [Fairphone](https://hackerapproved.com/p/fairphone/): 110 recommend, 42 mixed, 94 criticize - [iPhone 13 mini](https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone-13-mini/): 105 recommend, 32 mixed, 44 criticize - [Apple iPhone Pro](https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone-17-pro/): 90 recommend, 45 mixed, 138 criticize ## Where to get it - [Visit the official site](https://store.google.com/category/phones?hl=en-US) ## The badge A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged. ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Google Pixel 4a", https://hackerapproved.com/p/google-pixel-4a/ (9 recommend, 5 mixed, 12 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026). Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.