Google Pixel 6a confirmed, at the main conference of Google IO 2022 (We have a live blog running for the entire event here).
This is a budget that revolves around Google Pixel 6, judging at least by the “a” in its name and string conventions. However, we are still waiting to know more about the phone.
It has a surprising amount of big sibling features, although a few cuts in specific areas mean the Pixel 6 will still be a key member of the line.
The release date of this phone is a long way off, but before we get to it, here’s everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 6a.
cut to chase
- What is that? Google’s new mid-range Pixel phone
- When is he outside? July 28
- how much does it cost? $449 / £399 / AU$749
Google Pixel 6a price and availability
The Google Pixel 6a costs $449 / £399 / AU$749. Pre-orders start in the US and Australia on July 21, and the phone will go on sale from July 28. That’s a long way off, so it’s surprising to hear about it so soon.
There’s no word on a UK release date yet, and that may be further than that, but it’s definitely coming.
It comes in white, green and black.
Design and display
The Google Pixel 6a has a 6.1-inch screen, with a perforated hole like other Pixel 6 phones. It has an FHD+ resolution, but only a 60Hz refresh rate, which may disappoint some.
The screen at least supports Always-on Display, a feature not all mid-range phones get.
The phone has a similar design to its siblings with the same camera band, but with smaller apertures – and that makes it look more detached to our eyes.
We haven’t heard of what material the phone is made of, but guessing based on previous phones, it’s likely plastic. This makes it more resistant to drips, at least.
Cameras and battery life
The Google Pixel 6a’s primary cameras are 12MP and 12MP ultra-wide, and they fall into this huge bar. The front-facing is only 8MP, so don’t expect to take any super high-resolution selfies here.
Some camera features are ported from the Pixel 6 including Magic Eraser to remove annoying extras in photos, and Real Tone to balance portrait mode more accurately for people of non-white skin.
What is the battery capacity here? 4800 mAh, which according to Google will last more than a day of use. Charging speed 30W.
Performance and Specifications
The Google Tensor chip is ported from older phones to the Pixel 6a — this should make the Pixel 6a just as powerful as those other devices, and explain why it has the same camera features.
On top of that, you get 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, both of which are fairly standard for a mid-range phone like this.
The software is Android 12 – the phone is too early for Android 13, unfortunately, although it will likely receive this update in due course.
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