Google has officially announced the Pixel 6a confirming some of the rumored specs. The affordable mid-range offering runs the Tensor chip as the Pixel 6 series, but other features have been toned down. Perhaps to keep the price down, it’s logical that the company made those changes.
The Google Pixel 6a has a recycled aluminum frame and a polycarbonate back. It means Google dished the Glass and Metal used for the Pixel 6 series, but they managed to keep the design identical.
Around the front panel, there is a 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED display that refreshes at 60Hz. The panel houses an under-display fingerprint sensor, making it the first affordable Pixel phone to utilize the tech. For protection, Google has gone for a Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and we expect it to do the job.
As expected, the device runs Google Tensor Processor, paired with a 6GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 storage. The Titan M2 security coprocessor is also part of the package, which makes the Pixel 6a a more secure Android device.
For optics, unfortunately, Google has dished the 50MP ISOCELL GN1 sensor for a primary 12.2MP shooter. The sensor gets a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and we believe both shooters, coupled with the Google processing algorithm can output amazing shots as usual. There is a single 8MP selfie snapper placed centrally inside a punch-hole.
Google has equipped the Pixel 6a with some Pixel 6 and Pixel Pro camera features, but the Motion Mode is missing, which is expected. Meanwhile, the device supports the Magic eraser, Real Tone, and Face Unblur. It can shoot 4k videos at 30 and 60fps. At 1080p, it also supports recording at 30 and 60fps. For slo-mo videos, shooting is capped at 1080p @240fps, while the front camera can shoot 1080p@30fps.
Of course, Google Pixel 6a will run Android 12 outside-of-the box. The company is committing to three years of Android updates and five years of security patch support. That’ll see the device receive up to Android 15, while the support period will end in 2027.
Power is drawn from a 4,306mAh battery with support for fast charging, and according to Google, the battery can last 72 hours on a single charge. Unfortunately, there’s no provision for a headphone jack, meaning users will rely on the recently launched Google Pixel Buds Pro.
Google Pixel 6a price and availability
Google Pixel 6a price starts at $499. The device is only available in a 6/128GB memory configuration, and you can purchase from Google Store or official retail stores from July 28. There’ll be three available color options: Black, Mint Green, Gray/Silver.