Google releases Pixel 6a smartphone, online pre-orders now open

Google has launched the Pixel 6a, its latest smartphone which is more wallet-friendly than the rest of the Pixel 6 series.

The phone was first announced at the I/O developer conference in May alongside the Google Pixel Buds Pro. 

It retails for $749 and comes in three colours — Chalk, Charcoal and Sage.

The Pixel 6a is powered by the company’s flagship semi-custom mobile chip, Tensor, which made its debut with the Pixel 6 in 2021. 

As such, its hardware is superior to the Pixel 5a which still runs Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G. 

At 178g, the device is also lighter than the company’s recent releases which include the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 5a. 

It is worth noting that the Pixel 6a has a smaller 6.1-inch panel compared to its predecessor, the Pixel 5a, which features a 6.34-inch display. 

However, both models offer OLED panels with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and are protected by Gorilla Glass 3.

The device comes with a 4,410 milliampere-hour battery which can last up to 72 hours with the “Extreme Battery Saver” feature.

The Pixel 6a will not include the fast wireless charging feature available on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. 

The Pixel 6a features an under-display fingerprint sensor along with a Titan M2TM security chip which Google says makes the Pixel “more resilient to attacks”.

It is also equipped with a dual rear camera system, including 12.2 megapixel wide-angle and 12 megapixel ultrawide cameras. The front camera has not received an upgrade from the Pixel 5a’s eight megapixels.

The phone comes with only 6GB of Random Access Memory (RAM) as compared to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro which offer 8GB and 12GB of RAM respectively. However, it comes with 128GB onboard storage like the other devices.

Google has also released its water resistant Pixel Buds Pro, priced at $299, which comes with Active Noise Cancellation.

The new wireless earbuds have multipoint connectivity, simplifying the process of switching between various devices through pairing with Bluetooth. 

It also supports Transparency Mode that lets in ambient noise for users to stay aware of their surroundings. Touch controls such as horizontal swipes that adjust the volume are featured as well. 

The Pixel 6a and Pixel Buds Pro are currently available for pre-order on the Google Store, Amazon SG, Courts Online, Challenger Online and on Shopee.

They will officially hit the shelves on Jul 28.