Google launched the Pixel 6a at its I/O 2022 developer keynote event on Wednesday night. There are three big takeaways: it shares a lot of hardware, including the design, with the flagship Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, it costs the same as the Pixel 5a, and it is coming to India later this year. The Pixel 6a is priced at $449 (roughly Rs 34,800) in the US. Pixel 6a price in India should be announced closer to availability.
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Though it’s technically a “budget” Pixel, Google isn’t compromising on core hardware as the Pixel 6a has the same Tensor chip as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones. The chip, which Google has designed in-house, brings the promise of Titan M2 security, enhanced AI, and up to five years of security updates to the Pixel 6a. Those are some of its main selling points. The Pixel 6a has a lot to offer, at a price that’s a bit more affordable, which is to say it has great potential to shake up the midrange smartphone market – though it would be interesting to see Google’s pricing strategy in India.
Here’s a quick first look at everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 6a:
Design: The Pixel 6a is clearly inspired from the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. It comes with a similar dual tone look and what Google likes to call the “camera bar.” It has a frame made of metal. The back is plastic. On the front, you get Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. There is no headphone jack or micro-SD card slot. It will be available in three colourways— Chalk, Charcoal and Sage.
Display: The Pixel 6a has a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 1080p resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. Biometrics are handled by an in-screen fingerprint reader. The phone has a hole punch cut-out at the centre.
Processor: Under the hood, the Pixel 6a has Google’s Tensor chip. This 8-core chip —which is based on a 5nm manufacturing process—has two high-performance Cortex-X1 cores, two mid cores, and four high-efficiency cores. This is paired with a 20-core GPU. Tensor also packs a mobile TPU and Titan M2 security chip.
RAM, Storage: The Pixel 6a comes with 6GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 storage. This is not expandable.
Software: The phone runs Android 12 right out of the gate and will be “among the first Android devices to receive the upcoming Android 13 update,” Google says. It will receive up to five years of security updates.
Rear camera setup: On the back, the Pixel 6a has dual cameras— a 12.2 MP main (f1.7 dual-pixel with optical image stabilisation) and another 12MP ultrawide. Photography chops like Magic Eraser, Face Unblur, and enhanced skin tone –Real Tone— rendering in portrait shots that Google introduced with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are available on the Pixel 6a, too. 4K@60fps video recording is supported.
Front camera: The Pixel 6a has an 8MP front camera, same as the Pixel 6. It is capable of up to 1080p@30fps video recording.
Battery capacity, fast charging: The Pixel 6a has a 4,410mAh battery with 18W fast charging. There is no wireless charging. Google claims “all-day battery” with up to 72 hours of use in the Extreme Battery Saver mode.
Miscellaneous: You also get stereo speakers, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2.
Price, availability: Pixel 6a is priced at $449 which roughly translates to Rs 34,800 and it will be available for pre-order in starting July 21 and in stores from July 28. The phone will initially be available in Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Italy, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Taiwan, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States. Google has confirmed that the Pixel 6a is coming to India later this year. Price in India is yet to be announced.
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