Google’s annual developer conference is finally here. It is the classic event in which we get the latest news about the company’s software products, such as Android 13, although we have also had hardware news. This time, we are talking about the new Pixel 6a, an affordable – and therefore trimmed – proposal to the Pixel 6 family presented in autumn 2021.
The successor to the Pixel 5a maintains the feature that marks the unique hallmark of these devices: its camera. It also debuts the SoC developed by the Mountain View company, Google Tensor, which will open the door, not only to take advantage of all the processing power but also of artificial intelligence. Let’s see the details of this new mid-range smartphone that hits the market.
Pixel 6a datasheet
| Google Pixel 6a | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 6.1″ 2,400 x 1,080 AMOLED (20:9) 60 Hz HDR10+ Gorilla Glass Class 3 |
| Dimensions and Weight | 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.7 mm 210 grams |
| Processor | Google Tensor |
| RAM | 6 GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | 128 GB USF 3.1 |
| Front Camera | 8 MP f / 2.0 |
| Rear Camera | 12.2 MP wide f/1.712 MP ultrawide f/ 2.2 |
| Battery | 4,410 mAh, 18W fast charge |
| Operating System | Android 12 |
| Connectivity | Dual SIM (eSIM) 5G Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.2 NFC GPS |
| Others | On-screen fingerprint reader IP68 certification stereo speakers Titan M2 coprocessor |
| Price | $449 |
High-end design and processor, for a fragment of the price
The design of this mobile drinks directly from its big brother. As in the Pixel 6, we find a largely uncluttered front screen, with a small hole at the top for the selfie camera and thin bezels. On the back, the photographic module, with its dual-sensor, is located in a band that protrudes a few millimeters and extends from one side of the housing to the other.
The biggest surprise of this mid-range device is the Tensor processor. As we mentioned at the beginning, this SoC developed by Google, not only bets on power but also makes a strong bet on artificial intelligence, a feature that can be beneficial for various scenarios, such as more capable applications, real-time translation, and computational photography.
If we delve a little deeper into the specifications, we should mention that the device has a 6.1-inch OLED display, with a resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. In memory, there are 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 of internal storage. At the battery level we notice a small setback compared to the Pixel 5a in capacity, which drops from 4,680 mAh to 4,410 mAh, but retains fast charging at 18 W.
In the photography section, although we do not have the 50 megapixels sensor of the Pixel 6, we are faced with an interesting configuration. There is a 12 MP main sensor that is accompanied by another 16 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor. The set allows us to take advantage of all the advantages of the Pixel, including astrophotography and Night Sight and Portrait Light modes, but not the new “motion mode”. On the front, we have an 8 MP camera for selfies.
Price and availability of the Pixel 6a
For now, the Pixel 6a will be on pre-sale in the United States in three colors (sage green, light gray, and charcoal gray) from July 21 for $449. We will have to wait to find out if Google will bring this model to other markets.
