Pixel 6a is official: Google’s mid-range evolves but the price doesn’t change

The formula that Google has chosen for its new smartphone intended for the mid-range, Pixel 6a, is always the same: but the differences with the Pixel 5a predecessor are many. On the other hand, with the launch of Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, in Mountain View they deeply touched on and under the body, with an innovative design and the introduction of a proprietary SoC, the Tensor. The same revolution now also comes to the smallest of the family.

Pixel 6a, officially presented today during the Google I / O that we followed liveis therefore just what we expected, more or less, since not even he has been immune in recent months to the barrage of advances and leaks that always anticipate the big G phones.

• PIXEL 6A: TECHNICAL SHEET
• AVAILABILITY AND PRICE

DESIGN: A MORE COMPACT 6 PIXEL

Let’s start with the design: the dimensions are more compact, as is it 6.1-inch Full HD + flat OLED screen with refresh rate a 60Hz (against the 6.4 inches of the Pixel 6 and the 6.7 inches of the Pixel 6 Pro), but in fact the aesthetics are that of the older brothers. Well recognizable lines, with the back of the body divided into two chromatic shades by the most characterizing element, that is the horizontal black band that contains the two cameras.

The whole is graced by three different colors: Chalk (white), Charcoal (black) and the most particular, Sage, a sort of original and elegant teal. And since in the end the back of smartphones always ends up being covered by a cover, Google has also launched a series of official cases for the Pixel 6a with which you can create more extravagant color combinations.

UNDER THE SHELL: THE SOC GOOGLE TENSOR IS HERE

And speaking of cameras: The Pixel 6a has been equipped by Google with a 12.2MP main sensor (Sony IMX363 DP) with OIS and a secondary one from 12 MP ultra wide angle (Sony IMX386). The selfie cam, on the other hand, is a wide da 8 MP (Sony IMX355) with 84 ° Field of View and fixed focus. But the numbers count up to a certain point: the difference, on the Pixels, has always been made by the software.

The other big news compared to the Pixel 5a is under the body: even on the Pixel 6a, Google has brought its own SoC Tensor with Titan M2 security chipthe same solution that debuted on Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. As for the memories, Pixel 6a comes in a single configuration that provides 6 GB of RAM.

For biometric authentication there is the fingerprint sensor installed under the display while the battery has a capacity of 4400 mAh and supports fast charging a 18W. The company underlines how thanks to the software optimization guaranteed by Adaptive Battery, which learns the user’s habits and decreases the drainage linked to the less used apps, Pixel 6a is able to offer excellent autonomy: the data provided is 24 hours with an average use (but we know that the manufacturers are wide-sleeve in this sense), without however any indication regarding the hours of screen on.

Pixel 6a comes with Android 12 and together with the rest of the Pixel 6 family it will be the first to receive the update to Android 13. In terms of software support over time, Google has guaranteed 5 years of security patch plus all the goodies of the Feature Drop monthly update schedule which only the Pixels benefit from.

PIXEL EXPERIENCE: THE SOFTWARE BEANS

Not only design and photographic performance: another strong point of Pixel smartphones lies in the exclusive functions that Google develops for its smartphones. Here are some of them in dowry to Pixel 6a that the company has chosen to put in the spotlight:

• Night Sight, a trademark of the Pixel dynasty, the feature that has long made the big G smartphones a reference in the mobile photography sector, thanks to the Artificial Intelligence that is able to reconstruct the shots captured in precarious light conditions and illuminate them in detail and credible, as if by spell.
• Face Unblur makes moving faces in photos more defined
• Real Tonean algorithm dedicated to providing the most faithful possible representation of the different shades of people.

• Magic Eraser, or how to make the garbage can disappear that you have inadvertently included in the background of the photo where you came best. Thanks to Google’s magic eraser it is in fact possible to modify one’s shots and “magically” dematerialize those elements that we prefer to exclude. To replace them, completing the image in a coherent way, will think the Artificial Intelligence of Pixel 6a. And that’s not all, because the developers of Mountain View have further improved this function: in addition to eliminating elements from the photos, it will be possible to select them to change their hue, in order to bring out what you prefer.
• Live Translate, which made its debut on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, and is something of a mix of Lens, Translate, Assistant, and Live Caption. In practice, this feature allows you to automatically generate subtitles in real time during the playback of audio or audiovisual content, translating them into the desired language. But the potential of Live Translate does not stop there, and also affects other scenarios, such as the translation of SMS, signs or text elements framed by the camera, and can even go as far as acting as an interpreter in real time (the latter functionality only in English at the moment).

WHEN IT ARRIVES AND HOW MUCH IT COST

Pixel 6a will arrive in the United States on July 28, and it will be possible to pre-order it as early as July 21st. The changes and improvements compared to Pixel 5a, as mentioned, are many, but the launch price remains the same: 449 dollars in the States and 459 euros in Italy. The arrival is expected during the summer but as reported on the official website, the date is yet to be defined.

GOOGLE PIXEL 6A: TECHNICAL SHEET

• Screen: OLED 6.1 “Full HD +, 20: 9 aspect ratio, 60 Hz refresh rate, HIAA center
• SoC: Google Tensor GS101
• Safety: Titan M2 chip, fingerprint reader for biometric authentication under the display
• Memory: 6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128GB storage
• Cameras:
  • Front wide: 8 MP (Sony IMX355), 84 ° FOW, fixed focus
  • Rear: 12.2MP main (Sony IMX363 DP) with OIS + 12MP ultra wide angle (Sony IMX386)
  • Night Sight, Face Deblur, Magic Eraser, Real Tone
• Audio: stereo, 2 microphones
• Connectivity: USB-C 3.0, 5G (mmWave on some models), Wi-Fi 6E, Dual Chain Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, eSIM, NFC, GPS L1
• Operating system: Android 12
• Drums: 4.400 mAh with 18W charging
• Dimensions: 71.8×152.16, x8.85 mm; rear camera protrusion 1.08mm
• Frame thickness: upper 4.27 mm; lateral 3,935 mm; bottom 5.71 mm
• Price: $ 449