UPDATE (January 28, 2025): Google has kicked off the January 2025 Android security update rollout for the Pixel 6a. You can read more about the update at the end of this article.
Google just announced its new mid-range smartphone, the Pixel 6a. This phone has been rumored for quite some time now, and most of those rumors were quite accurate. The Pixel 6a is more than a worthy successor to the Pixel 5a, and the first smartphone in the Pixel A series to utilize Google’s SoC. This handset comes with the same SoC as the company’s 2021 flagship devices, the Google Tensor.
The phone also resembles the Pixel 6 when it comes to design, quite a bit. Google updated the Pixel A series with its new design language, which makes this device considerably different-looking from its predecessor. The phone also comes with an upgraded display, though a very familiar camera setup. In this article, you’ll find a bevy of information when it comes to the Pixel 6a. So, if you’d like to know more about the device, read on.
How much does the Google Pixel 6a cost?
The Google Pixel 6a is priced at $449. That’s the same price tag its predecessor, the Pixel 5a, had. The phone is not yet available, though. Google said that the device will go on sale in July, so we’re in for quite a wait. Do note that price tags in other regions differ, of course. The Pixel 6a is coming to 13 countries overall, and here are the price tags for all of them.
Should I wait for a price drop?
Google’s Pixel A series is usually very competitive when it comes to the price. That is one of the main selling points of the Pixel A series. The same goes for the Pixel 6a. Considering what this phone offers, its $449 price tag is more than fair. So, our advice would be to grab it without waiting (once possible). It may get a discount down the road, but truth be said, that likely won’t happen that soon, and it’s not worth waiting for it. If you need a new phone once it becomes available, get the Pixel 6a, as its price tag is just right.
What offers are available at launch?
No offers were announced at launch. That makes sense, as the phone won’t be available for another couple of months.
Where can I buy the Google Pixel 6a?
The Google Pixel 6a will be available to purchase where you’d usually purchase your Pixel. It will be available directly from the Google Store, in addition to a number of US carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. It will also be available through Google Fi. International availability wasn’t mentioned yet.
What carriers support the Google Pixel 6a?
The Pixel 6a is an unlocked device. It is being sold by all the major US carriers out there, therefore it will be supported by all the carriers in the state. It will be a bit more expensive from Verizon due to mmWave 5G. The Pixel 6a will cost $499 instead of $449.
Which carriers will sell the Google Pixel 6a?
The Pixel 6a will be available through Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Google Fi, Spectrum Mobile, and Infinity Mobile in the US.
What colors are available?
Google has announced three Pixel 6a color options. Those options are Sage, Chalk, and Charcoal. You can check out all three in the images below, both renders and lifestyle shots.
What are the specs of the Google Pixel 6a?
Below are the specs for the Google Pixel 6a, and next to it, you’ll notice specs for the Google Pixel 5a, for comparison’s sake.
| Google Pixel 6a | Google Pixel 5a | |
| Display | 6.1-inch FHD+ AMOLED 60Hz |
6.34-inch FHD+ OLED 60Hz |
| Processor | Google Tensor | Snapdragon 765G |
| RAM | 6GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB | 128GB |
| Battery Capacity | 4,410mAh | 4680mAh |
| Charging Speeds | 18W wired charging | 18W wired charging |
| Software | Android 12 | Android 11 (upgradable to Android 12) |
| Rear Cameras | 12.2MP wide 12MP ultrawide |
12.2MP wide 16MP ultrawide |
| Front Camera | 8MP wide | 8MP wide |
| Dimensions | 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9mm | 154.9 x 73.7 x 7.6mm |
| Weight | 178 grams | 183 grams |
| Price | $449 | $449.99 |
| Colors | Sage Chalk Charcoal |
Mostly Black |
| Available | July 21 pre-order July 28 in-store |
Yes |
What new features did Google unveil?
The Google Pixel 6a does not come with a new version of Google’s software. It comes with Android 12 which launched last year. That’s actually a good thing. Google ironed out the vast majority of the kinds with the software, and as per usual, the Pixel A series device should have extremely stable software. Android 12 is packed with great, and useful features, so you’re getting a great package here. There are no brand new features included, but we’ll mention some that are definitely worth highlighting. Do note that there are many more included in Android 12, besides the ones mentioned below.
Wallpaper-based theming
The biggest theming-related change in Android 12 is wallpaper-based theming, also referred to as dynamic theming. Google introduced the so-called ‘monet’ dynamic theming engine with this build of Android, which allows its Material You UI to shine. The OS will use the colors from the wallpaper you set, and also allow you to tweak things along the way, though not by much. More options are coming in Android 13. The OS basically adapts itself to the colors provided by your wallpaper, making everything look more cohesive.
Privacy Dashboard
Google also boosted privacy options with Android 12. It introduced ‘Privacy Dashboard’ which essentially gives you an overview of what permissions your apps use, and if they used them recently. So, you’ll be able to check if WhatsApp accessed the camera and microphone permission, for example, presuming those are granted to that app. You can keep an eye on some apps you don’t trust this way, keep them on a tight leash.
One-handed mode
With Android 12, Google finally added a one-handed mode to the mix. This has been one of the most requested Android features for a long time now. Smartphones are quite large these days, and having a feature like this is essential. Android 12’s one-handed mode works basically the same as Apple’s Reachability feature. You can swipe downwards on the bottom part of the display in order to bring the top of your display down. You’ll see only the top half of the display this way, but you’ll be able to reach everything. Do note that you can simply swipe up to get back to the original state. Another thing worth noting is that this feature only works if you’re using navigation gestures to navigate around the UI. If it’s disabled, you can enable it via the Settings -> System -> Gestures menu.
Scrolling screenshots
Scrolling screenshots have been available on various Android skins for a long time now. Google finally added that feature in Android 12. When you take a screenshot, you’ll see the ‘Capture more’ option next to the edit button. Do note that this option will only appear if you take a screenshot by using physical buttons, not from the Recents Menu. We don’t know why, but it’s the way it is on the Pixel 4a and Pixel 6. It’s possibly a bug, and it may be corrected on the Pixel 6a.
Direct share in Recents Menu
Android 12 also brought some interesting sharing options to the Recents Menu and made it that much more useful. You can quickly share an image from the recents menu, as Android 12 will recognize what’s an image in a particular app. You can even share images from Instagram, which you generally cannot share unless you take a screenshot. It’s even possible to copy and share text from the Recents Menu in Android 12.
Microphone/camera access dots
Microphone and camera access dots are also included in Android 12. Thanks to these, you’ll know exactly when your microphone and camera are in use. An indicator will appear in the top-right corner, showing you what’s being used. If you tap on it, you’ll see which app is using it. This way, not a single app will be able to utilize a camera or microphone without you knowing about it. If you don’t like the way a certain app uses particular permissions, you can always limit that app.
Magic Eraser
When it comes to the Google Camera, the ‘Magic Eraser’ feature is surely worth mentioning. This feature allows you to remove unwanted objects from a specific picture with ease. During the Pixel 6a launch, Google confirmed a new feature within Magic Eraser. You’ll be able to change the color of objects as well, which makes the whole thing even more useful.
What cases are available?
Google is offering its own polycarbonate case for the Pixel 6a. This case is rather thin, and yet it offers decent protection for the phone. It comes in several color options, and all of them are semi-see-through. This case can be yours for only $29, check the link below.
Buy the official Google Pixel 6a case (Google)
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Updated February 6, 2024:
The Google Pixel 6a is one of the phones that is receiving Google’s Android security update for February 2024. The changelog Google provided is quite thin, as other than regular security improvements, Google released only one entry in the changelog. This update brings a fix for stability or performance with certain third-party applications on the Google Pixel 6a.
Updated March 6, 2024:
The Google Pixel 6a is one of the phones that are getting the Pixel Feature Drop update for March 2024. As part of it, the phone is getting some new functionality. One such functionality is the improved Call Screen feature. Google Assistant is now able to kickstart a call if the caller remains silent. You’ll see a prompt pop up on the screen.
Another update regarding Instagram. The Pixel Feature Drop for March improves Instagram compatibility. Thanks to this update you can capture and share 10-bit HDR videos directly on Instagram. On top of that, the Pixel 6a is also becoming capable of uploading and sharing Ultra HDR photos on Instagram.
Updated April 4, 2024:
Google has started rolling out the Android security update for April 2024 to its Pixel phones. The update is coming to all models starting with the Pixel 5a 5G, so the Pixel 6a is included in the equation too. This update delivers 28 general Android security patches and 25 Pixel-specific security patches. Google did not share any details regarding those, however.
What the company did do, however, is share details regarding bug fixes that are also included. There are four entries in that changelog, but only one of them relates to the Pixel 6a. Two are for the Pixel 8 series and one for the Pixel 5a 5G. The one that relates to the Pixel 6a has to do with the stability of changing zoom levels in the camera app. That should be smoother than ever now.
Updated May 10, 2024:
The Google Pixel 6a is one of Google’s phones which are getting a new security update for May 2024. This update is rolling out widely, though it doesn’t really bring any major changes along with it. The only change that was mentioned in the changelog are the general improvements and/or performance updates for Bluetooth LE audio. That is the only change that concerns the Pixel 6a. The next update, for June this year, is expected to be a lot bigger. Why? Well, that’s when the next Pixel Feature Drop is coming to Google’s smartphones. This update only brings the Bluetooth LE audio change, along with the usual, monthly security patches.
Updated June 14, 2024: (Pixel Feature Drop)
The Pixel Feature Drop for June 2024 is now rolling out. Google is adding new features to a number of its smartphones, ranging from the Pixel 6 and up. The thing is, not all features are coming to all phones. With that in mind, we’ll focus on the ones for the Pixel 6a in this article, of course. First and foremost, let’s just say that Google patched up 50 security vulnerabilities with this update. A major flaw is one of the vulnerabilities fixed.
Now, the first actual feature is related to the Recorder app. The company is basically using Gemini to provide speaker labels to the person who is recording a conversation. That will help with transcription. In addition to that, the Pixel camera will be able to automatically identify the best moment from your phone in HDR+ with just a single shutter press.
You will also be able to use the reverse phone number lookup on the Pixel 6a. That will be accessible directly from the call log. The last addition is also related to the camera. The Pixel camera will allow you to manually pick which camera lens you want to use while taking photos.
Updated August 30, 2024: (August 2024 security update)
The Google Pixel 6a is now receiving the August 2024 Android security update. In addition to security patches that are a part of it, Google also rolled out some very specific fixes. This update fixes the issue with screen brightness flickering under certain conditions. In addition to that, the company has fixed an issue that occasionally caused devices to be in a reboot loop after factory reset (in certain conditions).
Updated September 13, 2024: (September 2024 security update)
The Google Pixel 6a is amongst Google’s devices that are receiving the latest September 2024 Android security update. This update does bring a number of security fixes to the table, including one rather specific one. It seems to be included a fix for the Showcase demo app, as Google included this entry in the changelog: “Fix to remove third party APK to address security vulnerability”. We’re not 100% sure that’s what this is about, but chances are it is. The update is rolling out in stages, so you may have to wait a bit in order to get it.
Updated October 24, 2024: (Android 15 & Pixel Feature Drop)
The Google Pixel 6a is now also receiving Android 15, and the latest Pixel Feature Drop. If you’d lke to know more about Android 15, you can find more information here. We’ll talk about the most important Pixel Feature Drop additions now. The Pixel 6a is not getting all the new features, of course. It’s not the latest phone, nor close to it. So you won’t be getting the Audio Eraser or the Underwater photography mode, for example.
What you are getting, however, are the improvements for the Astrophotography mode. On top of that, you’ll be able to utilize Google’s Night Sight from the Instagram app directly, via its camera. Some regions are also getting improvements for Google’s Pixel Weather app in form of pollen info.
Updated November 15, 2024: (November 2024 security update)
Google has kicked off the rollout of the Android security update for November 2024. The update is reaching a ton of Pixel devices, including the Google Pixel 6a. This update does fix 21 security problems that the company spotted within Android OS. In addition to that, however, this update also brings some specific improvements. It delivers general improvements for performance and stability in certain UI transitions and animations. Do note that the rollout is staged, so it may take a while for the update to reach your phone.
Updated December 13, 2024: (December 2024 Pixel Feature Drop)
At this point in time, the Google Pixel 6a is not the latest and greatest the company has to offer. However, it is receiving a new update, the last Pixel Feature Drop of 2024. This update does not bring all the features to the Pixel 6a, but it does some of the ones included. Therefore, you can now peek into conversations between the caller and the AI agent during an automatic Call Screen. You can also answer or decline a call at anytime during that screening session.
Gboard is getting some new emoji thanks to this update while ‘Expressive Captions’ are also a part of the package. You’ll be able to use AI to automatically capture the intensity and emotion of how someone is speaking for any content with sound on your phone, including livestreams. Fall Detection is on its way to new markets, and so on. You can read more about the changes here.
Updated January 28, 2025: (January 2025 security update)
The Google Pixel 6a and many other Pixel smartphones are now getting a new update. It’s the January 2025 security update, and it weighs well under 100MB. This update fixes a total of 38 security vulnerabilities which range from high to critical. There are no additional features or anything of the sort included here, only security fixes. The update is rolling out in stages, so you may not get it straight away, though the vast majority of you probably did by now.
