The Google Pixel 6a is now official, though you can’t buy it until July 28. If you want something to pass the time until then, an unboxing video of the phone has leaked out from one of Google’s official channels on YouTube.
As spotted on Reddit (via 9to5Google), the unlisted video gives us a guide to the phone from Google Retail Training France. Whether or not Google is going to allow it to stay up now it’s been discovered remains to be seen.
We already know what the Pixel 6a looks like of course, but the video gives us some interesting hands-on footage, and shows the packaging of the device. We also get a look at the fingerprint sensor, which looks speedy enough (it’s apparently using a different component to the sensor in the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro).
Specs appeal
The first proper look at the Google Pixel 6a came at Google IO 2022, although there’s still a lot that we don’t know about this mid-ranger. The price is going to be $449 / £399 / AU$749, and preorders will be open in certain regions from July 21.
Google has said that the handset is going to use a 6.1-inch, 1080 x 2400 pixel resolution OLED screen with a punch-hole cut out for the selfie camera. An always-on display option is supported, although the screen refresh rate is capped at 60Hz.
We also know that the Pixel 6a will have a dual-lens rear camera (12.2MP f/1.7 main and 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide), as well as an 8MP selfie camera. The 4,410mAh battery charges at a rate of 30W, and according to Google lasts for more than a day of use.
Analysis: hopes are high for the Pixel 6a
At first glance, these mid-range versions of Google’s flagship phones should be sure winners: the best bits of the more expensive phones at an affordable price, plus all the benefits of the tight integration between Google’s services and the clean version of Android that gets put on Pixel phones.
However, since the Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL launched in 2019, this series of handsets has been a bit hit and miss. We weren’t really overwhelmed with the Google Pixel 5a, which was actually only ever released in the US and Japan.
Hopes are high for the Pixel 6a though, based on what Google has told us so far. Not everyone needs the very best in smartphone components, and for a lot of people the upcoming mid-range handset should suit them very well.
It’s worth noting that the Google Pixel 7 is coming out three months after the Pixel 6a – and it was quite a surprise when we got a brief, official glimpse of it at Google IO 2022. It’s possible that some smartphone buyers will wait and see what the 2022 flagship has to offer before parting with their cash.