The lite Google Pixel 6a gets 5 years of updates and the Google Tensor processor

For those who wish to get the original Android experience with 5 years of software updates, the Pixel 6a serves as the cheapest entry point to do so. Inheriting the design language of its premium sibling – the Pixel 6, this device also packs an FHD+ 6.1-inch OLED display, together with 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM.

Features worth mentioning also include 24+ hour battery life with up to 72 hours of battery life, IP67 water resistance, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and 18W wired fast charging. This phone will skip features such as wireless fast charging and the 50MP camera found on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.

Pixel camera experience

The Pixel 6a contains a dual camera setup which consists of a 12.2 MP wide camera and 12MP ultrawide lens. Utilising Dual Pixel Phase Detection (PDAF), the device intelligently compares pixels within the image to determine the correct focus distance, resulting in properly focused images. The selfie camera is an 8MP camera replicated from the Pixel 6.

The camera setup also includes Pixel Exclusive features like Face Unblur, Magic Eraser for unwanted objects, Night Sight, and Real Tone for accurate skin tone representation. This can be largely attributed to the use of Google Tensor’s superior AI algorithms.

The cheapest phone with Google Tensor

Containing the same chip as the Pixel 6 Pro, the phone is capable of handling heavy machine-learning workload and be resistant to security breaches and attacks. International users can also benefit from real-time language translation and offline text-to-speech conversions.

Throughout the 5-year software update from Google, users can come to expect more upcoming features and security patches to keep their phones performing at optimal standards.

Availability and Pricing

The Google Pixel 6a will retail for S$749, with pre-orders starting on 21 July – for the US market. The company has yet to mention the official sales date for the local market. Factoring the features such as the Google Tensor chip and 5 years of updates, the Google Pixel 6a can be a compelling option for first-time Google phone users.