We’ve seen the latest in Google software and services, but there’s also new hardware coming in July. Google has announced their latest budget offering, the Pixel 6a, alongside a more premium earbud option with the Pixel Buds Pro. 

Pixel 6a

While Google had a small release for their mid-range Pixel 5a last year, the Pixel 6a has been confirmed for Australia, with the Google Store listing it as coming ‘this winter’ for $749. 

The Pixel 6a includes the same two-tone look of the Pixel 6 series from last year, with that distinctive camera bar on the rear. It’s made from a 3D composite material with a ‘tactile alloy’ frame and has an IP67 water/dust resistance rating.

Google has moved the fingerprint sensor from the rear of the phone to under the 6.1-inch FHD+ resolution OLED display on the front of the phone which is covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and comes with a 60Hz refresh rate.

The Pixel 6a will also utilise the same Tensor SoC from the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, offering features like Live Translate and it’s paired  with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage. 

While the Pixel 6a will share the same processor, the camera has seen a step down from its more premium siblings. The Pixel 6a will include a dual rear camera offering a 12.2MP main sensor and 12MP Ultra-Wide with a 114°  field of view, while on the front you’ll find an 8MP sensor.

Google is including all the camera features from the Pixel 6 series on this mid-range Pixel though, with the inclusion of Night Sight and Magic Eraser, as well as Real Tone. 

There’s a 4,400mAh battery included in the phone, which Google says will last up to 24 hours, or up to three days using Extreme Battery Saver mode. There’s Fast Charge support but only up to 18W – and the charger isn’t included in the box.

For fast wireless connectivity, the Pixel 6a will support WiFi 6E as well as 5G for when you’re on the go but only sub-6GHz with no mmWave 5G support.

Of course you can expect Android 13 running on the phone, with 5 years of security updates included. 

The phone will launch in three colour choices: Sage, Chalk and Charcoal.  Google says that pre-orders for the Pixel 6a will open on July 21st in the US, with the phone launching on July 28th. We’ve reached out to Google to confirm Australian availability – but you can check it out on the Google Store right now.

Pixel Buds Pro

After multiple generations of Pixel Buds, Google is moving into the premium sound market with the Pixel Buds Pro, launching alongside the Pixel 6a later this year. 

The Pixel Buds Pro offer a similar form factor as previous wireless Pixel Buds but with a more prominent profile than previous generations. They also offer more features like Active Noise Cancellation (ANC),transparency mode, noise suppression and multi-device connectivity which will let you switch from a podcast on your phone, to a video call on your chromebook automatically.

The buds include 11mm custom drivers for audio and three microphones that include wind guard mesh to reduce external noise even further and you can control your audio with touch controls, including swipe for volumem call, music and Assistant control.

While a number of premium earbuds offer vents to relieve ear pressure, Google says the Pixel Buds Pro are using a sensor to detect this build-up and actively relieve it to maintain comfort.

Google will offer the Pixel Buds Pro with a soft matte finish for additional comfort, in a two-tone design in three colours: Charcoal, Fog and Lemon Grass, which come with the white case to keep the buds protected and charged when not in use. 

The battery life on the Pixel Buds Pro includes up to 11 hours of listening time (31 with the case) or 7 hours with ANC active (20 hours with the case). Just like previous generations, you can also choose to charge them using USB-C or a Qi Wireless charging dock and a 5 minute charge will get you up to 1 hour of listening time with ANC active.

The Pixel Buds Pro are launching in the US in July, but Google has them listed as ‘Coming Soon’ with a price tag of $299. You can check out all the specs, or register for pre-order on the Australian Google store now.